Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1905-01-10

seven sectors of defense--folirs on lana
and three or sea The town itself lies
in a great amphitheater. the hills en-
comprising it rising to heights Of 1900
AMI ! 4Ov feet. On every one the Rus
SLAMS had constructed semi-closed
works forts with fronts toward the
enemy on the land side. hidden and
protected hv mounds or parapets OF
earth. Their gorges or sides. away
from the enemy, We're closed ',y ma
sorry walls inaccessible to scaling lad
ders aNt. provided with Sits or en-
brasHres for the defenders to fire
through.
These forts were planned by General
Vernanfler, q French member OF the
Russian corps OF engineers, one of the
ableSt successors OF TOdleben and
with their deep bitches easily swept
by q,tick-frin;z guns placed in The tur-
rets Of masonry. rooted with earth
and sunk deer in the ground, together
with the scarp and counter-scarp gal.
leries. they We're OF the most tcrmida-
Die character
Main Fortified Hills.
Taking the perimeter OF the fortiti
cations the first sector on the land
from the east dominates Pc Tou Shan
-
This is the Russian 'Drakovy posi-
ton" and has Pc Tou Shan fort. A50
feet above sea level. as its principal
point. Facing north are the two large
Rihlung forts. with seven smaller
works, armed with so guns.
The second land sector occupies the
SUBMITS OF the Keellwan or Ichan
Hills. There are five forts here. to the
north and northeast of the old Chinese
town This group of forts was intend-
Cd to prevent the first sector being
taken in reverse.
The third sector comprises the
heights west CT the old and north Of
the new Russian town. It commanded
the parade ground, railway and road.
protected the second sector from being
turned on its western flank; it mount
Ell 81 guns and was supplemented by
many open works. trenches and wire
entanglemen,s- Its large forts gre
those of ArtsZshan and Etseshan, sup
ported by the Sungshu or Sung Shan
fort and three other works. This sec
TOR has z front Ct more than two miles
and deptl: OF from enc and q half to
two miles.
The fourth sector of the land de-
lenses extended from the south end
Of :he Sungshu, or Table Hill. chair
along White Wolf Hill to the Weiyuen.
or Tiger Peninsula, and comprised
four or five great forts.
The three sectors forming the de-
fense: looking toward the sea consist
OF the Golden Hill sector on the east
OF the harbor entrance, the Tiger Pen
insula, 1r Weiyuen. which has five
works. the highest $50 feet above. the
lay and the lowest. Ching Tai. about
x feet above sea level. and closed
work south of Ching Tan fort besides
three coast mortar batteries.
Equipped as Storehouse.
AS a storehouse for military equip
ment Port Arthur was q splendid prize.
The arsenal was filed with spare
guns. siege and field carriages. Col
lecuons of grain and provisions esti-
mated to suffice for long siege were
amassed. The sanitary arrangements
for the troops were good. Deep arte-
sian wells gave a water supply, and
the new barracks under the Sungshu
hills had airy accommodations. with
hospitals and fine officers Quarters
The dockyard contained full equip
ment for the torpedo shed on Tigers
Tail and the fotilla in the west port
anchorage The quick-firing gun bat
tcries ON both sides OF the entrance
were armed with Is guns each. Thou
sands Of tons OF Cardiff coal were
stored to the northeast. -