The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-02-12
PORT ARTHUR is STRONG.
Russia's Naval Station Protected by
Nature and Forts.

Port Arthur was occupied by Russia
in 1897, and is the most southerly ma
val station that power possesses in Asia.
AS soon as Russia occupied the town
she began laying out an elaborate
scheme of defenses, so arranged as to
be capable OF resisting almost any at
tack that might be brought against it.
The town was formerly Chinese ar
senal. and was constructed under the
guidance of European engineers; so the
Russians found the town already laid
out and the scheme of the Notifications
prepared; but. not satisfied with these
arrangements, they began straightWay
the work of rearming the forts and inn
proving on the military strength OF the
position along Russian lines.
The entrance to the harbor of Port
Arthur is protected by nature, being
very narrow, indeed in some places less
than 200 yards wide. Therefore the har-
Dor is nearly as secure from attack as
any that could be found; it lies, like
that at VIadivostock, at right angles to
the main channel The water in the
inner port, however, is not deep enough
to float the largest vessels, and ships
drawing over "A feet. OF water must lie
in the outer roadstead, exposed to the
sea and where an enemy could easily see
them and attack.
One disadvantage possessed by Port
Arthur is the likelihood of its speedily
becoming isolated if the war continues
It is connected with the Liaotung penin-
sula proper by a very narrow isthmus,
which is only eighteen miles wide in at
least one place. 1t is thought that al
most Japan's first move will be to take
possession of this strip of land, and,
establishing a state of siege, cut Port
Arthur off from all communication save
by sea.
Although Port Arthur is of immense
political value to Russia, StrategistS
hold that a determined siege would
more than counterfeit the formidable
armament and the large garrison of
the harbor and land Notifications.
A series of Qualifications, known as
the Hwang Chinshan forts, guard the
entrance of the harbor to the east,
/ facing the sea. Directly back of these
forts and commanding the interior of
/ the harbor is a chain of batteries. The
Laomuchu battery sweeps diagonally
! the approach to the harbor and COM
mands the outer roadsteads.
| On the peninsula proper. and on the
western side of the entrance to the
/ The village proper is directly opposite
the entrance to the harbor. and is al
most surrounded by the inner road
steads and the two fresh water lakes.
Russia came into the possession of
Port Arthur as the result of series
Of diplomatic complications.
In 1884 during the JaDan-China war,
Japan landed 900 troops on the Lao
tung peninsula, Immediately after the
/ decisive naval victory off the mouth of
the Yalu river and the army captured
and occupied Port Arthur
Three years later two German mis-
1 sionaries were murdered in the Chinese
province of Shantung and straightway
1 a German fleet landed troops in the
/ town of Kiao Chau- After a long pc
| riod of negotiations Germany demand
/ ed this town as naval base as some
COMPENSATION for the murder of the
| two missionaries, and China agreed.
1t was understood that Russia had
| agreed to this arrangement, but she
declared that the establishment of &
| naval base by Germany in China
| affected Russia's standing in the fal
east. and accordingly she occupied Pori
Arthur on December Is, 1897, explain
ing that this compensated in some de
gree for her grievance with China. Shs
then began strengthening the FORTH
cations and Hlling the town with hel
army. She closed the harbor to all yes
sells save her own.