The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1905-01-05
General Stossel Asked Terms of His
Persistent Adversary.
COMMISSIONERS ARE NOW MEETING
kilograms Which Passed Between the
General in Command OF Opposing
Forced Garrison TO Have the Hon
OrS of War.


capitulate was received from General
Stoessel on Sunday afternoon. 1t was
at once communicated to the emperor
and he gave orders to accept the sur
render and to extend the honOrs of
war to the garrison and its brave
commander. The news of the capitu-
latiou was received in the following
special:
Toxic, Jan. Port Arthur has
fallen after eleven months of heroic
defense on the part of the Russians
under General Stoessel and persistent
and equally heroic siege on the part
of the japanese under General Nogi.
The task has been accomplished. But
at whet an awful cost.
Thousands of the little brown men
have met death and are now sleeping
on the slopes bought with their Iife's
blood.
Chain after chain OF forts have been
taken at the cost of hundreds of lives.
The thin ranks have pressed on in
spite of reverses and the terrible toll
exacted by death. Others have thrown
themselves into the gaping lines,
which with unwayering courage and
devotion have pressed on, to do or
die for their beloved MIkado.
Soft has gone until the clutch of the
besiegers has become so firmly fixed
that to continue to expose his men to
the siege would be murder pure and
simple on the part of the intrepid
Stoessel
Yesterday he made his offer to his
brave conquerer. The dispatch of
General Nogi to his lsrd is brief. but
eloquent statement, such as might
have been expected of a man of his
commanding ability and bravery.
His telegraph to the Mikado is as
follows:
AT 8 O'Clock on January /, the
enemy sent deputation under flag
otstruce with a letter offering to ca
pltulate. ltis as follows: Il find that
the positions now held by you render
needless any further resistance on my
part and wish to open negotiations
with yeu with reference to capitula-
ton. l wish you to appoint commits
sioners to agree upon the terms after
a conference with similar commission
ers from myself. Please designate a
place and time for this meeting Ac-
cept my assurance of profound re-
spect.
'STOEssEL."
To this proposition General Nogi
agreed. He at once appointed his
commissioners and designated noon
today as the time for the meeting.
The japanese will be magnanimous
in their hour of victory. General
Nogi has answered General Stoessel
as follows
When | respectfully informed his
majesty of your offer he commanded
me to compliment you and your brave
garrison on the wonderful defense
cord to you all the honors of war in
your capitulation.
"NoGI.'"
During the past few weeks the
plight OF the garrison has been pitt
able. The 10000 men in the fortress
at the beginning of the siege has
m I'm 1,,fx
The rest are either killed, wounded
or sick.
Toxic has been the scene of iubila-
ton since the news was received this
morning. The streets have been filled
with thousands of people who have
been shouting and rejoicing oyer the
success which has met their arms
There is an undercurrent of sadness
on account of the vast number of rel
atives and friends who have sacrificed
their lives for their country, but the
religio- patriotism of the country has
overwhelmed and subdued this feel
ing until it has no outward express
sion.
The news that the Russian forces
at Port Arthur have been reduced to
such a strait that at last the heroic
commander has been forced to pro-
pose surrender, follow upon a month
of reverses. The siege began almost
with the first gun in the war, now
nearly eleven months ago, and when
perhaps the greatest stronghold in
the world was garrisoned by 10000
Russians soldiers, supported by a for
midable squadron of modern battle
ships, cruisers and torpedo boats.
These warships have been destroy
ed or dispersed until but a few tor
pedo boats remain in the harbor. The
garrison, at latest accounts, had been
reduced to about 5000 men.
On December 4, 203 Metre Hill was
captured by the japanese after a
severe fight, in which the loss on both
sides was enormous, 1t was from this