Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1914-12-23
Using TAU WAS
NOT A SECOND
PORT ARTHUR
Six of the German Defence Guns
Had Been Used in Siege of
Paris in III. One japanese
Attacking Party Used Spades
and Picks.
ASSOCIATED Press Correspondence

ASSOCIATED Press Correspondence)
Using Tau, Dec. 1.-The German for
tress of Using Tau was not second Port
Arthur. as 1t was credited with being.
The defences were not nearly as strong
as the Japanese supposed and they could
nave carried the works by storm much
earlier than they attempted. Exhaus-
ton of their ammunition compelled the
Germans to surrender
The Allies had more than $50 guns
against 40 of the Germans, many of
whose pieces were out of date Six 16-
centimeter guns mounted on the Ger
man defenees had been used at the siege
of Paris
Deceived by the violent German de-
renee, the Japanese advanced slowly and
cautiously. Good feeling with regard to
the Germans individually was shown by
the japanese throughout the operations.
In the final assault on November I, the
japanese soldiers displayed their noted
dash and fury. AT Fort Bismarck a par
ty of Japanese sappers led the attack
armed with their entrenching tools which
they had forgotten to throw down. The
Nippon soldiers slaughtered IA Germans.
including an officer, in an angle of Fort
Bismarck, killing the defenders with
spades and picks.
The japanese toward the end of the
siege could not understand, apparently
why the retiring Germans should destroy
their abandoned works and blow up their
guns. The Japanese protest against this
was undertaken in a way which amused
even the defenders. A Japanese aero
plane flew over the city one day and
dropped a message written in faulty Ger
man of which the following is a literal
translation:
10 the officers and men in fortress:
We deem it to be contrary to the will
OF 600 and to humanity If one should de-
stroy the still useful weapons, war
ships and other materials which no long
er nave tactical value, and only from
the Jealous intention that they should
not fan into the hands of the enemy
Although we believe that with Ger
man officers and men who appreciate the
honor of knighthood such thought
iessness has not been carried out, We
regard to the matter.
(Signed)
The Siege Army Command.
Although the Germans were quick to
declare that their japanese conauerers
had conducted the entire investment in
the spirit of chivalrous warfare, ae-
counts agree that the Germans manifest
ed intense bitterness against the British
One witness declared that when the
British entered the city With THE Japan
csc, howl broke from the ranks of
German prisoners. It was said that
Gen. Bernardiston was singled out es-
pecially in this demonstration, and a re-
port was current that an officer among
the prisoners spat in the face of Gen.
Bernardiston
British troops engaged were only 1000
South Wales Borderers and 500 Sikhs.
Japan had 5000 men in the siege against
1900 Germans. Few sieges of Importance
with large numbers of troops engaged
have resulted in such small proportion
of casualties The Germans lost 176
killed and between 800 and 600 wounded.
The japanese casualties were slightly
more than 100. The British casualties
were given as so. From a military point
of view 1t was considered that the JAP
anese aviators had proved disappoint-
ment. The single German flier easily
was able to evade them and was able to
bring valuable information. The Japan
csc obtained little benefit from their
aviators.
Gen. kamio expressed disappointment
with their work. Military men who
talked with the men in the Nippon ranks
had glimpse of the Japanese soldiers
conception of duty when they heard
them say that the Germans should have
fought until the last man was killed and
that Gov. Meyer Waldeck should have
committed suicide. rf
Another incident as illustrative of the
Japanese character was observed when
the first correspondent to make his way
to the quarters at Tsing-Tau of Maj
Gen. Yamanachi, the Japanese second in
command found him watering and car
ing for bank of neglected flowers left
to dry up in their pots when the Ger
mans marched out.