THE WAR IN THE ORIENT

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Mountain View, California · Jan 18, 1905

THE WAR IN THE ORIENT.

ON January 2 the commander of the Port Arthur fortress, General Stoessel, sent word to the Japanese commander of the besieging forces that he was ready to discuss terms of surrender, as further resistance was useless. Articles of capitulation were signed that evening by representatives of the two commanders, and the Japanese are now in full and formal possession of the fortress they have been waging war against for so many months. The forts and city are described as being literally strewn with the fragments of exploded shells. The garrison was worn down to its utmost limit of endurance. There were some fifteen thousand sick and wounded in the hospitals. Even a number of the hospitals had been wrecked by Japanese shells. Disease was prevalent through lack of proper food. Forts that could not be defended were destroyed by the Russians; others that had been defended had been destroyed by the Japanese. Millions of dollars' worth of Russian improvements were destroyed by the Russians themselves to prevent their falling into the hands of the Japanese. The war-vessels that had not been destroyed by the Japanese shells the Russians destroyed for the same reason. Wharves were blown up, and the great dock for the repair of naval vessels suffered in the same way.

The soldiers of the defeated garrison will be held by the Japanese as prisoners, while the officers are allowed to return to Russia on signing a parole, agreeing not to engage again in war with Japan during the remainder of this campaign. The number of men in the garrison at the beginning of the war was 35,000. Of these 11,000 have been killed. Many of those among the wounded have returned to the ranks again and again after recovering from wounds. It is said that no one of Port Arthur's magnificent public works remains. The surrender of the fortifications and city of Port Arthur has brought to an end one of the most terrible sieges in history, but it can not put an end to the sufferings which that siege has occasioned. It is stated that the Japanese have lost more than fifty thousand men in the capture of the stronghold.

Russian officials declare that this loss will only make Russia the more determined to push the war with greater vigor than ever; that Russia will consider no terms of peace until she has won a substantial victory. A large portion of the army that has been operating against Port Arthur will soon be sent north to re-enforce the armies confronting General Kuropatkin. Russia plans to have 200,000 more men under command of General Kuropatkin before the close of February. It is quite generally felt that the czar will order a forward movement in the near future. Russia is working energetically to rebuild her navy, and Japan is working just as energetically to increase her naval forces so as to be able to meet her.

Suit has been brought by the United States Attorney-General against the General Paper Company, a trust, to enjoin that trust from doing business. It is alleged that this company, or trust, is responsible for the great increase in the cost of paper; that it is conducting its business in defiance of the laws, and that no dealers of newspapers or other consumers in the territory west of the Mississippi, except a few papers in Chicago and St. Louis, can purchase any paper, save through that trust.

The submarine road connecting Boston and East Boston is now completed and ready for public travel. The tunnel is double-tracked, one and four-tenths miles long, 2,700 feet of which is under the waters of the harbor. About four and one-half years have been consumed in constructing this tunnel, and the cost of construction was $3,000,000.

The British naval station at Esquimalt, B. C., is to be abandoned. In view of the fact that England intends withdrawing her war-vessels from Canadian waters, the Canadian officials are preparing a naval program of their own.