Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1907-02-27
To Look After Stoesse|'s
Port. Arthur Defence.
The Secret Russian Report Of
the Investigation Does
Not Rebound TO Credit Of Some
OF the Cars Soldiers.

st. Petersburg, Feb. GA copy OF
the secret report on the defence of Port
Arthur, which is the basis of the in
dictment on which Lieutenant General
Stoessel, Lieutenant General Fock, who
commanded the 4th East Siberian Di-
vision at Port Arthur, and Major Cen
eral Reiss, chief of staff of General
Stoesscl, are standing trial for their
lives before the supreme courtmartial,
has been obtained by The Associated
Press. 1t is of the greatest interest as
explaining the decision to try these
three officers and nolle prosenui the
other defenders of Port Arthur. The re-
port, which was written by Lieutenant
General Smirnoff. the actual command
ant of the fortress, Stoessel being COM
mander Of the Kwantung peninsula, is
sensational in the extreme and catego-
rcally accuses Stoessel of cowardice
and incapacity and finally of the de-
liberatc, reasonable Fastening Of the
surrender to save his own life and in
defiance of the decisions of two sue
cosSive councils of war. The report is
biased in the extreme, breathes the
iiicSt pIlttl pei anu SllON .
that the high officers of the Port Ar
thur garrison in the darkest days of the
siege We're almost at each others
throats. Only the late commander of the
It'll East Siberian Rifles, Major General
kondratenko, had the confidence of
both sides. The report explains the ref
crenceS made in General Kuropatkin' s
report of General Stoessel's demoraliz-
alton of the garrison. The indictment is
summed up in the conclusion of Cen
eral Smirnoff as follows:
"a series of objectionable blunders
outside the fortress due to the igror-
ance and lack of military capacity and
martial proweSs of Generals Stoessel
and Focll brought about the investment
of the fortress several months earlier
than necessary and after the invest
ment desire fer undeServed glory
moved Stoessel to interfere in the de-
fence with unfortunate results. Finally,
at the last period Of the siege. Stoessel
usurped my authority with the assist
ance of Generals Fock and Reiss and
committed treason in surrendering sud-
denly and prematurely. I regard our de-
feat at Mukden as q direct result of
this treason
The report opens with General Smir-
hoffs appointment as commandant of
the fortress and his arrival March IT,
1904, at Port Arthur. the defences OF
which he found to be half finished. The
friction between Stoessel and Smirnoff
due to the overlapping of their author
ity, began at the outset over the plans
for the defence, Stoessel though not an
engineer, overruling Smirnoff's selec-
ton of points for fertilization and fail
ing to grasp the Importance of such po-
sitiOns, Two hundred and three Metre
HILL Many incidents are cited as show
ing Stocssels disregard Of the interests
OF the fortress. In preparation for the
siege Smirnoff prohibited the with
drawal of provisions, but Stoesscl al
lowed their sale to the field army
Srlirnoffs directions that no lights
were to be shown facing the sea, as
they would guide the Japanese torpedo
boats and fireships, were defed By
Stocssel, who threatened to arrcs.
Prince MikeladZe. the chief of gen.
darmes, for speaking to StoesseIs ser.
wants on the subject. Later Reiss re.
moved the whole of the princes force
which was valuable for spy detection
because the gcndarmes reported officers
of Rciss' regiment for maltreating sol.
dlcrs. Smirnoff's order for the estab.
llshmcnt OF hospital for the treat.
lnent of soldiers suffering from conta.
Gious diseases was revoked by Stoesse
because the site chosen would Lesser
the desirability as reidence of Gener.
al FOOLS villa Tho
issued late in October 1904, when man,
patients persisted on account of theil
removal in Indictment weather.
| A run on the Russo-Chinese Bank al
Port Arthur followed the investmert o.
of the fortress and Smirnoff was unabl,
/ to draw funds for the defence. He
therefore appealed to Stoessel to ad,
vance him 100000 from his corps treas
ury 10 pay for Chinese labor and pre-
vent cessation of the work Of fortify.
ing Port Arthur. Stcessel refused
though Smirnoff explained the urgency
of his request, and later appealed t
Kondratenko, who succeeded in getting
small sum 10 enable Smirnoff to con.
tinue his work. though on a diminished
scale.
After the defeat of the Russions al
the Battle of kinchau. which Smrnof
refers to as a shameful affair and at.
tributes to bad generalship. the army
retired to the fortress and Stoessel an.
nounced his intention Of assuming com.
mand. Snirnoff, declaring that he hat
been appointed commander by the EN-.
peror personally. refused to renounce
his rights. and. summoning Kondraten.
ko and Reiss, set forth his reasons TO,
refusing. He said:
"Stoessel is ignorant of the use of ar.
tillery and of engineering and in view
Of the coWardice he has repeatedly dis