Los Angeles herald., 1905-01-05
ARMIES FRATERNlZE
Japanese and Russian Soldiers CeIe-
brate End of Siege

Japanese and Russian Soldiers CeIe-
brate End of Siege
Ely Associated Press.
HEADQUARTERS OF THIRD JAP
ANESE ARMY AT PORT ARTHUR,
Jan. 4, via Fusan.-The formal entry
of the Japanese into Port Arthur Jan
uary 8 will be an imposing spectacle.
The Japanese officers will be given a
banquet in the city January 10.
The reason for the surrender of the
fortress is evident from visit to Wan
tai Hill. The entire strength of the
position lay in the main line of the
outer defenses.
The possession of Wantai gave the
besiegers the key to the forts east of
the city. The hills in the rear were
not fortified and afforded a full cover
for the assaulting forces.
The flag of the Rising Sun floats to-
night over the captured citadel. When
the news of the surrender of the fort
ress reached the soldiers yesterday,
leaping from mouth to mouth, the
Japanese drew close to their late
enemies and fraternized freely with
them.
To March Out Today
With nightfall came great bonfires,
rising in the Japanese camp, while
great choruses of "Banzais' echoed
through the hills.
The entire garrison and all the nom
combatants will march out of the city
January CThursday) to the village
of Yahuthei, near the shores of Pigeon
bay, from which place the Russian Off
GERS will be transported to Dalny and
thence wherever they may desire.
The prisoners of war will be detained
at the Russian barracks in the village
until they can be transferred to Dalny
and from there to Japan.
The conference between the Russian
and Japanese commissioners, at which
the terms of surrender were arranged,
took place at the village of Shuishiy-
ing at 1 o'clock Monday Afternoon and
lasted until 8 o'clock Tuesday night.
Surrender Surprises Japanese
The Russian commissioners were
Chief of Staff Reiss, Surgeon General
Ballaschoff, Col Vostock and two
other staff officers with two inter-
prefers. The Japanese commissioners
were Maj Gen. Ijichi, chief of staff;
Mai. Yamaoka, DR.. Ariga and two
others. staff officers, with two inter-
prefers.
Ton the orpaf Russian
stronghold in the far east after five
months siege in which she lost over
so, 900 soldiers, who were put out of
action in the most sangunary and
desperate fighting the world has ever
seen.
Though the intimation that the Rus
slams We're willing to surrender was
known to the officers of the Japanese
staff on the afternoon of January l,
it was not generally known to the
100000 of the investing army until
Monday.
The surrender of the fortress at the
present time. came as surprise even
to the Japanese, as the desperate de-
termination and courage of the Rus
slams, even in the last assaults, indi-
Gated that the struggle would be one
to the bitter end.
Knew Strength of Position
It was well known to the japanese
that the destruction of the forts
guarding the main defenses of the
western half of the eastern fortified
ridge made the investment Of the city
on the east only matter of a short
time, despite the strongest efforts OF
the defenders. and also insured the
segregation of the forts farther east
upon the ridge.
The steady advance of the beslegers
ON the west flank since the capture of
2O3 Meter hill up the valley from the
shores Of Pigeon bay to the outskirts
of the new town, enabled them, with
the capture Of the north Taiyankow
fort, to close in on the city from the
west and to segregate the Chair Hill
forts so that they could be dealt with
in detail
1t was evident, therefore, that despite
the most determined opposition the in
vesting army could in week or ten
days closely invest and dominate Port