The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-01-02
Gen. Stoessel Offers Terms of Surrender Which
Are Accepted.
Capture of Number of Additional Forts
Hastened the Fall.
RUSSIANS BLEW UP SHIPS.
A Number OF Torpedo Boats Made Their
Escape to Chefoo
Tolzio's Population Went Wild on Receipt
Of the News.

Port Arthur has surrendered. Ex-
hausted by months of almost constant
fighting, tlecimated by disease and
casualties and hopeIessly sealed in its
rocky fortress, the gallant garrison
has yielded TO its gallant besiegers
and the end is now written of the
most dramatic war incident of mod
ern times
At 8 o'clock last night General
Nogi, commanding the japanese army
of invasion, received from the Rus
sian general, StOessel, a note saying
that he found further resistance use
less and asking for a meeting to ar
range terms of capitulatiOn. The note
was simple and direct and the Jap
anese general Immediately named
commissioners 10 confer with repre-
sentativeS of the Russian commander.
They met at noon today to arrange
the conditions OF surrender. The ma
fure of the terms agreed upon is not
yet known, but dispatches from Toxic
indicate that they will be of the most
magnanimous character. The em-
per0r of Japan, himself, through the
chief of the imperial staff, has given
public his expression that General
StoeSseI has rendered commendabIe
service to his country in the midst of
difficulties" and that it is his wish
s'that military honOrs be shown him."
A dispatch from Toxic quoted mill
tary opinion as believing that the en-
tire garrison viii be allowed to march
out under arms and. may be sent to
Russia on parole. Late dispatches
from the Japanese have shown that
the gallant defense of StoesseI and his
men has never been given a finer ap-
IL. II
and it is more than likely that Japan
will embrace the opportunity to show
her magnanimity and admiration of
the galIantry of Port Arthur's de-
tenders by allowing them all the hon
ors which war permits a victorious
army to bestow upon the vanquished.
The siege and the defense of Rus
sia's stronghold in the far east have
been marked by bravery, gaIIantry
and desperation unequaIed in modern
warfare and hardly excelled in mill
tary history. The story of the opera
tions around Port Arthur is one of
repeated fighting, both by land and
sea, of the most desperate and thrill
ling character. Isolated instances of
heroism that would have set the world
ringing under less Overwhelming cir
cumstanceS have been dwarfed by the
generally magnificent conduct of both
forces. BY sea there have been tor
pedo boat dashes of superb reckless
ness and big ships have pIoughed
through mine fields with heroic dis
regard to give battle or in wild efforts
to escape BY land the japanese have
hurled themselves against positions
declared to be impregnabIe. They
have faced and scaled rocky heights
crowned with batteries and crowded
with defenders, suffering losses that
military experts say would have ap-
paIled any European army
In the doomed fortress its peoDIe
have lived under a devastating rain
of shell and shrapnel. On scanty ra-
tions, besieged on every side, knowing
that hope of succOr or escape was
vain, the garrison has fought with a
stubbOrnness that has evoked the ad-
miration of the world. They met the
unfiring assaults of the Japanese with
a grim valor that won even the praise
of their foe, and the fighting has been
waged with q reIentIessness that often
refused truces to burg the dead and
collect the wounded. Over corpse
filled trenches men have fought hand
to hand with cold steel and dubbed
guns. and at short range have hurled
at each other hand grenades filed
with high explosives. The whole story
is one of undaunted courage and sub
lime bravery. What Port Arthur has
cost in human life and in money no
estimate of even approximate correct
ness can be made. The losses have
been appalling. 1t has been reported
that in some engagements leading uD
to the recent capture of 203 Meter
hin the attacking force lost as high
as 40 per cent. of the force engaged
while the oarriSon-s losses of which
no word has come, must have been
frightfuI
London, Jan. 2.-2:O5 D. ma dis
patch to the Japanese legation from
Toxic says General StOesseI's pro-
pOsaIs for the surrender of Port Ar
thur have been accepted by General
Nogi.
Capture OF Wantai Hin.
Toxic, Jan. 2.-1O:15 a. m.-Gen-
nraI Nnoi,s rernrt of Iast ,,ierI,t -.