Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1905-01-07
Japanese to Take Formal
Possession of Port
Arthur.
BLOCKADE IS RAISED
Russian Holiday Unattended by
Any of the Usual Fes-
tivities.

Port Arthur. Jan. THE regular
Russian soldiers at Port Arthur march
ed out yesterday. The only troops
now in the city are volunteers
Two fires started in Port Arthur
yesterday for which Stoessel apollo
gized. He said the volunteers were
unable to control the populace. He
asked the Japanese to- enter Port Ar
thur Immediately To keep order.
The formal entry OF the Japanese
army has been fixed for Sunday.
DI-mnI Chri-tIna. Celebration.
St Petersburg. Jan. with a
heavy heart Russia today celebrated
Christmas. Trials OF war losses at the
front had brought sorrow and mourn
ing To countless homes, and the usual
rejoicing was absent. In st. Peters
burg all departments of the govern
ment closed until Tuesday and intense
cold kept the people indoors. All the
ordinary public festivities and private
entertainments were omitted.
Emperor Thanks Army and Navy
Toxic. Jan. THE emperor today
issued "A rescript thinking Gen. Nogi
the third army. Admiral Togo and the
combined fleet for the taking of Port
Arthur Togo issued an order aboI-
ishing from today the blockade of Lao
tung peninsula
Only Jap ships May Enter
London. Jan. IA dispatch to- the
Japanese legation from Toxic in con-
firming the announcement of the
blockade OF Liaoyang peninsula adds:
For the present. however. no ships
except those in the Japanese govern
ment service will be allowed To enter
Port Arthur
N~-.-I- Completely DisnrmeJ-
Toxic. Jan. Admiral kataoka re-
ports that commanders of fiotillas sent
To- Kiao Chau and ChefOo have return
ed satisfied that the German and Chi
nese authorities have completely dis
armed the Russian vessels which
sought refuge in those ports.
Few Able To March.
Port Arthur. Jan. 7.-Of all the de-
tenders OF Port Arthur who held Nogi's
army nj bay for so many months. only
5.45l were able To march out of the
city to the place appointed for the
surrender.
All the rest were in hospitals. sick
or wounded. ar were convalescing
from recent sickness and wounds and
were unable To- march. No other Incl
dent of the surrender tells more graph
icalIy OF the horrors of the siege.
Every officer had To- appear before
the Japanese commissioners. give his
name and rank. and state whether he
would give his parole. OF the 1.l2S
officers fully fOur-fifths are in the hos
pitais-
city Full nj Disease.
Port Arthur is full of typhus fever
and other contagious diseases The
city must be thoroughly disinfected be-
fore the Japanese can fully occupy IL.
Celebrate Christmas
Oku's Headquarters. Jan. The
Russians. in celebrating Christmas eve.
began n heavy rifle fire at 10 last even
ing. opposite Linihimpu. Their artil-
lery joined in and kept up two hours
the hardest firing known since the
Shakhe river was reached. spreading
along the whole front Of Oku's army.
The Japanese sustained no damage.
and refused tn reply.
Ru--inn Admiral. mt Ch~foo.
St. Petersburg. Jan. "A Chefoo
dispatch says il is reported Rear Ad-
miral Prince Ouktomsky and Rear Ad-
miral Dochinsky have arrived there in
disguise On board "A launch.