New-York tribune., 1905-01-05
SURRENDER UNEXPECTED,
RUSSIANS DEMORALTZED.
Common Provisions Still Plentiful h,
Port Arthur-eO, 900 Sick.

TOXIC Jan 4 Cevening).-The following report
afternoon;
order is maintained at Port Arthur by the Of
fcers. The people are quiet. Our minute inves-
figstion not finished until Tuesday night
The total number Of inhabitants is about $4,000
~ whom $4,000 are soldiers or sailors The to-
ssl number OF sick wounded is 10000. Com
mon provisions and bread are plentiful but there
IS q scarcity OF NEST and vegetables. There
no medical supplies at Port Arthur. The Jap
erese are Strenuously succorins the people. The
capitulstion committees pushing their re-
EpectVe WORKS.
headquarters Of the japanese Third Army at
Port Arthur, Jan. 3. via Che-Foo. Jan. A. .. m
censored 1.-The iag of the Rising Sun floats to-
night over the captured citadel OF Port Arthur.
when the news Of the surrender of the fortress
resched the soldiers yesterday. leapaas from
mouth 10 mouth. the japanese drew close TO
their late enemies and fraternissd freely with
them. When nightfall greS, bondres rose
from the camp like q blazing hate while great
rhoruses Of "BanzaI!" echoed through the hilIA
The entire garrison and all the non-coInbst-
Ents viii march out Of the city on Thursday TO
the village OF YahuthweI. near the shores of
Pigeon Bay from which place the Russian off,
rers viii be transported to Dalny. and thence to
wherever they mag desire. The prisoners of
war will be detained at the Russian barracks In
the village until they car be transferred 20
Dsiny.
Thus has Japan won the great Russian strong
hold in The Ear East. after ave months siess.
n which abe lost over 10000 soldiers. who were
put out Of action in the most sanguinary and
desperate fighting the world has ever seen.
Though the intimation that Russians were
sriutng 10 surrender was known 10 the officers
n the Japanese staff on the afternoon OF Janu-
cry ]. It was not generally known to the hum
terdEy OIondayl.
JAPANESE THEMSELVES SURPRISED.
The surrender of the fortress at the present
time came as a surprise even TO the Japanese.
ns the desperate determination and courage OF
the Russians, even in the last assaults. indicat-
&c that the struggle would be 20 the bitter end.
It was well known to the JAPANESE that the
destruction Of the fortress guarding the main de-
Eenses Of the western half Of the eastern fortified
ridge made the investment OF the city on the
esst only matter OF short time. despite the
strongest efforts OF the defenders. and also In
Fured the segregation Of the forts further east
npon the ridge
The steady advance OF the besiegers upon the
west flank since the capture OF 2o3-Metr 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 Tai Yam HOW fort,
Hegregste the Chair Hill forts so that they could
be dealt with in detail.
II was evident therefore, that. despite the
most determined opposition. the investing army
could IN a week or ter dayE closely invest and
Dominate Port Arthur City the centre of the
whole system OF defence, so that the powerful
forts both east and west would be isolated
This however, did not warrant the assump-
lion that the resisting power OF the position was
81 an end Though the japanese hoped for the
surrender Of the fortress. they expected that
another month would be necessary 10 reduce It,
because OF the evident intention of the garrison
to fight 10 the last
II has been evident since the capture Of 203-
Metre HiI the destruction OF the feet and the
awful manner in which the forts guarding the
western hale of the eastern fortified ridge had
been captured by the explosion Of dynamite
mines. that the ighting ardor of the garrison
was dsupened. and that the helplessness Of
their position had robbed them OF their dogged
Determination. This hopelessness was shown in
the weakness Of the opposition 70 the rapid ad-
vance OF the japanese on the west flank since
the feet was destroyed.
DEMoRALIZED BY EXPLOSIONS.
The tremendous effect OF the explosions which
wrecked sun-shu-Shan Fort the last OF the
forts guarding the main defences Of the eastern
fortified ridge. 5n which half OF the defenders
were killed and the remainder entonbed or made
prisoners. completed the disorganizstion Of the
cefence
The subsequent spirited assault by the jap
enese on the principal line OF outer fortfcatons
and the higher hills Of the fortified ridges i'm
fnedafely after the capture OF Sung -Shu-Shan
was met with feeble opposition, and the night
~ January l saw the besiegers in possession Of
the upper lire Of the fortified ridge from East
klkWsn Mountain 10 the western extremity.
Had the garrison fought IS II had previously
done, this would have at least taken days 10
accomplish. and would have cost many lives.
The request Of the Russians for food. medi-
cines and physicians for their sick and wounded
has been granted. Itse, Wantse and Tsyangko
forts were taken over By the japanese at noon
To-day.