The Washington times., 1905-02-11
Stoessel Sacrificed
Glory to Humanity

ADEN. Arabia. Feb. 1.-THE French
steamshiup Australien arrived here at s
o clock Wednesday morning, carrying
among her other passengers, General
Stoessel. seven generals, two adrnirais.
1876 other officers, and 142 artillery SOL
diers formerly of the Port Arthur gar
rison.
Nine. StoesseI brings with her six or
phans whom she has adopted, sons of
officers who fell at Port Arthur.
Sad to Return vanquished.
General StoesseI said:
1T is a sad thing to return van
quished. but we are conscious of having
done our entire duty in holding the for
tress as long as we did. We could
not have held Port Arthur at the most.
more than four days longer.
The munitions and food supplies had
been almost completely exhaasted.
There remained only s,051 loaded shells
and 2,o90,oeo cartridges which were
powerIess against the eleDen-i.ich guns
which raineG their fire upon the Rus
sian front. twenty-five kilometers long
IN the garrison there were $1,000 men,
of whom 1S,n9J were in hospital and 1000
were non-combatants. OF the remaining
5000. 1900 were afflicted with scurvy and
were Obliged to fight seated or lying
down in the trenches.
Prepared With Machine Oil.
For several months the troops re-
ceived 200 grammes of horse meat apiece
each week. I'll the food was prepared
with machine oil
After September the only ships which
succeeded in running the blockade were
the steamer King Arthur commanded
All brought flour.
THE last news we received from the
outside world was on September 20, when
Il telegram from Kuropatkin said he
would come to relieve us in three
months.
THE three months having passed,
and no news of the fleet under Vice Ad-
miral Rogestvensky having been re-
ceived the situation became desperate
Avoided Further Slaughter.
The garrison being physically and
technically exhausted, and the feet,
whose preservation had been the prin-
cipal reason for resistance having been
destroyed, after the capture of High
mountain (203 Metre HID. I considered
that any further prolongation of the
struggle would inevitably lead to fright
full carnage"
stoesseI added that he decided on the
ca pitulation on his own authority and
without consulting any one.
He concluded by saying:
The Car and my peers will judge
whether : should have prolonged my
re ststanCe or by Il heroic but criminal
| act have blown up the fortress. / PIE
| fer a less great name in military Annals
| to having 81 900 lives on my conscience.
Other Views Expressed.
\ number of the other officers do not
share this moral satisfaction of StoesseI
| They expressed violent resentment
toward Admiral Prince Ukktonsky for
his disastrous handling of the feet
against several incapable generals, and
especially against ex-Viccroy A!exieff
The last named, they declared, had
| fCresecn nothing and, prepared nothing
| It was necessary to reconstruct tht
greater part of the Notifications unde.
! dcplorabie conditions and under the fir.
| OF the enemy
! l'FaVe and stubborn, but not genius
| JlOndrat tcnI1o, they said was the rea
! soul of the defense, and was adorcd by
| his men. When he died Port Arthur
died with him.
Preferred Captivity.
Smy-ncf and several other generals
| were greatly grieved when they learned
| Of the capitulatiOn. and in spite of the
| Cars permission, preferred captivity tc
| Il shame full return.
Aside from the general staff, the Aus
traiicn is bringing back only officers
| who were wounded or ILL.,
In spite of The sympathy of the passen.
gers and the warm oVationS They
CONTINUED on Second Page.)