The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1905-01-19
HEADQUARTERS OF THE JAPAN
ESE THIRD ARMY At PORT ART

HEADQUARTERS OF THE JAPAN
ESE THIRD ARMY At PORT ART
HUR, January Via Yinkow and
Tien-tsin.-On the evening Of January
30 Captain Tsunoda, a japanese staff
officer, was sent to Port Arthur 10 in
form General Stoessel Of the contents
of the message from the Emperor Of
Japan to General Nogi, giving instruc-
lions that the garrison should be treat
ed with the greatest consideration. The
officer also brought a message saying
that General Nogi proposed that he and
General Stoessel should meet on the fol-
lowing day.
Captain Tsunoda took with him a
present for the Russian commander
consisting Of chicken and wine, which
the General accepted, at the same time
expressing his thanks for the privi-
lege Of meeting General Nogi
Conversation between the General
and the Captain followed and lasted
for two hours. Stoessels first inquiry
was as to the whereabouts Of General
KuTopatkin. TsunOda replied that he
did not know exactly, but that he un-
derstoOd he was somewhere about Muk-
den. Stoessel said he had last heard
from KuroDatkin Oh October 9Th when
the commander Of the Manchurian
army said he would soon come to the
relief Of Port Arthur. He had, he
stated, sent out Chinese spies who, on
their return, reported that Kuropatkin
with the relieving army, was at Kin
90,
Arthur.
Stoessel listened with evident in
credullty to the statement that KurO-
patkin had been defeated and driven
back toward Mukden so the Captain
produced map which showed the re-
spective positions Of the Russian and
| japanese armies near the Shakhe
river. He recited the story OF Kuro-
patkin's defeat and said that the Rus
, sian losses had been between $4,000 and
60, 900. Stoessel expressed his amaze
ment, and then quietly remarked that
he had been misled.
The General asked where the Russian
second Pacific squadron was and was
told that some Of the ships had not
yet passed the Cape Of Good Hope.
with a hopeless expression General
Stoessel said
Now that Port Arthur has fallen,
there Is no use Of the squadron COM
ing farther"
Captain Tsunoda asked what caused
the most damage to the garrison dur
ing the siege, to which General Stoes-
sci replied: your eeven-inch how
tiers. Since they arrived our defen-
siye works have been useless"
The General said that he and for
mer Viceroy Alexien had been through
the Boxer" troub.a, and had thel
seen the work of the Japanese army
lie had been associated with the Japa'
nese Generals Yamagouchi and Kuku-
shima at that time, he said, and he
expressed the opinion that the Russian
and Japanese forces had then borne
; the lions share of the work. Since
that time, he declared, he had always
entertained u high idea Of the organi'
cation and fighting qualities Of the
japanese army.
The real cause Of the war, IN Gen
: eral Stoessers opinion, was the igno'
rance of tie Russian people regarding
the ,hghting qualities Of the japanese
The first attack on Port Arthur bJ
the Japanese fleet I'm February was q
tremendous surprise to the Russians
: General Stoessel told Captain Tsu
noda, as the forts were then only part
Ily completed and were garrisoned b.
only from 1000 to 300 troops. He sale
he had always opposed the scheme fo
the spending of money IN the building
up of Dalny instead of finishing thu
defenses Of Port Arthur.
He paid high tribute to the ingenu
ity, pluck and patience Of the Japa
nese infantry, especially IN the making
Of the siege parallels and trenches L
the forts. At first he did not thinl
that the artillery practice Of the Japa
lnese was good but he declared tina
he was soon compelled TO recognize
how good It was"
General Stoessel told of the death o
J General Kondratenko and Colonel o
Engineers, who were killed In IN
north Kekwan fort by a Japanes
shell Just prior to the explosion Of III
fort, on December 18th. He said tina
: the loss OF General Kondratenko wa
a great one, as he was clever en-
gineer.
General Stoessel said he had serve
a his Emperor in three wars and ha
r been wounded three times. The frs
I was the Russo-Turk War the sec
-, ond the Boxer" trouble, and the thlr
a was the present war. Now he felt tina
he had earned the right to- return