The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-05-14
INVESTMENT OF PORT
ARTHUR DESCRIBED BY
A NEWSPAPER WRITER
Russia's Archibald Forbes Tells Of
Conditions in the Beleaguered
Fortress.
JAPANESE ALL ABOUT
Warships Off the Coast and an
Army Behind the Hills, Yet the
Band Plays.
JAPANESE ALL ABOU


chenko, popularity known as the Russian
Archibald Forbes. who is now in the serv-
ice of the Associated Press, has just ar
rived here from Port Arthur and furnishes
the following chronicle of the events of
the first week of the investment of that
fortress, Danchenko having escaped from
the beleaguered territory by the last train:
From Thursday. May s. the powerful
fleet of the enemy's cruisers, the Adsuma,
Asama, Idsumo, Iwate and another, the
name of which is unknown, together with
the flagship Nikasa and the battleships
Shikishima, Hatsuez, Ashahi. Yashima and
the Euji remained constantly in sight at
Port Arthur departing every night and re-
turning at daylight. The Japanese torpedo
bots swept our coast with searchlights at
night while their barges lay in waiting off
Pigeon bay, beyond our visitor on the
western horizon and beneath the lofty
hills that skirt the Liao-Tung gulf. APP
parently the Japanese were watching to see
If we intended TO interfere with their
landing further north.
Our communications with the north
were broken on Thursday and the follow
ing day the telegraph office in Port Arthur
nese cavalry reconnotered the peninsula
from the north to ascertain whether we
were safely imprisoned But this fact did
not cause any particular impression in Port
Arthur. The weather was beautiful, band
was playing on the boulevard and there
were many people unconcernedly prone
nading the streets. We heard that the Japa-
nese had fired on the last outgoing train
carrying the Russian sick and wounded.
and had succeeded in wounding two of the
passengers. Rumors also fioated in an
nouncing the destruction of the railroad
and the blowing up of some Of the bridges,
but our spirits remained singularly unde-
pressed. The military, officers and men,
talked of nothing except a second siege of
Sebastopol, although as a matter of fact
SebaStopol had never been cut off from its
communications on the land side
1--we can die like our forefathers,' was
the universal sentiment expressed.
THE Chinese continued working as usual
for the most part. very few of them at
vIGILANT OFFICER.
1T Seems that the sole defense of the
Russian stronghold is General Kondra-
tenko. He knows no rest but is ceaseless
in his activity. The utmost vigilance pre-
walls throughout the Notifications and the
energy shown by everyone from highest
to lowest is marvellous. No one is now
admitted to Port Arthur. The women
from Dalny. which was doomed to destruc-
ton. sought shelter here. but were not al
lowed to remain any later than Friday of
last week.
''The number of Chinese seeking work
the Notifications and as servants is
more numerous than ever. As long there
s- 80 thA.A mill -
titude of the Chinese Authorities is chang
ing and becoming threatening. The ma
tives are clearly our friends and the author
tiles clearly antagonistic. For instance, the
governor of the province of Fu-Chow, on
the 1iao-Tung peninsula, has announced
that he will behead all the natives in our
service very soon and that he will burn
Polandian, one of the neighboring towns
which has shown itself friendly to the Rus
slams After the skirmish at Polandian be-
tween the Japanese advance and the Rus
terpreter and the servant of Lieutenant
Helmer, the Russian military chief in
charge of that section of the railroad.
Beyond Cape Terminal the japanese are
landing immense stores OF rice and siege
guns. The surrounding heights are occu-
pied by their scouts. The Japanese struck
the railroad first between Sanshilipou and
Polandian, about fifty miles from here, and
blew up section of the bridge with NELL
mite They fred ON our sentries and later
finding one of them killed, a Japanese took
off his tunic. rolled il UP and placed il
under his head as a pillow and then rever-
emily crossed the dead mans arms over his
breast.
ION Saturday. May Z. decided, by hook
Liao-Yang, it being plainly impossible Ia
write or telegraph from Port Arthur.
paid a farewell visit to the batteries and
inspected their positions.
A WORD PICTURE.
1.-The sky was of an intense blue, show
ing up the black masses of Cape Stone and
the frowning dragon hills behind Siao-
Ping-Tao, where it was said the enemy's
scouts were lurking. Westward cleaned the
Mao-Tao islands, and nearer the Tigers
Tail and Liao-Te-Shan. while behind. far
far away, toward the Eagles Nest, whence
a view is obtainable OF the whole of the
Regents Sword peninsula. Out upon the
limitless ocean twelve tiny spots indicated
the Japanese warships and smaller dots
the enemy's swift-moving torpedo boats
watching the coast TO prevent any of oul
craft slipping through to Che-Foo or Nieu-
Chwang
az decided to steal through during the
night across the stretch of railroad. Com.
municaton was interrupted and Genera
Stoessel proposed that / should accom-.
pany Captain Odintzoff, who had been EN-.
powered to enter into communication with
the enemy. We left Port Arthur at 6 O'Clock
the positions commanded by the energetic
and tireless General Fock, who defends
the whole northern section of Liao-Tung
Reports were coming in every few minutes
of Japanese landings, large and small
of first encounters with our outposts, oil
first losses. The busy work on every side
digging trenches, throwing up redoubts
and general feverish military activity, con-
trasted with peaceful nature, adorned by
beautiful spring, the bloom of lilac, almond
and apricot blossoms. 1t was a fairy pic
ture framed by hills of reddish hue. Int
Chinese villagers nesting in the verdure
continued to wear an aspect of idyllic re.
pose.
General Smock has learned the secret oil
ubiquity. He does not require food. His
ties penetrate every nook and corner, APP.
pearing against the enemy when least ex.
I'VE went on to Kin-Chou, distinguish.
able in the distance by threatening profile
of it's defenses. We decided after passins
kin-Chou TO stick to the railroad, board
ing an open freight car, which the engin,
pulled along the deserted line TO San.
shilpou. There was not single employs
there, but the station was crowded will
Cinnamon. AS soon as we neared the sta.
ton three horsemen dashed off toward the
hills to the east. The station building was
intact but the natives reported the rail
way buildings at the station beyond afire
Captain OdintZof mounted the engine anC
ordered the engineer to go ahead, leaving
me behind in command OF the freight cal
and a second engine with soldiers on board
CAPTAIN OdintZon ordered me IL the Japa.
nese cavalry appeared to at once return tt
n-Chou without awaiting him. addnl
that il he did not return by O'Clock thi:
evening TO turn back anyhow.
1.-TWO hours later Captain Odintzoff me-
a small detachment of cavalry eight
miles ahead and sent back TO me a note