The Saint Paul globe., 1905-01-03
PORT ARTHUR FALLS


East has surrendered. The event has
been anticipated for months, but the
besieged refused to yield until every
resource was exhausted. In military
history the story Of the siege will re-
main not only one of the most vivid
and picturesque in all annals, but one
of the most instructive.
The relative strength of fortified
position and an attacking force has
long been a subject Of dispute among
experts. Probably it is not capable of
accurate measurement. 1t has been
generally supposed that, with the enor-
nous advance in the range of siege
guns and power of explosives, no de-
fense could hold out. That opinion
must be revised. 1t has been held on
the other side that an assault in force
against a well fortified position could
not be made successful. So deadly is
the fire of the modern rife against
men who have to advance across open
ground, over successive lines of barbed
wire and other obstructions, with the
space covered with pits and other un-
seen impediments, that it was believed
that not more than a mere remnant Of
any attacking force could come within
reach of those behind the intrench-
ments. This, toe, has been disproyed.
In fact, many Of the notions Of mod
ern warfare have to be revised or sur
rendered altogether in view Of the ex-
perience of the last three months. One
position after another at Fort Arthur
has been taken by the Japanese
through incredible heroism and pa
tience in their advance. There is no
fortress in the world, save Gibraltar.
comparable in natural strength to Port
Arthur. The Japanese have been COM
PEELED to advance at snail's pace, and
literally to hammer down the defense
with uncounted tons of shot and shell.
They have crept UP few inches day
after day and night after night, in
trenching themselves as they went,
burrowing like moles under ground,
sapping and mining, and finally, when
they had made small breach, carry
ing a position at the loss of thousands
of men. On this new position they
mounted guns to batter away at the
next one, and so step by step ap-
preached the heart Of the citadel.
Their success was certain from the
time they obtained control of heights
commanding the inner Notifications
and the harbor. From these they swept
the waters clear of the last vestige of
Russia's crippled fleet, and gave such
of stlle defenders as remained no re-
spite day or night from the incessant
rain of projectiles. 1t has been a per-
fectiy wonderful exhibition of tireIess
bravery and brilliant exercise of all the
arts of war.
The besieged on their side are en-
titled to scarcely less credit. They have
been from the first cut off from the
mightiest resource Of the fighter;
namely, hope. They have known that
no succor could come to them from any
source. Their fleet was damaged and
cooped up IN their harbor. Access by
land was commanded by Japan, with
all her armies between them and Gen.
Kuropatlzin. They have had to depend
for supplies and ammunition upon
such blockade runners as could get ac-
cess to the town. They have had no
rest. Every point had to be guarded,
and the investing Japanese were nu-
merous enough to keep the attack con-
slant. at some point or other. Thus the
besieged were Obliged to fight twenty
four hours in the day, and the aavan-
tage of their defenses was almost coun-
terbalanced by the nature of the at
tack. Gen. Stoessel held out to the last
moment. 1t would have been bravado
to refuse surrender any longer. If Port
Arthur had not been given up. 1t must
week at the cost of many thousand
lives on both sides. Japan was ready
for this, and it could no longer be de-
layed. The Russian commander has
merely saved the lives Of men without
affecting at all the final result.
No matter what else Japan may
achieve in this war, it cannot be more
magnificent than the conquest Of Port
Arthur. For the second time the Gf-
braltar of the East is in her possession,
and now it will not be reHnauished.
Only the impudence ana cowardice of
the rest of Europe allowed this fortress
to betransferred to Russia after Japan
had taken It away from China. She
has won it again In fair fight from a