Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-02-26

Smirnon claims that the credit fer their
repulse was due chiefly to hts artillery
dispositions. by which the japanese were
driven from their trenches and their re
serves annihilated with the loss OF 10.OU0
men. But this was not mentioned in Seoes-
SETS report to the emperor.
The suppression Of the Port Arthur news
paper. Novikrai, by Stoessel is attributed
to its frequent mention of Smirnons &C
tfvity and TO the fact that it did not praise
the former.
Stoessel Byword.
According to Smirnof. Stoessel never
visited the works which were under at
tack Smirnoff says:
THE garrison and inhabitants Of Port
Arthur were denoralixed by Stoessel's per-
sonal conduct. Though he avoided the
fighting line he cursed the population as
poltroons and rascally caveswellers, but
he continually changed his residence in
order to avoid the shells, finally locating
in quarters entirely out of range. So soon
as the enemy was able to she'll these quar-
tiers Stoessei FASTENED to surrender. His
pusillanimity was a constant byword among
the officers. rank and file and civilians"
The first indication of Stoessers intention
TO precfpttate surrender OF Port Arthur,
continues the report, was an order in the
middle of November, 1904, prohibiting fur
Their work on the second and third lines of
defense. Smirnoff nevertheless continued
working on the third line which before the
SutIeIuti was pIdCtICdliy COLlplcecu dIiu
was the strongest line of defense. Stoessers
final intention to surrender ripened after
the japanese captured Two Hundred and
Three Metre Hill, which enabled the enemy
to direct his fire on the town and fleet, but
which was Of secondary importance in the
defense Of the fortress. A council Of war
was summoned December 8, 1904 and Reiss,
in Stoessels behalf. introduced the question
of surrender Smirnoff declared the ques-
ton could not be considered so long as am
munition and food supplies were available.
He was supported by all the members OF
the council, and Stoessel accepted the de-
cision but made memorandum on the
minutes of the council to the effect that he
would not allow ''butchery in the streets
During the closing days of the siege the
relations between the Russian generals be-
came even more strained. Fock, who had
not been attached to any command since
his removal in August. was appointed to
succeed kondratenkO as chief OF the land
defense, against Smirnoffs protest. One
Of Fock's first acts was to authorize. with
Stoesseps approval. the evacuation of forts
No. and No. g. under which the japanese
had exploded mines Their surrender caused
a violent controversy between Fock and
Smirnoff. who insists they could have been
defended longer and was convinced that
Stoessel and Fock were in agreement re-
garding the surrender.
End of the Siege.
Smirnoff sent a dispatch to General Kuro-
patkin, December 15, asking him to be ap-
pointed commandant of Port Arthur with
full power. but before a response was re-
eeived the fortress fell. At a critical Pc
Rod Fock visited the forts on Pigeon bay
and informed the defenders that stubborn
defense was not expected and discoursed on
the respective lots of generals and privates
in captivity.
On December 20, 1904, Stoessel reconven-
ed the council of war. Only Fock and Reiss
and Colonies Dmitriffsky and Gandourine
advocated surrender. Smirnoff quoted the
regulations fOrbidding the surrender of
fortress before the complete exhaustion of
its resources and in stirring speech out
lined plan for holding successfully the in
terror lines of defense for six weeks, and
then only when the provisions were ap-
be discussed. Stoessel thanked the council
for Its almost unanimous decision to pro-
long the defense and closed the meeting.
Two days later a third fort was blown up
and taken by the japanese: The Russian ar
tillery, however, succeeded in staying their
advance. During the night and next MORN
ing several successive Russian positions
were evacuated under orders from Stoessel
and FOck on the ground of urgent neces-
sity. One Russian commander refused fat
ly to obey the order to evaeuate the posi-
ton which he occupied until threatened
with drastic measures. But the strong
third line of defenses was still intact and
able to prolong the defense, when Stoessel,
January /, 1905, made overtures to the
Japanese commander, General Nogi, for a
capitulaton, without summoning the coun-
ell notifying Smirnoff, the commandant
of the fortress proper.
According to Smirnof the electives Of the
garrison of Port Arthur at the time of the
surrender Of the fortress were Il, 500 bayo-
nets, 5000 artillerymen. 500 engineers, 900
troops unattached and 5,0O6 militia, with
about 100000 shells and seven million
rounds of rifle ammunition. The generals
report further gives list of the food sup
r>1sp hon inn hot fhox-
last the defenders of Port Arthur for six
weeks longer.