The Washington times., 1905-04-05

LONDON April 5.-The correspondent
of the London Times, who was with
Nogi's army before Port Arthur, writes
wildly of the circumstances attending
the surrender. He says:
Major Yamaoka, an officer on the staff
of General Baron Nogi, conveyed the
answer to General Stoessefs communi-
cation asking for delegates 70 be ap-
pointed to discuss the conditions or a
capitulation at o'clock on the morn
ing of January .. 1t merely arranged
for the delegates to meet at IL that very
morning, under a flag Of truce, IN the
village Of SueisZeying. and also tor
suspension Of hostilities until either the
capitulation had been satisfactorily ar
ranged or the negotiations broken OFF,
Russians Late.
AS a matter OF fact, II was nearly 1
d. m. before the Russians parlemen-
taires arrived ON the scene. the party
consisting of Colonel Reiss. chief or
staff to General Stoessel; three other
colonies. the captain of the EetFizah'
Lieutenant Maltschenko, and mldship-
man who spoke English. The party
was attended by posse Of one nom
commissioned officer and eight Cossachs'
one of whom carried a flag
The little group halted and dismounteo
outside OF one Of the few remaining cot-
tages left undemolished by the repeated
commandments, and the parlementaires
Immediately passed inside and out oi
view to meet the Japanese delegates al
ready assembled, who consisted OF zen
eral Ijichi, chief of the staff OF Genera
| Nosi. Major Yama Okla. who speaks eX-
| cellent Russian; Captain Tsunada, Mr
Jwamura. clerk In the foreign office; Dr
| Ariga. a celebrated international lawyer
and several official interpreters
Negotiations in English.
I The negotiations were carried on II
English. with occasional asides IN Rus
| sian.
Unfortunately for sightseers, every
thing was conducted with the utmos
secrecy within closed doors. and IN
course of events could only be followed
by the hasty exit. from time to time
of u japanese or Russian officer. VIII
would dispatch an orderly either to tn
headquarters of General Nogf or Z
| Port Arthur.
| am afraid, therefore, that no famous
picture will go down to posterity OF TN
| experimenting event, such as the far1ou
one of the capitulation at Sedan, wher
| NAPOLEON III and Bismarck are seen sit
ting at table outside a cottage an
personally talking over the situation.
| The House of Peace.
The house of peace was situated IN tn
center of the village Of Sueiszeying, an
has a large open space forming sor
Of village green. On the afternoon o
January this square was thronge
with a crowd of soldiers Of the Japanes
army, who had arrived from all owe
the country for the purpose of taking
holiday and seeing for the first tim
the late enemy armed with the olive
4 branch in place of a rife
In the center of this throng, sittin
on a little bank, were the Cossacks wit
, their horses. One man held on high
long pole, with a square of ordinar
linen, the symbol of peace, and by h
: side sat a japanese cavalry soldier, ais
holding a similar pole, with simiia
square of canvas. Everyone preser
took his cue from these two soldier
and the utmost good nature was write
on the child-like faces of the Japanes
: privates, and the fair'countenances OF tt
broad-shouldered Cossacks, who Shove
no sign of hardship or privation as the
! met the gaze of their adversarieS an
commented on their appearance.
Three Conferences.
There were three separate confe
ences; at the first the japanese presen
ed their capitulation terms and SUI
{ Elementary documents, and asked II
Russian to consider them. stating
: the same time that, although their tern
, were absolute. they would be glad
consider any suggestions that the Ru
? slams might have TO make.
, The Russians asked for several priv
! lcges which could not possibly be gran
8 ed. and which were never intended
S be taken seriously, such as. for instanc
that they might take their horse
!, These were naturally refused.
At $3.50 in the afternoon a little inc
dent occurred to break the monotou
fires broke out in various parts Of Il
n town. and General Iiichi pointed out
Colonel Reiss that this was a gro
breach of the terms Of the armistic
n The colonel Immediately wrote a no
to General Stoessel, and came aimse