Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1905-01-03

| Shantung peninsula, battered hulks OF
| once proud vessels, OF ignomlnlOusly
| dismantled are inferred I'm neutral Chi
| nese harbors Save the three or four
cruisers and some lesser craft that lie
| In the icebound refuge OF Vladivostok,
not warship now flies the Russian
cross In the waters Of the northern
| orient
| And Japan, too. has had her losses IN
the long drawn out operations. Mines
| have struck from Admiral Togo's fleet
list many fine ships and smaller vessels
| since the morning OF Feb. s. when he
hurled MS neet at the Russian ships IN
Port Arthur's roadstead,
| The Siege and the defense OF Russla's
stronghold IN the far east have been
| marked by brave " gallantry and des-
peratlon, unequaled in modern warfare
al hardly excelled in military history.
STORY OF OPERATIONS.
The story Of the operations around
Fort Arthur Is one Of repeated fighting,
ooth by land and sea, OF the most desc.
peIale ana thilllng character Isolated
instances OF herolsm that would have
SET the world ringing under less over
whalming circumstances have been
dVarfed by the generally magnificent
conduct Of both forces.
by sea there have been torpedoboat
dashes or superb reckessness, and big
SHIPS have ploughed through mine fields
with heroic disregard 10 give battle or
In Wild efforts to escape.
by land the japanese have hurled
themselves against positions declared
to be impregnable. They have faced
ana scaled rocky heights crowned with
batteries and crowded with defenders
suffering losses that military exI Is
say would have appalled, any European
| army,
In the doomed fortress its people
nave lVeo under devasting rain Of
shell and shrapnel on gcanty rgtIons
beseiged on every side, knowing that
nope or success or escape was vain, the
garrison has fought with stubborn
ness that has evoked the admiration Of
the world. They met tho untrng as
saults OF the Japanese with grim va
Tor that won even the praise OF their
foe.
The fighting has been waged with a
relentless that often refused truces TO
bury the dead and collect the wound
ed. 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 filled with high explosives.
The whole story is one Of undaunted
courage and sublime bravery,
LAssEs APPALLING.
What Port Arthur has cost IN human
Ire and In money, no estimate Of even
approximate correctness can be made.
The losses have been appalling.
II has been reported that IN some en-
KaRNmHnt9 leading n hn
capture OF 2O3- Meter hill, the attacking
force lost as high as 40 per cent OF
the force engaged, while the garrson's
losses, OF which no word has aome,
must have been frIghtful.
The seige OF Port Arthur properly
dates from May q, when, after engage
ing the first army landed by the Jap
anese at Pitsewo, Stoessel was forced
back from the neck OF the Kwantung
peninsula. The Japanese landing was
begun on May 5, and the Russian COM
mander elected TO give battle at his
northernmost line OF defenses The en-
gagement was severe one and drove
the Rnsslans back to the first of the
main defenses OF the position.
A few days later. on May 30, the jap
anese occupied Dalny, and on June IA.
l6 Gen. Stakelberg, advancing to the
relief Of the Port Arthur army was
defeated by Gen, Oku nj the battles OF
Wafangkau ana Telissu. with Togo's
ships lying like watchdOgs around Port
Arthurs seward side and Nog adj
vanoing slowly, but relentlessly by
land, the famous stronghold was under
siege, and from then on until Gen.
Stoessel, on New Years day, sought
terms OF equalization, the operations
have been marked by almost ceaseless
fighting. bombardments by the feet al
tornating with desperate attacks by
land or assaults by the combined ma
val and military forces.
FLAG OF THE RISING SUN.
When stoessel and the remnants OF
his devoted garrison march out of Port
Arthur the flag OF the Rising sun
Will once more float from the RAM
parts Of the position Japan won when
she first sent her new feet to give
battle and drove China from the seas.
JAPAN MAY OFFER PEACE,
st. Petersburg, Jan. I'm dlplo-
matte circles tonight where there Is
every reason to believe there is the
best information regarding the plans
OF the Japanese, II ~ said that the fall
OF Port Arthur will be promptly fol-
lowed by an offer Of peace from Japan
1t ia understood that a strong effort
will be made to have the offer come
through President Roosevelt. 1t Is even
suggested that the terms might In
olude an arrangement which would give
Russia an outlet through the Persian
gulf.
There is no indication as to whether
an effort TO induce President Roosevelt
20 move in the matter would be likely
TO succeed. II ls regarded as unlikely
that such a suggestion should come
through the United States unless tn1
president has the strongest previous
lntlmatlon that It would be favorably
considered by the Russian government
While It is known that Emperor
Nicholas from the beginning regarded
the war with great adherence, there
Ia nothing yet to Indicate that his gov
eminent intenda To roCpdo from tho