New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-11-04
PORT ARTHUR.

The fall of Port Arthur, unless dispatches are
misleading is at hand 1t cannot be long ue-
layed, and it may occur before these lines are
read After a campaign of unusual persistence
and costliness, the Japanese have secured
commanding position whence they can, "heH'
ever they please, rush into the doomed TOWN.
The ring of defensive fortresses is broken, the
remaining Russian works shattered and Ill
eouipped with arms and ammunition, and the
shins in the harbor are Of little service. while
4be Jananese have ample reinforeements and
new supplies. The chief question now to be de-
cided seems to be whether all the Russian FORCES
shall surrender with the town. or shall make
their way across the harbor 10 the Tigers 1all
and thence down 10 the mountain forts at the
tin of the Lao-Tie-Shan Peninsula. The Japan
csc are doubtless trying to head them on from
doing the latter, although if the Russians should
execute such a movement their respite from
canture or destruction could not be long. They
vvould he followed remOrselessly, and would
oIicl,ly find themselves between an overwhelm-
ing Japanese force on the one hand and on the
other the deep sea and the Japanese feet
Assuming the fall of the Gibraltar of the
East" TO be at hand, comparison OF its memo
rable siege with others comes naturally to nina.
Especially will it be compared with the sieges
of Sebastopol and Vicksburg. to each or which
# presents some lkenesses, with many differ
probabl been q much more costly siege, In limb
and life. than either Of those, it has been much
shorter Strictly speaking, it began at about the
end Of July when the outlying Russian forces
were driven in to the actual defences of the
place 1t has lasted, therefore only little
more than three months. SebastOpOi was close
" beseged for eleven months, while the siege
of Vicksburg occupied more than year, Grants
campaign lasting more than six months,
ba Artb TO
siege Of Plevna in 1877 was about the same in
length as that of Port Arthur. In general cir
cumstances the great siege of Gibraltar should
afford the ittest standard of comparison. 1t
presents, however, chiefly striking contrast,
for it lasted years instead Of months. the garri-
son was outnumbered even worse than that at
Port Arthur, yet it ended in a complete victory
for the defenders, accompanied with losses TO
the attacking forces so appalling that even
those of the victorious japanese at Port Arthur
may not exceed them.
The moral effect of the capture Of this fortress
will doubtless be great. Its immediate military
effect will be little having already been fully
discounted. But the Russians cannot help feel
ing depressed at the loss of a fortress which
they deemed impregnable and which they
boasted was forever 10 bear the Russian flag.
The japanese will exult in and be greatly en-
couraged by the capture of the fortress over
which in two wars they have shed so much
blood and which was in a peculiar manner one Of
the chief causes of this present war. That 1t
will make any difference 10 General Kuropatkn
in the prosecution of his campaign is not to be
supposed Whatever the fatuous Alexieff may
have imagined Kuropatkin, being real soldier
and a man of sense has never INDUCED any
illusions Of raising the siege Of Port Arthur AS
for the I'll starred Baltic feet II is possible that
1t will perseVere in It's Quixotic voyage, with
VladVostok as its objective In that case, such
Of its vessels as survive TO reach those waters
may do well 10 look out for Japanese ships at
any time after passing Singapore. Admiral
Togo viii not be hereafter so closely engaged In