The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1904-03-13
PORT ARTHUR's PLIGHT
Conditions UnbearabIe Even
Before War.
TRANSLATION OF LETTER
Russians Are Known as Horse
Thief Band.

Following is the translation by the New
York Globe Of letter from a japanese
resident Of Port Arthur, written twenty
days before hostilities began, which was
published in the Nippon of Toxic:
Port Arthur. Jan. 1S-Some $50 of our
| japanese women and children, which was
| nearly the whole number in Dalny, Tall
ienwan and Port Arthur, have left here in
| the last two weeks. We expects the
| declaration of war every hour. We sent
one fellow to the japanese consulate at
| Chefoo the other day to ask him TO send
US word il the war was begun. We can
not see anything definite here; everything
is in a chaotic state. The mayor OF
| Dalny, Sawaroff and the viceroym Alex
| Jeff issued a proclamation among the
| japanese and Chinese assuring our safety
whatever might happen. There are some
fifty Japanese girls of questionable NOR
atty who begged relief of their masters or
mistresses, but they are not permitted to
go out even one step. 1t was said to be
the governments command. The viceroy
is endeavoring to make US stay here with
every effort. Why? All the Chinese, more
J
here only for money are looking TO our
japanese movement. If we begin to de-
part. thus spreading among them the
news of the immediate possibility of war.
| they would not stop a minute from run
! ming away. Here at Port Arthur some
thing above a thousand Chinese laborers
are employed.
Let me say that Port Arthur is not
]
| that Alexieffs idea is to delay our nego-
! tiations long as possible. After a
month or so the war preparations may be
ready. And still it is doubtful. His bluff
/ is sure sign of Russas incompetency.
/ II never saw such a tumuItuous city as
| Port Arthur in my life. The city is in
confusion. And the people are in panic,
partly from their fears of the threat of
the horse thief The ferocious Man
churians invade a private house and steal
the treasure away. And they kill women
| and children without a sign of mercy.
Only few days ago one was robbed to
the amount of between $1,000 and 800
| They begin this savage work every even
ing. And it is so strange TO see one or
two Chinese hanged on a tree every day.
There is. an opinion 1t is the work of the
horse thief brigands. It is pretty hard
to understand why they do so. 1t is al
most indescribable to think of living in
the enlightened twentieth century, seeing
such dreadful coSditions. All the people
are afraid to be out from in the evening.
But the Russian officers busiest hours
will begin from II o'clock at night and
their work will be done by the next morn
ing. They drive the Chinese laborers like
horses for carrying food and moving
timbers.
There is an opinion, not only among
the Russians but also among US, that
China will join with Japan if the war is
declared. And Japan will land a Chefoo.
to begin with, and rush into Manchuria.
Our japanese first movement will be turn
ed toward Port Arthur. Port Arthur's
life is hanging on Chefoo 1t means death
to Port Arthur if the city were cut off
from Chefoo. Russia gets everything
from there-coal, beef, and vegetables.
So the viceroy's every effort is turned to
getting as much provisions as possible
from Chefoo. He made nearly all the
steamers stop running to other places !
and commissioned them for transporta-
ton. The cargoes have increased tenfold. |
What will Port Arthur do if the land
connection be destroyed by our japanese |
army when the Yellow sea is our own?
The city has no coal, food is not sufficient,
and where is the dock? 1t is clear that /
Russia does not desire war at all. But /
she is showing that she is ready any time |
for war, since her diplomacy would not I
work if she did not demonstrate her war |
preparation. Yes, she is preparing for /
war. But her preparations are far from 1
complete. The viceroy is doing his utmost. /
However he declared to the japanese la !
borers-twenty in all-at Port Arthur that |
Russia and Japan would never come TO |
rupture If they insist on returning to |
Japan he says he will not pay them even |
a cent, and will give them no passports. /
He is an absolute tyrant.
And Russia commands no respect |
among the Manchurians The Russian /
officers are the objects of hatred. There |
is no doubt the Manchurians will come TO
the japanese army and offer their hands
for driving out the Russians They are
trampled brutally by them. They would
think It was the right tirne to revenge
themselves Undoubtedly they will wreck
the railroad and threaten the Russian gar
rison. They will steal away their provis
ions. They will do every harm within
their power. Ii is hard to see that such
a disturbance among the Manchurians
will be of any help TO US IL we begin war
But IL is certain that their sympathies are
with us.
Again let me say that Port Arthur is
not ready for war. There is only the war
with Russia, nothing but the war. We
hope we may hear OF il within week or
50. There is no other time like this. when
there is every chance for Japan Russia
has no fear at all for Japan. Russia has
no moral support in Manchuria, and
stands il such an awkward situation for
fighting.
The climate is eight degrees below zero
every dsy But there is thin ice in the
hay at Port Arthur and also at Dalny.
"A JAPANESE"