The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-02-21
Japanese Views.

ress, which was surrendered to the Jap anese January l. 1905, could have held out for six weeks longer.
 Japanese Views.
 In opposition to this side of the picture are the statements made by Japanese of ficers who were the first to enter the half of General Nogi, conducted the ne- gotiations for the surrender of the fortness, came out last summer with an open letter in defense of General Stoessel. The Japanese captain painted pitiable picture of the conditions prevailing at Port Arthur. All proper food was ex- hausted he said, and the 20.000 Russians were in no condition to fight. The key to the fortress was gone when '203 metre hill' was captured. General Stoessel, &C., cording to the Japanese official might have held out for fortnight longer, put the result would have been an inevitable massacre in which it would have been dif- ficult to distinguish combatants from non- combatants. In conclusion, Captain Tsun- oda said: .If others forget it. we remem- Der that Port Arthur cost us 60,O00 ives by gun fire alone. We dug 40 kilometres of parallels and expended 100000 rounds of ammunition.
 European history chronicles the glori- ous equalization of Port Arthur and 1t is so considered in Japan. That is why the Emperor of Japan ordered General Nogi to treat General Stoessel with all the honors due to a honorable soldier His own country should treat him like wise'
 Beginning of Trial.
 The trial opened in St. Petersburg on December 10, 1907, when General Stoessel appeared before an assemblage Of his old comrades in arms. The punishment for the offense charged against the gem eral under the Russian code. Is death. The trial excited the most intense 1n- terest in army circles and the little audi torium in the army and navy club of St. Petersburg, where the hearings were held has been crowded by privates as well as officers in the army ever since the opening of the case. The stand taken by Generals Stoessel. Reiss and Fock was that the fate of Port Arthur was sealed with the capture of the eagle nest and two other positions Every point remaining in the hands of the Rus sians was exposed to the Japanese nre and the so-called second and third lines of defense were absolutely valueless. The first few days of the trial were taken up with the presentation or the youminous indictment and the charges Tn detail. On December 12s General Kuro- patkin appeared in court and his test'. mony created a sensation. He declared that the Japanese could have taken For. Arthur by assault in the early days oi the war The defenses were then so m complete the the fortness must have fal- len at the first vigorous attack, but the l slowness of the Japanese and the re- 1 sstance made by the army in the feid l gave the Russians time to improve breast l works which ultimately withstood the l Japanese for months. General huro- | patkin's evidence was favorable to Gen | eral Stoessel.
 Charge of Cowardice. 1 On another occasion during the trial l December IS. General Stoessel was ac 1 cused of having shown the white feather | under fire at two different times. Coione l C,urko related two instances in whicf 1 General stoessel had ordered his staff l to scatter under fire, himself heading | the dash for shelter.
 l With the progress of the trial Genera l Stoessel became convinced that the cour ] was excluding witnesses for the defens' 1 and otherwise discriminating against him I He immediately sent protest direct tC | Emneror Nicholas and as result th' l F,mneror sent personal aide de caflll 1 to attend the trial and furnish re | port direct to himself. It was then notice
 able that the judges at once began show ing the defense greater consideration l than heretofore
 L The tTidi "eeS ucios " " .iiS ~s~S~i'.. | Christmas and New Year holidays unti 1 February 4, when the final session wal
 held.
 Death Demanded.
 The judge advocate then demanded tha the court impose the death sentence oi Stoessel, Fock and Reiss-on Stoessel al | the responsible agent for the surrende of the fortress and the cowardly endinl of it's glorious defense, and on Fockl ant l Reiss as the men who inspired ant
 abetted him. For General Smirnef, wh
 was declared guilty of not having takel