WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 4, 1905. PORT ARTHUR.

Bush Advocate, Volume XVII, Issue 2, 4 January 1905, Page 4

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 4, 1905. PORT ARTHUR.

4 i v - •■- The fall of the Russian fortress has been the. one topic of conversation dur-> ing the last two days, and it is generally held that the Japanese have accomplished a wonderful, -achievement"' in forcing the garrison to surrender. It must be remembered that the place was abselntely impregnable from the sea, and the work of jthe invaders in fighting their way in on the landward side enormously increased the" difficulties of their task. Then, again, the place has been described as three Sebastopols in one, joined by covered ways, and hence; the desperate nature of the undertaking before tlie "little ; bjcown men." The work of irivestmVnt began with, the taking by the Japanese of the isthmus at Kinchau/35 miles to the north, on 27th Ikfay. Tlten followed the work of driving back.the troops charged with the duty of operating around, as distinct from those who were told off to defend the inside of the fortress. Some land fighting followed during the next .two months, and on the 7th of August the Japanese guns for the first time engaged the guns of the defenders, and the besiegers slowly approached the mam line of forts. Then the work of assault began in earnest, and attack after attack was made on the Russian fortifications. On the 20th the redoubt protecting the water was destroyed. On the 24th, after another fierce attack, which was only partially successful, the fighting ceased, leaving the Japanese in possession of the Banjushan Fort as the sole result of the six days' struggle, which cost General Nogi 14,000 killed and wounded. After this terrible battle there came a relative

calni. From the graphic account of the siege written by the London Times' military correspondent, we learn that the m.onth of September,, was. employed in cutting the Eussii'fas jgfiifrpm pigeon Bay and in affsauiting the advanced works of Erlunshan, Panlungshan, Long Hill, and the Metre Eahge. At Takushan steady but slow progress was* made. Fort Kuropatkin's fall gave the Japanese command of tHe main water supply. On 14th September the Japanese brought up their first battery of llin. howitzers. Hitherto^lieir heaviest pieces" had been the *'%jin' r ' naval" J guns, which were far too light to cope with* the Russian artillery. The. arrival of the second reserves enabled the be- | siegers considerably- to augment the' effectives of tfeeit so^ly-Trledtiattalioris. j By 19th September such progress had been made with the sap advance that a general assaalt was determined upon. Namaokayama, or Metre Eange, was the position chosen for the Right attack; whilst the lunettes and the redoubt at the west foot of ErluiigshanL were toldf off to the Centre and/ Left, Erlungshan redouot fell' at about the same time ;*" no quarter was asked or given. A thousand Japanese were killed or wounded.' It was a \fight of Paladins. Metre Hill proved a terrible obstacle. It was attacked by three regiments. The first passed the night there The.secpnd regiment gained the foot of the sßpe of -Metre Hill at Ua.m. on 20th, September. At 5 p.m. the first regiment, joining its advanced company,. drove the Russians back from^ttiecfi^ of trenches, and at night ; whole line was carried by an extended attache. Daring October jiihe Japanese made steady prpgressj and : their , 11-inch howitzers were played with great effect on the Russian warships in the harbor, and attacks. on, some of the- forts were met by counter attacks .by^the garrisoff. Explosions and fires wer,e of daily occurrence ia the old town j and some of the forts and outer works were captured. During November the Japanese; gradually narrowed down the Russian's field of operations, and again gave the shipping in the -harbor a grueiiing. On the Bth of the month the great forts of the main defence iineii^Ehrlungshaii~ and Sungsimsnan, were^compfetely reduced to silence.' : The captures of 203 Metre: Hill on the Ist of December, after desperate fighting, f ollowed. This* was the beginning of the end, and the Japanese, assisted by the continual reinforcements they were able to receive, broke down ..the, p remaining Russian.;' opposition, and after a notable sfege^off months Port Arthur felh, ©nceiirore into the hands of the Japanese.