Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1904-11-08
Go Over His Head and Offer Terms
Of Surrender to Port Arthur
Garrison.
LETTER SENT TO SOLDIERS,
Was Drafted by Gen. NOgi--Called At
tentlon to Kuropatkin's Retreats and
RcsistIsssncss Of Jap. Advance

Chctoo, Nov S, $50 p. m--The Jap
anese hesegIug Port Arthur ignoring
Lleut-Gcn. StoesseI, the commander
of the Russian military forces there
have offered terms Of surrender to the
Russian soldiers, according to q dis
patch leaving Port Dolny yesterday
I'm the meanwhile the ceascless actly-
icy Of picks and spades continues, The
Japanese are gradually advancing in
the trenches. which spell memorable
fate TO the watching Russians.
A Russian prisoner captured Oct
&c said the troops composing the gar
rlson Of Port Arthur We're In want and
dsplrited, They saw the fruitlessness
Of the struggle Hopeless Of relief
with food scarce and medicine and
hospital supplies insufficient II was adj
mItted by the Russians that a japanese
victory was ultimately inevitable The
soldiers, according to the prisoner see
no reason to prolong the resistance
which brings glory to their officers, but
chiefly hardship and death to them.
Upon hearing the prisoners story Gen,
Nogl assembled his staff. discussed the
matter briefly and then, under the light
Of q bicycle lamp. drafted "a letter TO
be circulated among the soldiers them-
selves. the prisoner having promised
TO deliver It IN mercy 20 his comrades
The letter related Gen. KuropatkIu's
retreats and his inability to make an
impression on the army OF Field
Marshal Oypma, to say nothing Of
breaking through his forces and re-
lieyiug Port Arthur The letter also
pointed out that the Second Russian
Pacific squadron has Just started on
It's slow voyage. Continuing, 1t called
attention 10 the resistlcss advance Of
the Japanese trenches, making Il "a
matter Of weeks when the Japanese
would walk into the main Russian
str0nghOlds I'M conclusion, the letter
offered humarc treatment to all who
surrendered, saying Il was In the In
tCrcst of humanity 10 prevent further
useless slaughter In the darkness Of
the early morning Of Nov 4 several
copies Of the letter, written In Russian,
were given to the prisoner who re-
gained the Russian lines unobseryed by
his officers That night the Russian re-
turned saying his comrades would an
swer within a few days. He said the
temper Of the men seemed to show that
while they were mutInous towards fate
they also aid not like the idea Of APP
unofficial surrender The letter did
much. however, to dspel among the
Russian troops the Impression fostered
by their officers that massacre would
follow a japanese victory, The CONF
pany 10 which the prisoner belonged
originally numbered 500 and now to-
tails 30 men.
As the Japanese are sufficiently near
the SUBMITS Of the hills to render tun'
nellIng highly practicable, much Of the
work Is now being done, The Russians
are building cOuntertupnals. Whichever
side finds It's tunnel under the enemy
blows up the latters tunnel. To pre-
vent explosives being rolled down into
their trenches the japanese have made
ranges, or hillocks OF earth above the
trenches. Five Russian mine sweeping
steamers have been sunk by japanese
shells
JAPS MAKING GOOD PROGRESS.
Toxic, Nov S.-Unohclal news re.
ceiyed from Port Arthur since Satur.
days report OF the progress made by
the beslegers indicates that the Japan
csc operations are proceeding satsfac-
torilS though slowly Limestone for
nations and rocky ground interfere
with the gapplng II Is now con sldered