Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1905-01-05
JAPS IN PIT. ARTHUR
RUSSIANS GIVE UP GIBRALTAR
OF EAST AFTER LONG SIEGE.

RUSSIANS GIVE UP GIBRALTAR
OF EAST AFTER LONG SIEGE.
General stoessei Yields Only After
Further Resistance Was Useless.
Troops Permitted to Leave With
Honors of War.
London, Jan. 3.-Port Arthur. whose
bills have for months run red with
the blood OF the bravest of two war
like nations, has at last succumbed
to the fierce ~tenacity of the japanese
attack. General Stoessel, most stub
born in carrying out the will of his
sovereign, has seen the advance of the
besleglng army gain in momentum
and energy until TO hold out longer
would have been a crime against hui
manlty. The conditions of the sur
render are not yet known, but in all
quarters it is anticipated that they
are such as an honorable soldier nay
accept from a brave and victorious
enemy. At 9:45 O'Clock last night the
commissioners completed the signing
OF the capitulation agreement. Both
armies had suspended hostilities five
hours earlier. The city of Port Ar
thur was occupied by the Japanese
today.
The authorities in ST. Peters
burg, in the absence of direct news
from General Stoessel hat Port Ar
thur has surrendered, have not per-
mitted the news to become public.
Emperor Nicholas is in the south of
Russia and his ministers are for the
time being in the dark as to what
dispatches have been sent to him
from the front.
Toxic was the scene of rejoicing,
people of all ranks finding in the out
come compensation for all the sacri-
fee of life and money that was en-
tailed in the ten months siege.
Japs May Advance.
To what extent the fall of Port Ar
thur will make for a restoration of
peace is an open question. There is
an encouraging note in the express
sion by Baron Hayashi, japanese min
lister at London, of the hope that in
some way it will facilitate final peace.
though the pacific note is perhaps lost
in the later words of the minister,
which call attention to the fact hat
the besieging army will now be free
to go north, where it will be an Offset
to the reintorcements General Kouro-
patkin has been receiving from Rus
STA since the battle of Shakhe. The
spirit of the Russians may be judged
by the statement of the secretary OF
the embassy at London. that the cam
paign will be renewed with fresh
vigor in the spring, and the nation
will not consent to permit Port Ar
thur to remain in the hands of the
Japanese.
Both in Paris and in London the
opinion is that the squadron under
Vice Admiral Ro~jestvensky, which
started for the far east three months
6 will have to retrace its way home.
as adherence to the original plans
would invite disaster without proba-
bflity of effecting a junction with the
warships at present in the harbor of
v~ladivostok.
That Japan may not be permitted to
retain possession of Port Arthur with
out dispute is shown in the fact that
Paris newspapers are already reviv-
ing the claim made in 1901. that the
holding of that position commanding
the eastern sea by the japanese
would be a menace to European pow.
ers.
There is an expectation in diplo-
matte circles in st. Petersburg that
some M of the powers may make a
tender OF friendly offices and the init
nation is conveyed that the United
States may take the initiative
Should that be the case it would only
be upon assurance from both the war
ring powers that the tender would be
received by them in good part.
Early today two Russian torpedo
launches arrived at Che Foo and
there were then seven Japanese tor
pedo boat d~estroyers in the harbor.
Later in the morning four of the de-
stroyers departed.
Russian officers who have reached
Che Foo related that the Port Arthur
garrison was completely worn III by
Ave days Of continuous fighting, that
the supply of food was almost ex-
hausted and that the limit of resist
nee had been reached when General
Stoessel made his offer of capitula-
ton.
Russians Blow UP Ships.
The Daily Mails correspondent
with General Nogi says the capture
of Wantai involved six hours of the
fercest fighting, while the attacks on
the forts to the southeast were car
ried or simultaneously. Describing
the final scenes, the correspondent
says: The Stacked fire at points in
northern and eastern forts seemed TO
show that the Russian ammunition
was failing. The position was now
desperate. Great explosions around
the forts proclaimed that the Rus.