The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-07-11

down to little fellows the size of your finger. It has Japanese flags which the Russians used to entioe their enemies within reach Of their guns, and Jap anese kite which they used to test the wind before sending up tn cir balloons. It has pieces of silk which they em- ployed during the latter part of the siege to make sandbags and steel picks of all kinds, from new ones, fresh from the stores, down to some which are worn to the length of ones thumb by digging the rocks in the fort tun- nels.
 Hand-to-Hand Fighting.
 Much of the fighting was hand to hand. Tn tunneling into the forts the Japanese and the Russians were often close to one another, and they re- mained so for days, separated only by ramparts of sandbags. As l looked at one of the ports Japanese officer pointed out a tunnel in which he said he had fought for several days with his fellows, the Russians being on the other side of the wall, so close that the troops could hear one another talk. Said the officer;
 We joked with each other, using one of our men as an interpreter. and we even possed brandy and tobacco night tonight.
 How did the Russians fight2" I asked.
 They fought bravely. but the odds were against them in that their com mon soldiers did not know what they were fighting for. They did not care for Manchuria, and they had no faith in their Emperor. Every Japanese es- teemed 1t an honor to die for his coun- try, and the most of us would rath CT have died than been defeated"
 Roosevelt and the Japanese.
 But would not the Russians have beat en you if the war had gone on much longer?'
 T do not know" was the reply we were in bad way when the hostilities were suspended Our money was almost used up, and 1t is doubtful if we could have kept on fighting. Indeed, we owe everything to your President Roosevelt. It was his offer of peace that saved us, and can tell you we appreciate his work at that time. The Japanese worship him, and if he ever visits Japan we will just kill him with kindness in showing our gratitude"
 Just here I would say that I have heard many such expressions concerning Theodore Roosevelt. He Is hero to the Japanese, and they cannot speak of him too highly. His biographies, printed in their language, have been sold by the thousands, and even the school children know all about him. During a call upon Prince Ito a few months ago his excel lency referred to MT. Roosevelt in the highest terms He said: Theodore Roose- welt is friend of Japan and we honor him much" The prince thereupon ordered his servant to bring in 8 photograph of the ex-President. It was originally of cabinet size, which MT. Roosevelt had sent to Prince Ito with his autograph at the foot conveying his regards. The | photograph had been enlarged to more than life size. and 1t was beautifully framed Prince Ito ordered 1t placed on a chair facing us. so that our ex-Presi. dent seemed to be part of the inter- view.
 A Boom City Busted. The Port Arthur of today makes me think of one of the inflated towns of our | great west after its boom has exploded l Just before tho war began the Russians l were preparing to make it one of the nnest cities of Asia. They had erected 1 enormous buildings for their officials and were putting up residences to correspond ! Mcrrh'nts and other private citizens were doing likewise. New structures were go- ing up everywhere, and houses of 50 and l 6o rooms were being erected In the new town, which formed the Russian resi- dence section, dozen or so of suct buildings, with the scaffoldng about then are still to be seen. Some are finish ed to the roofs and others to the first floors only. They have not been touched since the war and are going to ruin.
 Such residences as were completed car now be rented for few dollars a month Just opposite my hotel stands a bricl house of three stories which contains ] b0 rooms. It probably cost GOO to build and it could be rented today for $60 g month. Adjoining 1t is another residenc. | which if completed would be as large which is still larger. It is occupied a a rental of 1885. On the hill behind me ar, l the foundations of a Russian cathedra as any church building In the United States It was about ready for the walli when the war occurred and 1t was stopped l forever. A new hotel which had beer l erected in the old city was turned into hospital during the siege. It Is nov the property of the Japanese Red Cros 1 society, and is used as hospital for tn, Japanese.
 The Japanese officials occupy many o the Russian public buildings. The civi l offices of the Manchurian government ar, | in a gray structure in the new town the military department Is in whit building farther back and the Russiaa l naval offices, which covered an acre O 50, are to be turned into a Japanes military academy. The hotel in which write this letter Is the once famous res | taurant known as Saratoffs, where th Russian officers gambled away thousand