Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1905-02-04

Chefoo, Jan. 2.-Commander Kart.
zow of the Russian torpedo. boat de.
stroyer vlastni in an interview to.
night said:
Port Arthur falls of exhaustion-ex-
haustion not only of ammunition, but
Of men. The remnant of the garrison
left had been doing the work of heroes
for five days and five nights, but yes
terday It reached the limit of human
endurance.
an the classmates Of the forts one
saw everywhere faces black with star.
walton, exhaustion and nerve strain.
You spoke to them, but they did not
give answer, only staring dumbly.
"The lack Of ammunition alone
would not have suggested the seeking
of terms. Scant ammunition had long
been common in the fortress, and dur.
ing the past month many Of the forts
had nothing with which to return the
fire Of the enemy.
1.-THE Russians sat in the classmates
firing not more than once to the 200
when the assault came they repulsed
the enemy with bayonets. But the
men themselves, having existed for
three months on reduced rations, we're
so worn that 1t is marvellous they stood
the final strain so long.
Yesterday General Stoessel would
still fight. His wound, which was re.
ceived early in the siege, had been
bothering him, but his determination
TO fight while one man stood had not
been diminished.
But we cannot fight said his gen.
erals. Our men cannot move. They
sleep standing. They cannot see the
bayonets at their breasts. We can or
der, but they cannot obey
Then you generals fight said
Stoessel, clenching his fists.
He seemed fanatical on the subject,
but finally he was brought to see rca-
son by the insistence of his subor.
dinates. Admirals and generals, some.
times with broken voices, urged the
step which all had dreaded so long.
81 am sure Port Arthur would have
sought terms month ago had 1t not
been for General Stoessel, who with
bulldog tenacity repeatedly refused to
permit such action to be taken. He
had told his Emperor that he would
never surrender, and he meant to keep
his word.
The greatest loss suffered by Port
Arthur occurred a fortnight ago
when Major General Kondratenko was
killed. Officers and men alike regard
ed him as the brightest star in Port
Arthur's armament. When his death
became known, the fall in the spirit.
of the soldiers was plainly visible.
General Kondratenko was seated II
the casemate of certain fort, dis
cussing with seven other officers thu
best way Of countermining against tn,
Japanese, when an eleyen.inch shell
burst, killing everybody in the case
mate.
General Nogi has taken Port Arthur
with his artillery and his tunnels
His rifle bullets were seldom found I,
be Of use.
1--WE constantly endured a lombard
ment fiercer than any in history. Tn
Japanese periodically assaulted, an
then, II repulsed, they calmly resume
their bombardments.
1--WE who came here today do no
know the terms Of surrender suggeste
by General Stoessel to General Nog
nor the answer to them, having LEI
Port Arthur even before the messenge
had been dispatched. The general in
preston, however, is that Stoessel ha
proposed that the army shall 90 FIRE
and that he alone be made a prisone
Even that concession seemed to wrenc
I the sturdy old mans heart.
whether or not the negotiation
terminate In an agreement on term
of surrender, 1t Is certain that POI
Arthur Is doomed. We still have SON
ammunition and some guns on Lao
Mountain, but that mountain is NJ
adapted for the best defense from tn
land side, and the japanese would fin