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diff --git a/78388-0.txt b/78388-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..4b8cb4b --- /dev/null +++ b/78388-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,7356 @@ +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 78388 *** + + + + +[Illustration: A FACSIMILE OF THE AUTHOR’S INSTRUCTIONS.] + + + + + A SECRET AGENT IN + PORT ARTHUR + + BY + WILLIAM GREENER + + LONDON + ARCHIBALD CONSTABLE & CO LTD + 16 JAMES STREET, HAYMARKET + 1905 + + + + +PREFATORY NOTE + + +No one who has seen anything of the fighting between the Russians and +the Japanese needs to make any apology when presenting to the public +a truthful account of any events of which he was an eye-witness. Very +little was actually seen by any newspaper correspondent, and every +history of the war, and even of each campaign, must depend for many +particulars upon official reports, with which the public are familiar. +I do not profess to have attempted to compile anything like a detailed +story of the siege. Instead, I have preferred to give merely my own +experiences in Port Arthur and elsewhere in Manchuria and the Far East; +to describe what I saw, to repeat something of what was told to me, to +say what I thought of such happenings as interested me, and to write of +the people whom I met when in quest of information. Some of the things +I have set down may throw sidelights upon certain phases of the war, +and if what I have written induces readers to think for themselves what +ought to be the policy in the Far East of Great Britain and the United +States, then my object will have been attained. + + + + +CONTENTS + + + I SECRET AGENTS, CORRESPONDENTS AND SPIES 1 + + II RUSSIA AND MANCHURIA BEFORE THE WAR 18 + + III LIFE AT PORT ARTHUR 39 + + IV WAR 58 + + V HIDING IN PORT ARTHUR 78 + + VI LAST DAYS IN PORT ARTHUR 114 + + VII THE DAY’S WORK 136 + + VIII IN NEUTRAL TERRITORY 158 + + IX CONSULS, CORRESPONDENTS AND OTHERS 179 + + X THE BATTLE OF TASHICHIAO 204 + + XI THE JAPANESE AS CONQUERORS 222 + + XII CONTRASTS AND COMPARISONS 233 + + XIII THE ATTACK ON PORT ARTHUR 249 + + XIV THE DEFENCE OF PORT ARTHUR 268 + + XV JAPAN’S REQUIREMENTS AND CHINA’S FUTURE 295 + + + + +ILLUSTRATIONS + + + Facsimile of Author’s Instructions _frontispiece_ + + Facsimile of an order in the Chinese + Telegraph Office at Tientsin. _to face_ 190 + + The Battle of Tashichiao. 207 + + The Russian Retreat 216 + + The Fortress of Port Arthur. 269 + + +Addendum + + In order to avoid misapprehension the Author wishes to + state with reference to the notice re-produced at page 190 + that he is satisfied that the notice was issued without the + knowledge or authority of Reuter’s Agency Limited, or the + Associated Press of America, and that none of the telegrams + were communicated to them. + + + + +CHAPTER I + +Secret Agents, Correspondents and Spies + + +Secret agents as practical workers in the field of journalism are +little known to the public. The character and scope of my operations +may be gathered from these pages, but it is not my intention to +disclose here any details of the inner workings of newspaper offices. +Much of the information which reaches the editorial offices of a great +journal is neither published nor intended for publication. A foreign +correspondent may desire the suppression of news he sends, yet require +leading articles and the policy of the paper to be shaped upon a +knowledge such as he possesses of events of no immediate concern to the +public. Special circumstances and extraordinary conditions sometimes +require services which cannot be rendered adequately by resident +foreign contributors, or known special correspondents. In my case the +instructions were simple and definite. I was to journey through Russia, +Siberia and Manchuria; make myself acquainted with certain facts; +obtain what information I could on the subjects specified; communicate +same to my paper in the manner directed; and report myself at Peking +for further instructions at a given date. + +War between Russia and Japan was believed to be imminent; much of the +information I sought related more or less closely to military affairs, +but reports on these matters were neither published nor divulged. +The _Times_ office wished to obtain the truth, and to be the best +informed--in that following a policy which has grown into a custom. + +The status of the secret agent is that of a special correspondent +travelling incognito. Amongst men of our own race whom I met on +terms of absolute equality the chief were: officers of the British +Intelligence Department; inquiry agents of the State Department, +Washington; reporter-detectives of the U.S. Customs; paid spies of +foreign governments, and tourists. Those of us who had a common object +cultivated most the society of Russian naval and military officers and +their associates; the Custom’s agents sought the shippers of contraband +goods and immigrants intended for the United States, and the tourists +all places of interest. When war began, the Intelligence officers +withdrew to neutral territory; the secret agents and spies became +avowed newspaper correspondents, and the tourists disappeared. + +In the earlier stages of the war the distinction between spies and +newspaper correspondents was a fine one. The difference consisted +chiefly in the nature of the employment, but it mattered little to the +power spied upon whether the reporter was paid by a newspaper or by +the enemy. It was important that naval and military movements should +be kept secret, and a plan was marred if a fleet were reported seen by +a press despatch-boat or tramp steamer, or one of the enemy’s scouts. +The presence of all newspaper men, and most civilians, was irksome to +commanders. It is not surprising that newspaper correspondents were +denied the facilities they expected, before an adequate censorship +had been established; for, as a matter of fact they not infrequently +acted as spies without intending to do so. For instance, in June, a +correspondent landed at Port Arthur from a junk; he saw little there, +and was sent back to Chifu at the first opportunity. He stated, +amongst other things, that fresh provisions were not scarce in the +besieged fortress, and immediately afterwards the junk supplies there +appreciably diminished, for the Japanese watched the coast with greater +vigilance. + +The spies who acted as newspaper representatives do not call for +special condemnation, since a spy is expected to do whatever will +effect his purpose; and although his presence and behaviour may +hamper the genuine correspondent, it is the newspaper which the spy +pretends to represent that alone has a substantial grievance. Spies and +correspondents are equally eager to obtain every item of information +that has any interest, and in order to succeed one takes the same risks +as often as does the other. + +The treatment which would be accorded a spy and a correspondent by +the military authorities would differ, but the difficulty has been to +detect the spy and exculpate the correspondent. By the Russians it was, +at first, deemed most satisfactory to regard both as though all were +spies. + +Some weeks after hostilities were commenced the Viceroy’s staff drew up +regulations which were approved at St. Petersburg, and enforced. Their +object was to lessen the number of newspaper representatives with the +Russian army at the theatre of war, and to control them effectually +apart from the restraint exercised by the censorship which was then +established. The conditions imposed cannot be too widely known, as +they show exactly some of the difficulties with which accredited +correspondents had to contend. + + Art. IV. Each war correspondent on arrival at the scene of + action must sign a written compact binding himself: + + (i.) Not to interfere in any way with preparations for + war, or with the plans of the Staff, nor to divulge + anything which should be kept secret, such as, _the + result of the action of the enemy_, damages done to + fortifications, losses of guns, etc. + + (ii.) Not to communicate any information about the enemy, + which, not being proved, nor having any foundation in fact, + could awaken public uneasiness. + + (iii.) Not to insert in any correspondence _any criticism + whatever_ concerning the decisions, or acts, of members of + the Staff, but limit reports to facts. + + (iv.) To carry out exactly all orders of the higher + military authorities given through the officers appointed + to explain to correspondents, and of those in charge of the + censorship. + + Art. V. The violation of any of the above published + regulations, the non-observance or the disregard of the rules + issued by the military authorities, immodesty, (indiscretion) + lack of tact, will entail a caution in minor cases, or + expulsion from the scene of military activity if serious, + providing always that the correspondence or conduct does not of + itself constitute a criminal offence. + + Art. VI. Correspondents are bound to fulfil absolutely all the + requirements specified in Arts. IV. and V., with regard to + the acts, movements, and work of the fleet, during which all + correspondents, without exception, are forbidden absolutely + to enter the Admiralty, the docks, workshops, and other + buildings of the Marine Administration, or _be in boats_ in the + harbour, or roads of the ports of Vladivostok and Port Arthur. + Correspondents _must not apply_ to the Admirals in command for + any relaxation of this rule. + + Art. VIII.... Each correspondent must be furnished with + written permission to keep horses, vehicles, and servants, + and these also must have a written certificate of identity. + Correspondents are responsible for themselves and also for + their servants. + + Art. IX. Correspondents are bound to apply to the Chief of + a detachment for permission to remain with that corps. In + case the chief may find the presence of the correspondent + undesirable for military considerations, the correspondent is + bound to leave without delay. + + Art. XI. Correspondents must carry always on their person their + permits and those for their servants. + + Art. XII. Correspondents must wear always on the left arm a + broad red band with the letters B.K. in black. + + Art. XV. Correspondence is permitted (_a_) in telegram form; + (_b_) as separate articles, with marks and signs as intended + for publication. Cipher messages are prohibited. + + Art. XVI. Correspondents must endeavour to supply without delay + to the Viceroy’s Staff two copies of each newspaper in which + their correspondence is printed. + +Some correspondents, following the instructions of their papers, +signed the above conditions and more or less conscientiously adhered +to them. Others were unwilling to forgo the privileges of the +ordinary correspondent, and, in preference to being formally attached +to the Russian army, awaited developments and remained within the +Russian lines near the border of the neutral territory, where they +were tolerated. No foreign correspondents were permitted to remain +at Port Arthur. At Newchwang those who made a practice of dodging +the censorship, and in their messages betrayed an unintelligent +anticipation of events, were requested to leave. The newspaper +free-lances for the most part frequented the territory between the +Great Wall and the river Liao, and the treaty ports of Chifu and +Newchwang, where the newspapers and news agencies already had their own +permanent resident representatives. + +The free correspondents might telegraph as news accounts of things +seen, reports of things heard, and statements of imagined events. They +were in a better position during the early stages of the war than +the accredited correspondents accepted by either the Russian or the +Japanese authorities, who were restricted to official communications. +Of the actual fighting, most of these saw nothing at all until the +battle of Liaoyang at the end of August; there were only Reuter’s +representative, Lieut.-Col. Norris-Newman of the _Daily Mail_, and +myself at Port Arthur on the occasion of the first bombardment, and +only the _Daily Mail_ representative, Col. Emerson and myself, at the +battle of Tashichiao. Neither Etzel, who was shot, nor Middleton, who +died, ever saw an engagement between the Russians and Japanese, only +guerilla encounters of Russians and Chinese, which were of almost daily +occurrence. + +The treatment of the war correspondents by the authorities on both +sides indicates that their presence on the field of battle is not only +undesired but will not be tolerated. The men who wish to study the +human side of the war at first hand, those who wish to witness how the +soldiers advance under fire, carry a position, waver, or retreat, will +have only accidental opportunities, as their views are not wanted by +commanders any more than are the criticisms of independent military +experts present at the engagements. In a word, the occupation of the +war correspondent has gone. The foreign military _attachés_ do not +appear to have been afforded facilities denied to correspondents, +and their accounts also must be based largely upon what they hear, +supported by topographical knowledge gained by subsequent visits to the +lines where the real fighting took place. + +An American correspondent on the Japanese side informed me that he +estimated the newspaper representatives there to have cost their papers +in the aggregate over half a million yen, and it is certain that those +on the Russian side cost theirs a quarter of a million roubles, in all +£75,000--an outlay quite disproportionate to the value received. + +It must be remembered that the expenses of a correspondent are very +heavy, and that ordinarily he is well remunerated for his services. +Even in the China coast ports, for instance Chifu, where there is +no likelihood of attack and war prices consequently do not rule, the +out of pocket expenses of a news-gatherer exceeded £300 in one month, +and this exclusive of the cost of telegraphing. The remuneration of +a correspondent at the port--not a man sent out specially, but a +merchant’s clerk appointed in lieu of a journalist of experience--is +£50 a month. This may seem high pay, but in North China salaries are at +a higher level than at home and a well educated, competent, trustworthy +man, if a British subject, rarely expects less, for even a soldier +appointed as a railway guard receives from £15 to £18 a month, and has +free quarters at each end of his day’s run and free meals whilst on his +train. + +In the war area, at Yingkow for instance, within the Russian +lines, although Newchwang is a treaty port, provisions and all +necessaries were at war prices, owing to the Russians buying all +they could secure for transmission to Liaoyang. The cost of living +was double and treble that current at Tientsin and Chifu, or even +the much nearer Shanhaikwan--all being outside the war area. Some +correspondents--indeed most--received the salaries of correspondents +at the theatre of war, usually upwards of £100 a month, whilst the +representatives of American newspapers, weekly periodicals, and even +monthly magazines, received very much more. + +The American newspapers are sending out additional men for the +approaching campaign, but judging from the results already obtained it +would appear at first sight that for the accounts of events the public +must depend upon the official telegrams and the reports given by the +news agencies’ services. This should not be so. I have proved that the +official notifications can be beaten in time to even such near points +as the China Treaty ports, and official messages to America and Europe +require so much longer for transmission that the difference in point of +time would be even more appreciable. + +It is pardonable of Admiral Sir J. C. D. Hay to congratulate the +shareholders of Reuter’s Telegram Company on the valuable character of +the company’s news, and to instance what it has achieved, but it must +not be presumed that perfection has yet been reached. Mr. John Cowen, +of the _China Times_, which throughout the war has had the best service +of any paper, remarks that, “Sir John Hay might have added, if he had +prophetic vision, that Reuter’s Agency would first record, as it did +on June 23, the capture of Liaoyang by the Japanese (not taken until +September 3); also that Kaiping has been captured three times by the +Japanese according to the same authority. The fact remains however, +that without such services we should be very badly off.” + +The war correspondents who had been through several campaigns, +well-known authorities such as Mr. Bennet Burleigh, Mr. E. F. Knight, +Mr. George Lynch, Mr. Douglas Story and Mr. H. F. Wigham, are to be +counted amongst the smartest and most enterprising Britons it has +ever been my fortune to meet, and their inability to surpass their +former achievements is due entirely to the official restrictions they +had no choice but to accept. Amongst the Americans, Mr. J. Archibald, +Mr. R. H. Little, and Mr. F. Palmer are in the fore front as news +correspondents, and they have the knowledge, the abilities, and the +energy requisite to keep there. Of the other men, it may be said that +most were of more than average ability, though some could not ride, +others not write, and one was unable even to distinguish between the +national flags of France and Russia. They lacked most a competent +knowledge of the technics of their profession. Even those who did +send perfect messages probably had learnt the knack from practical +study of the best cables arriving at their offices, and knew not why +they were cast in a particular form. This was a point on which the +representatives of American newspapers had full knowledge. + +If the reader imagines that a correspondent having seen an engagement, +rushes to a telegraph office, scribbles out an account and straightway +hands it in for transmission, he is very much mistaken. The man who +acted in that way would be beaten by the expert every time. Mr. Bennet +Burleigh drafts his messages with the greatest care, and accurate and +precise though he is, he never fails to revise in a quite wholesale +fashion before dispatching what may appear to be only a hurried +account after all. Dr. Morrison writes and rewrites, and revises and +rewrites and weighs the value of every word--the use of the exact word +characterizes his style--then when he is finished the draft is usually +type-written by his secretary. Even then, by the time the Chinese +telegraph operators have completed their work upon it, the message may +be in such a state as to need its reconstruction almost before it is +fit to be forwarded to the next relay station. Hours are often spent by +competent correspondents in drafting even a moderately long telegram, +and the time required to write a serviceable message a column in length +is much more than proportionately greater. The longest message I wired +was immediately after my return from Port Arthur, and it consisted of +only two hundred words--many correspondents rarely send important news +in any telegram of more that half that length. + +Possibly one of the most interesting personalities in the journalistic +world of to-day is that of Dr. G. E. Morrison, the _Times_ +correspondent at Peking. He is an Australian by birth and education, +a doctor of medicine by profession, an investigator by nature and a +diplomat by predilection. Every one knows that he was born at Geelong +in 1862, that he has walked across Australia and China, practised +medicine in Spain, and is fond of shooting. In appearance he is unlike +the average North China resident, though he is of medium height and +build, is clean shaven and wears his ashen grey hair cropped short. +There is something distinguished about Dr. Morrison, something he +does not derive from his immaculate attire, from the nabob stick with +which he toys as he walks, or from the forward inclination of his +head, characteristic of thinkers. Indeed his manner at first suggests +the pedagogue, but when you see the man you know you have something +more; you have a man who can and does think for himself, a man who can +scheme, and with dogged pertinacity peg away until that upon what he +has set his heart upon having is obtained. He is hard as a Manitoba +winter; a man of resolution and of power, a man devoted to an idea, +or a principle, or a rule of life; a man who will go long lengths to +gain a point, who will find out means with which to accomplish his +self-set task, who will get at the right people and use them; a man who +is unlikely to be generally loved, but may be esteemed, and cannot +but be admired for what he is; a man who may not possess many real +friends, but is certain to have enemies, and himself be an implacable +foe. Though he has a nature which certainly is not running over with +sweetness, there is probably no one in China for whom British residents +there have more genuine respect, or one whom they understand so little. +Dr. Morrison delights to puzzle the ordinary person, so that by some +his commonest talk is regarded as a cryptic utterance, to be treasured +and studied lest its true inner meaning escape observation. He is not +a sinologue and has only a nodding acquaintance with Chinese, but is +better informed than most people, has a trained power of observation +and the gift of insight. Accustomed also to think, and being of a +contemplative temperament, he reads signs which are to others without +significance, so is able to surprise them, and cause them to ask +of each other what it is he means. He is credited with having had +a share in the work of bringing about the Anglo-Japanese alliance, +and throughout the Far East the present hostilities are known as +“Morrison’s War.” He cannot be said to be popular at Peking, and his +visits to the Legations are so quickly followed by matters of moment, +that he is regarded there as a very harbinger of unrest. + +Dr. Morrison lives alone in a large, rambling, quaint Chinese house +situated off the great boulevard and about midway between the east wall +of the Forbidden City and the Telegraph Office. As do all the houses +in Peking, his home faces south, and occupies the greater portion of a +small and cheerless compound. There is a little room at the extremity +of the west wing which serves as a study. In the main building there +is a dining-room hung with Chinese built-up pictures, and crowded with +curios and black-wood furniture. The larger part of the ground floor +is devoted to his library, which is one of the finest collections of +books on China in private hands. There are books on shelves, books +in cases, books covered up, and books loose; there are rows and rows +of books, and book tables and indexes and library fittings without +end. Never until amongst them did I realize how cold, cheerless, and +uninviting too many books render a dwelling house, how completely they +destroy its homeliness. A near neighbour of Dr. Morrison, who is also a +literary man living in a Chinese house, has improvised from even less +promising media originally, a home suggesting cosiness, luxury, and +real loveliness. The difference is that he has books everywhere in his +home, whilst the other cannot find his home for the books. But books +are to Dr. Morrison merely tools; he is not inordinately proud of his +library; still less does he love it; but is full of regard for it as +the means to an end. + +Dr. Morrison speaks rapidly, using short words and somewhat long +sentences, and there is an evenness in the tone of his voice which +betrays that sentiment is lacking in his temperament. His address is +somewhat stiff, but his phrases are never without point, and have the +saving grace of being pertinent. I met him one day unexpectedly as he +stepped from the train at Yingkow, and this was his salutation: “Hallo, +Greener, what are these Cossacks doing here? How many are there of +them? How’re you?” + +People think that Dr. Morrison takes himself too seriously, and is too +devoted to his work--it is that for which he lives--but none doubt his +sincerity, and all admire his patriotism, which is deep, genuine, and +predominant. The one trait in his character which makes him close kin +with all is his sincere and undisguised liking for young children. +The infants of his serving-men run loose about his rooms and are sure +that he will pet them. Occasionally he will treat himself to real +entertainment. He gives a children’s party, to which all are welcome. +The courtyard is roofed over with sun-mats; there are flowers and +sweets, music and games, jugglers, conjurers, tumblers and tricksters, +and not one of the merry party enjoys the romp more than does the +staid journalist who thus momentarily forgets his cares, his Chinese +pictures, his curios, and even himself--a mandarin entitled to have +twelve bearers for his chair and several clangs on the gong at the +entrance gate. + + + + +CHAPTER II + +Russia and Manchuria before the War + + +The year 1903, whether reckoned by the Julian or by the Gregorian +calendar, was ended before Russia realized that war was the only +possible outcome of her protracted negotiations with Japan. It is the +practice of diplomats to dissemble, and Russian statesmen, if they +knew what the issue must be--and in my opinion very few of them even +suspected war--hid it successfully from the Russian people. The Russian +peasant neither knows nor is wanted to know anything of world politics +or to take any interest in them; the military and civil officials have +no voice in the direction of the foreign policy of their country and +scarcely possess an opinion on the subject; Russian journalists are +expected to express such declarations only as are indicated by official +communications. The only articulate class, the only people in Russia +who reflect the impressions produced by the absorption of news current +in the world, is formed of those engaged in commercial and industrial +pursuits. They are aware of the movements of the peace-barometer. +To them the fluctuations in the stock markets, abroad and at home, +showed the importance foreign speculators attached to the negotiations +proceeding between Russia and Japan, but even the value of this +indication was discredited by the great confidence the Russian merchant +had in the ability of Russian statesmen to arrange with Japan, avert +an immediate crisis, and force the issue at a season Russia would find +favourable for war. + +In European Russia I met no one who wanted war; many who were opposed +to it. The merchants and manufacturers had Manchuria as a free market +for their goods; imports from Japan into Manchuria, like all sea-borne +goods, were taxed, and high duties were imposed on foreign goods +brought into Siberian markets by way of the Manchurian ports and +railways. + +The state of affairs in the Far East was the chief, if not the only, +topic of conversation. Moscow residents agreed that attention was +riveted upon Manchuria, and they inferred that the trans-Siberian +express trains were crowded with naval and military officers. They +argued that although four trains ran every week, the three controlled +by the State would doubtless be monopolized for Government servants, +and that my best chance would be by the train of the International +Sleeping-Car Company. I determined to leave Moscow by the first train, +one of the State expresses. At the office of the Sleeping-Car Company +I was informed that all trains were very full, and at the town office +of the State Railways I was told the same, and that I could not book +then by the next train, but might be able to do so at the station. I +sent a messenger from the hotel to buy a through ticket at once, and +he obtained it without difficulty. It will scarcely be believed that I +was the only passenger going through to the Far East. A Jew merchant of +Harbin was my only companion for days. He was utilizing the Christmas +holidays to make his return journey, and had with him many of his +purchases in Moscow, for he told me that although one should make the +journey in less than a fortnight, the time required for the conveyance +of goods was from four to five months, the average speed being less +than 120 miles a day--about five miles an hour. The third day we were +alone I called his attention to the fact that on the train and engines +there were upwards of twenty-five men all engaged in running the train; +that at great expense and with special effort the scheduled time was +being kept--for one Englishman and one Jew! We represented the two +races the Russian Government likes least; but for us the train would +have been absolutely empty. + +I have crossed Siberia by railway three times, each at a different +season of the year, and not once without encountering a delay through +some breakdown. On this occasion we had a broken rail, which made us +nine hours late at Irkutsk; another in Trans-Baikalia, which delayed +us hours before reaching the Manchurian frontier, and on the Eastern +Chinese line, a military train ahead ran off the rails, blocked the +line all day, and caused us to be twelve hours behind time again at +Harbin. + +The line is maintained regardless of cost, and allowance must be made +for the many difficulties to be overcome. It is true that there is no +need for so many miles of snow-sheds as the Canadian Pacific railway +has found necessary, but for thousands of versts across the steppes +snow-screens have to be set up parallel to the track, to keep the snow +from drifting over the permanent way and blocking the line. In spring +and autumn there are heavy floods, and not infrequently a “wash-out,” +in summer the unballasted track is blown away from the sleepers and +must be constantly renewed. In winter everywhere, and in summer on +many sections, the supply of water is kept up at great expense, and a +drought would threaten the running of extra traffic. + +Two engines are required on heavy grades, and special twenty-wheel +locomotives are used on the hilly sections. Hot water is kept night +and day at most stations, and the trains suffer severely from the +inclement weather. The double windows are permanently frosted; often +the vestibule doors become fast, great patches of frozen snow adhere to +the roofs, the sides and panels are hidden under a thick white hoar, +and long streaming icicles hang from the roof to the bogie truck where +the water from the tank for the heating apparatus in each carriage has +splashed over during the day’s run. At every large station there is +a special gang of attendants, who attack the train vigorously on its +arrival; they use hammers and crow-bars, iron rods heated red, long +flaming torches, scalding water, and even light fires of shavings under +the carriages to free the breaks, and little by little thaw out the +working parts of the frost-bound train, wringing, as it were, tears +of anguish from the cold-hearted monster that has crossed the bleak +plateaux of Siberia in winter. + +The Baikal ferry was presumed to be the weakest link in the through +chain of railway communication. At this date both of the ice-breakers +were running daily, but were needing their periodical overhauling in +dock. The larger steamer was capable of putting seven trains, or seven +thousand men, across the lake every two days. The _Angara_ could be +counted upon to ferry across five hundred men every day. If goods were +taken instead of troops, there would be an appreciable lessening of the +number of voyages owing to the delay in loading and discharging. The +_Baikal_ can accommodate on deck twenty-four loaded trucks, or covered +vans, and as these are simply run on board and off again on to the +rails, a complete train can have quick despatch. + +The ice was over three feet in thickness, but the _Angara_, much the +smaller of the two steamers, not only crossed in good time, but on +several occasions went out of the track, and cut a new road through the +solid virgin ice of the lake. + +In order to continue the traffic without interruption whilst the +steamers were laid up, a horse ferry had been organized, and the +contractors had undertaken to convey across the lake on sledges at +least 750 tons of goods daily. + +The railway across the lake was from the first fraught with danger +owing to the enormous cracks always found in the lake-ice. The railway +round the lake was being constructed with great speed, and would be +ready for traffic early in 1905; but it has already been opened. + +I am still of the opinion that the Trans-Siberian State Express trains +afford the most comfortable railway travelling in the world. The cars +are as luxurious but not so sumptuous as the Pullman Palace cars of +America. They are wider, and give more accommodation; and as the trains +are run solid through from Moscow to Irkutsk, meals are provided at +every hour of the day, and it is not necessary to breakfast before +seven one morning and after nine the next, as sometimes happens on the +American through trans-continental routes. The piano in the saloon is +a welcome addition; the exercising apparatus is useful, and the bath a +convenience. The observation car was not much frequented in winter, and +the _raison d’être_ of the photographer’s dark room, with its dishes +and trays, has departed, now that all photographing along the route is +strictly prohibited. + +Siberia is little altered the last three years; but in Manchuria there +have been notable changes. The border-town of Manchuria, five miles +east of the frontier, has been created by the railway. It possesses +not only some fine brick buildings but a great market, intended for +dealings with the Mongols in the produce of the great plains. The whole +district is marked out into lots, like a new town that is booming in +the west of America, and in addition there is a detached native town +already inhabited. + +The agricultural settlements of western Manchuria have developed +rapidly, and appear to be thriving. They have also increased in number. +It is interesting to note that Manchuria was exploited under the +direction of General Grodekov, formerly administrator of Tashkand +district, and the same method of founding Russian colonies was followed +in Manchuria. Russian subjects obtain free grants of agricultural land, +and, in some instances, of town lots. Elsewhere the Russian Government +is obtaining high prices for building-sites in towns, and everywhere +high rents to occupiers are the rule. In western Manchuria the tenure +of land by the nomad tribes of Mongol graziers is of the slightest, and +at present they seem to benefit by relinquishing the land in exchange +for the better market the Russian settlements supply. In central Asia +the landowners dispossessed of their domains by the Russian settlers +made certain charges against the governor, and forwarded them to St. +Petersburg. The charges were neither examined nor entertained; the +villagers were punished and the governor promoted to a better post +under the Crown. + +Throughout Manchuria the Eastern Chinese Railway, following the lead of +the Russo-Chinese bank and of the Canadian Pacific Railway Company, has +undertaken other work than transporting passengers and goods; through +it the Russian Government has been exploiting the territory, trading, +and deriving revenue from the direct development of the natural +resources of the country. + +Another change is the increase of military establishments along the +railway route. The greatest is at Fu-li-ahdé, where the line crosses +the Nonni, below Tsitsikar. Here the Russians have large barracks, +extensive fortifications and a military colony. Everywhere, too, +block-houses were in course of erection. The intention was to have +them all along the route within three miles of each other. Up to the +present time those finished are closest together between Pogranichnaya +and Harbin, and on the branch line between Harbin and Port Arthur. +The first to be erected were near large native towns, but the chain +is almost complete now. They are of one type: a two-storied building, +capable of accommodating a hundred men. + +A compound is surrounded by a high wall, with two round towers, looped +for musketry, diagonally opposite each other, and so commanding all +four walls of the quadrangle. Another point: there are two qualities of +brick in common use throughout Manchuria, red and blue, the blue being +the more durable. The station buildings are mostly of red brick, the +military quarters and block-houses mostly of the blue variety. Stone is +freely used in districts where it is easily obtainable in quantities +suited to building purposes. + +Harbin has grown almost beyond recognition. Old Harbin, still the +administrative and military centre, has changed but little, and is, +if possible, rowdier and more blatantly banal than formerly; but the +New Town, China Town, Lower Harbin, the Sungari Pristan, and the Middle +Town, now contain massed buildings of fine proportions, where but four +years ago, there was only an uncultivated plain, and all indicate the +growing wealth and increased trade of the commercial capital of the new +Manchuria. + +In this district many square miles of arable land are under +cultivation, and the wheat grown is milled in the vicinity. So enormous +is the supply that I met an agent travelling to Singapore and India, +in the hope of finding there a market for some of the surplus from the +Harbin district. + +As the 1904 crops have been properly harvested, and by this date +probably are milled also, the Russian army in Manchuria ought not next +year to be short of its staple food. The wealth derived at little cost +of labour from the land is so enormous that the inhabitants are already +comparatively rich. Prices are high. My travelling companion, the Jew +merchant, informed me that he could journey to Moscow, buy what be +needed there at retail prices in the shops, take them to Harbin, and +not only defray the cost of his journey from the profits, but secure a +satisfactory surplus. + +Journeying farther east improvements are visible all along the route. +The Southern Ussuri district of the Primorski territory has been +developed. Nikolskoe has become an important military centre. Barracks +to accommodate 20,000 men are in course of construction, and more land +has been brought under cultivation. Vladivostok has grown and improved; +it possesses a new cathedral, many new government buildings, three +theatres and several additions to its business streets. Additional +barracks have also been erected at Vladivostok, and its importance has +increased rather than diminished since it ceased to be a free port. + +There is no lack of amusement, gaiety, and “life” at Vladivostok, but +the port has an appreciable commerce which gives it staidness and +stability. It is not entirely a naval station as Port Arthur was, nor +so absolutely in the hands of the naval and military commandants. It +has a severe climate; in January it was painfully cold and out of +doors life scarcely enjoyable. The harbour was frozen over solid, +with the exception of the track kept open by the daily voyages of the +Danish ice-breaker, _Nadejni_. The _Rossia_, _Rurik_, and _Gromoboi_, +lay alongside the ice, gangways from the ships’ sides giving access +thereto. The Cardiff steam coal from the British colliers, then +discharging in port, was being carted across the ice to the cruisers. + +The defences of the fortress had not been materially strengthened. +Several new batteries had been prepared, for the most part on the +land side, and they face the east, but the guns for them were lying +at the harbour level, and those in the new forts were not mounted. +On board the men-of-war, even in the dockyards, and on shore there +was a general slackness. In the depth of winter, Vladivostok is not +one of the busiest ports in the world. New Year festivities rather +than war were uppermost in the minds of the society people to whom +the existence of forts and batteries assured security apart from the +apparently impenetrable barrier of the ice-girt coast. I learned that +Vladivostok had not in hand at that time sufficient supplies to feed +the garrison and inhabitants for a fortnight. They were dependent upon +the stores and granaries in the neighbourhood of Nikolskoe, four to +five hours distant by railway. In short, the defences of the place were +so incomplete, and its resources so shallow, that I quite believed a +Japanese Intelligence officer when he told me they could capture the +port in a week. + +The Russian military authorities were so slack and so confident in +the strength of their fortress that when a Japanese squadron made a +surprise visit in March, the guns still lay at the foot of the new +forts, batteries were unmanned, and thus but a very feeble reply +could be made to the Japanese bombardment, which, fortunately for +Vladivostok, was not heavy, and damaged principally the Linevich fort. + +Harbin is one of the coldest towns in Manchuria, and there the snow +lies deep for months. Port Arthur is 607 miles to the south by railway, +and in a different climate. The line crosses the Sungari for the second +time at Da-la-Chiao, about seventy miles from the great bridge at +Harbin. Tehling is forty miles north of Mukden; the Chinese town of +10,000 inhabitants is some miles from the railway station and Russian +settlement, for in almost every instance the line has been constructed +through unoccupied, but not uncultivated, country on the flat plain +west of the hill range. Fengtien province is densely populated, and +the flat land is carefully tilled by the industrious, thrifty Chinese. +There is little snow, and it lies but a short time on the plains, +where all through the winter the winds raise great clouds of dust from +the village roads thronged with carts hauling produce to the railway +stations and ports. The hills and the hill passes hold the snow, and a +winter campaign there would entail many hardships, but on the plain, +in the cold bracing air with a frozen surface giving a passable road +everywhere, fighting might be continued with fewer delays from climatic +changes than in the summer season with its frequent heavy rains. + +The south and west gates of Mukden are only about two miles from +the railway station and barracks; the Imperial Tombs are between the +city and the line, although the latter now runs direct, the détour +originally constructed having been abandoned since 1901. + +Mukden, 275 miles from Port Arthur, is a quadrangular city, about four +square miles in extent. The outer wall is of mud, the middle wall of +earth faced with brick, and fifty feet in height; the inner wall has +red gates and corresponds to the Forbidden City of Peking, being the +administrative and executive centre with the old Royal Palace, the +residence of the Tartar General and that of the Russian Commissary. +The town is more generally and more densely populated than is Peking +and its inhabitants must number nearly a million. There is, or was, +a Russian hotel and restaurant in the town, having four small and +very dirty, ill-furnished rooms for travellers. The Chinese inns +were better, and the _Green Dragon_ near the East Gate became the +headquarters of the newspaper correspondents. The mission stations +are near the Bund, on the Hun-khé river, and, as elsewhere in China, +are the finest residences in the town. The Russians never maintained +a large garrison within the town, but had sentries and guards at each +gate and at the Russian establishments, with Cossack and infantry +patrols of the streets. The gates were closed at sundown. + +A few miles south of Mukden the railway crosses the Sakhé river; next +the colliery district of Yentai is reached, and, further south, the +station of Liaoyang. The capital of ancient Korea and one of the most +picturesque walled cities of North China, is a few versts east of the +railway. Haicheng, is a celebrated mission station further south. +Tashichiao, where a branch line leads to Newchwang, is 106 miles south +of Mukden, and 168 miles north of Port Arthur. + +Kinchow is on the north-west of the narrow isthmus which connects the +Kwan-tung peninsula with the mainland. The line runs first near the +east, then along the western shore; from the train both shores could +be seen fringed with ice, in some places a band only a few hundred +yards in width, in others stretching out to sea apparently for miles. +Here and there were rugged hills, their tops white-crowned and the +higher reaches of the ravines blocked with ice and snow. These ravines, +widened and worn by flood waters, constitute deep, crooked gullies +traversing all the flat land between the hill sides, and the sea, +affording excellent shelter for infantry and rendering the use of +cavalry almost impossible. + +At Nangalin the line branches, running eastward to Dalny, and winding +south, and westwards through intermittent cultivation, to the rocky +promontory on which Port Arthur lies. The line runs right through to +the water-front, opposite the Tiger’s Tail, and to the west of Signal +Hill, and east of the New Town. No station has yet been constructed; +temporary sheds afford some slight shelter for passengers and goods. +Such is the real terminus of the great Trans-Continental railway system. + +All along the route the people most concerned in the political +disagreement between Russia and Japan were the trading classes. They +feared war, for war would interfere with commerce and might mean +financial ruin to them. They, almost to a man, expressed themselves as +opposed to the forward policy of Russia. The newer settlers professed +to have little fear of the industrial competition of the yellow races; +but the older settlers in eastern Siberia still cling to the earlier +policy, which had for its object the ousting of Chinese, Koreans and +Japanese from the territories more recently occupied by Russia. Few +could comprehend the Anglo-Japanese alliance, and all accepted it +as a purely political combination effected by England in order to +thwart the plans of Russia in the Far East, and consequently evidence +of the inborn hostility of the Briton to Russia. One merchant, an +ardent admirer of Leo Tolstoy’s teaching, asked me how it was that +the English people had such an inveterate hatred of Russians. I +explained to him that there was no ill feeling existent against the +Russian people, only against the policy of the Russian Government, +and therefore against the Russian soldiers, who were the tools used +in making the policy effectual. “Ah,” said he, “the soldiers? They +are a different people.” In Russia, more than in any country, there +is a detachment of the people from the army, and from the executive +government it represents. People were anxious to explain that they +disassociated themselves completely from everything the Government was +doing by its executive officials, the servants of the Crown. + +The army officers believed war to be imminent; they knew of no way in +which it could be averted with honour to Russia. They thought a winter +campaign would be most advantageous to them, whilst declaring that a +spring campaign was more probable. + +In Port Arthur every one expected war. If they knew it from no other +event, the crowd of newspaper war correspondents from England and +the United States must have indicated by their very presence in the +port that an appeal to arms was foreseen abroad. Withal, the Russians +pursued their fatuous policy, and even so late as the last week of +January dispatched from Port Arthur a regiment of Cossacks and two +regiments of infantry to the interior, thus strengthening the force +threatening Korea. + +It was at this period that I went on board one of the finest +battleships in the harbour and conversed with one of the officers +of the fleet on the probability of war. In his opinion war would be +avoided; but after some argument, he admitted that war was possible. +“But we will not fight,” he added significantly. I was so astonished +at this remarkable assertion, that I asked him if he did not mean that +Russia would not make war. “I mean we, the navy, will not fight,” he +repeated. “Of course, as you say, the Japanese may make war; I may be +killed even, but we will not fight.” He spake calmly, even sadly, and +soon brought the conversation politely to a termination. As events +proved, the officer was right, and particularly right with regard to +that ship, which of all the fleet was probably poorest in defence, and +never once attacked. + +The Russian military authorities knew that war threatened, and made +such preparations as they could in anticipation of an early outbreak +of hostilities. If men and stores in excess of usual movements had +been directed towards Manchuria, the act would have been construed +by the Japanese as indicating a hostile intent, and of itself would +have constituted a _casus belli_. To increase very materially the +military force at the disposal of the Viceroy would have incommoded him +seriously in dealing with the Japanese contentions. War could have been +diverted, or at least delayed, if Russia had promptly abandoned her +aggressive policy in the Far East, if only for a time. As it was the +“Forward” party had attempted too much on the slight military resources +at their disposal in Manchuria. + +Opinions differ as to the number of troops east of Lake Baikal in +January last. From information I obtained, the Russians had increased +their force during the autumn of 1903 by about 50,000 men; they had in +Manchuria and eastern Siberia, in the month of January, about 200,000 +men, which force was being increased by new arrivals to the average +number of 400 men every day. This force was distributed as follows:-- + + In Port Arthur 20,000 + Outside Port Arthur: Inchentse, Nangalin, etc. 5,000 + At Dalny and Talienwan 6,000 + At Feng-Huang-Cheng 1,250 + At Antung-Hsun 500 + At or near Kaichiao, etc. 300 + At Waffientien, Kinchow, Tashichiao, and Yingkow 1,000 + On the Yalu River 5,000 + At Haicheng 3,000 + At and near Liaoyang 4,000 + Along the Peking Road to the Yalu 8,000 + At Mukden 600 + At and near Tehling and vicinity of Mukden 3,000 + At Kuan Chentse and Kirin 2,500 + At Vladivostok 12,000 + At Nikolskoe, Spasskaya, etc. 6,000 + In Eastern Siberia, N.W. of Vladivostok 8,000 + At Harbin 4,000 + At Fu-li-ahdé 1,000 + At Blagoveshchensk, Stretensk and Chita 8,000 + Railway Guards 70,000 + Reserves in camp 31,000 + _En route_ 2,000 + -------- + Total force 202,150 + +The Railway Guards include the riflemen who accompanied each train; +the patrol for about 1,400 miles of railway line; the garrisons of +the block-houses at each tenth verst; and the details posted at every +railway station and siding. The number is probably understated. At the +commencement of the war the patrols were doubled and the number of +guards was increased. + +Russian military opinion seemed to indicate that the garrisons in +Manchuria were sufficient for defensive purposes. The troops were being +advanced towards the Yalu, that is to say, the Korean frontier, and the +largest offensive force was being concentrated in Fengtien Province +along the old Peking highway from Liaoyang to the mountain passes on +the Manchurian side of the Yalu; thither munitions and stores were +being conveyed all through the winter, averaging in January about 700 +tons a day. + +The Russian authorities grossly underrated the strength of their enemy. +Not only the civilians, but the military and naval officers, were +confident that Russia would win, and win easily. The Russians had a +supreme contempt for the “yellow monkeys,” and only officers of the +highest rank regarded the coming conflict as anything more serious +than a “walk over” for Russia. Even in the Far East, the tone was +buoyant; people were in high spirits, they spake in glad tones of war, +business was brisk, and about everything there was the true ring of +self-confidence, come what might. + + + + +CHAPTER III + +Life at Port Arthur + + +As every one knows, Port Arthur was named after H.R.H. the Duke of +Connaught. It consists of a small land-locked harbour, surrounded by +hills, and runs north and south, at the extremity of the Kwan-tung +Peninsula. It is entered from the east, between Golden Hill on the +north and Weiyuen Hill tapering to the sandspit on which is the Tiger’s +Tail fort to the south. Directly opposite the entrance is Signal Hill, +formerly known as Quail Hill, a comparatively low bluff which divides +the new from the old towns. On entering the harbour, to the right are, +first, the Admiralty depôts, dock-basin, and dockyard, sheltered from +the sea front east by the lofty Golden Hill and loftier Huang-chin, +with the heaviest batteries of the fortress; next, the Bund, or +water-front, and the commercial quarter; beyond, the old administrative +quarter adjoins Signal Hill. On the left is the Tiger’s Tail, behind +which are coal stores, and moorings for the torpedo-boat flotilla. The +deep water of the harbour is between Signal Hill and the Tiger’s Tail, +extending but a short distance to the south, the great sheet of water +in that direction being little more than a mud flat, which in winter is +covered with ice, and once had an outlet to the sea between Ching-tan +Fort and Liaotishan--an egress long since silted up with the débris +carried down from the hills by the mountain torrents during the spring +floods. + +The New Town is situated south of Signal Hill, on a plateau rising +to the south and west. A magnificent city had been planned, a town +on a grand scale, with long avenues, broad streets and fine vistas. +A lofty and commodious Administration building had been erected, the +Viceroy’s Palace was building; there was a colossal hotel--finished +but never opened--a restaurant, hotel, theatre, various places of +public entertainment, some naval and military barracks, many villas, +and at least one large retail store. Not one-fifth of this town had +been constructed when the war began; hundreds of buildings were being +erected. + +The Old Town lies behind the Bund, also on rising ground, on the north +of which was a great quarry, and north of that the old Chinese town, +the Chinese citadel, the market and the parade ground. On the east +side of this hill, behind the Admiralty docks, were the old cathedral +and the Viceroy’s Lodge; farther to the north-east lies the large +freshwater lake, the overflow from which runs through the Admiralty +docks into the harbour. On the west side of this hill there is another +stream, and the commercial quarter extended along its banks. The +new China town is on the north-east of Signal Hill, and the railway +terminus on the south. + +Around the towns were hill forts; in some places north of the town +three lines of elaborately wrought defences. In the old town there was +a military road leading to the battery and the hill forts, which served +also to connect some of the barracks and stores lying north of the +Viceroy’s quarters. With the exception of this road and the Bund, the +old town did not possess any properly made thoroughfares. There was no +real street or good roadway anywhere in the town; the tracks, unless +frozen hard, which was unusual, were just troughs of mud through which +horses splashed, and jinrickshas were forced by two men. The soil dries +rapidly, there is generally a breeze, and dust clouds are common in +summer and winter. + +Most of the buildings in the Old Town were mean--little better than +Chinese dwellings. The greater part of old China town had already +been demolished, and it was intended, as the Admiralty works were +extended, to absorb the site of the Old Town for government purposes. +When war commenced, the Old Town consisted of bungalows, hastily +built one-storied houses, go-downs, extemporized stores, and Chinese +buildings and houses. + +The old towns were sombre, dirty and inconvenient. The houses +lacked style, the dwellings the ordinary conveniences of a modern +abode. Excepting the Viceregal Lodge and the Naval Club there were +no buildings possessing any pretensions to sumptuousness in their +decorations or furniture; it may be stated without exaggeration that +three-fourths of the houses were unfit to live in, and the remainder +were made habitable by the genius and unceasing vigilance of the +tenants. + +The buildings, called hotels, available for travellers were as +primitive as Siberian inns. Nikobadze’s in the New Town consisted of +a series of half a dozen cottages, with small suites of rooms let +out to residents; in the Old Town of a couple of rows of cubicles in +a dingy Chinese house, which were also occupied by residents, but +occasionally a furnished room was to be had there. The hotel of the +town was Efimoff’s, a one-storied quadrangular building of about +twenty-four rooms, of which more than half looked into a courtyard, +filled with old packing-cases and miscellaneous effects. Each room +was about ten feet by eight; the furniture consisted of a truckle or +camp bedstead--no bedding--a small deal table covered with a dirty +cloth, and a chair of bent-wood. An old packing case on end, with the +lid hinged, formed the washstand; there was a small enamelled basin, +a jug of water occasionally, an old petroleum tin served the double +purpose of a slop-pail, and the ewer for fresh water. There was no +mirror, no picture, rarely an ikon in the sacred corner, and a few +wire nails knocked into the whitewashed wall constituted clothes-stand +and hat-pegs. The door fastened with a hasp and padlock outside. Upon +extra payment one might obtain the loan of a pillow, bed linen and +a dirty coverlet. If the occupant wanted anything, he went into the +corridor and shouted “Boika,” and in the fulness of time a Chinese +coolie, speaking pidgin Russian, would call upon the ‘number,’ and, for +an inducement, supply hot water, or a tumbler of weak and very greasy +tea. The rent was three roubles a day, and, in peace time even, it was +a combination of favour and luck which secured for the stranger this +inadequate accommodation. There were other houses, known as hotels, +‘numbers,’ and furnished rooms, which provided superior accommodation +at the same price, and there were houses which catered for travellers +and new-comers by granting lodging at extortionate prices, fixed by +the owners’ judgment of his guests’ ability to pay. Usually therefore +European tourists made a short stay at Port Arthur, and business men +most frequently resided in the private houses of their friends. + +The chief restaurant was Nikobadze’s in the New Town, where excellent +meals were served at moderate prices, and the furniture, decorations, +and appointments were clean. At the restaurant in the Old Town there +was scanty accommodation, inferior cooking, and less appetizing food. +The commercial restaurant, much frequented by naval officers, was the +Saratov, on the Bund, rough, ready, thoroughly Russian and the only +establishment of its kind. There was no café; the only liquor shops +were used solely by the _nijni chin_--soldiers, sailors, and dock +hands--so but for private hospitality the stranger would have found +time drag heavily during the long hours between meals. + +The places of amusement were more numerous, but not entertaining. +The circus, a permanent show, was the chief attraction. At the +Chinese theatre there were performances in Russian occasionally; the +music-halls, variety shows, tingle-tangles, and sailors’ grog shops +were always open. Bands played most evenings during the summer; in +winter there was an ice-rink, frequented chiefly by foreigners, and +Port Arthur through their enterprise had its race meeting also. As +there were few such societies as one finds in Siberian towns, life +at Port Arthur would have been insufferably dull but for the lavish +private entertainments by the inhabitants. + +Russian residents, without exception, were very fond of Port Arthur, +and all Russians, and many foreigners, regard the place with affection. +It was symbolic of Russian expansion, of Russian dominion of the +Pacific. The navy revered it; it was their only ice-free port: the +soldiers were proud of it; as an impregnable fortress it appealed to +their sense of power--and the Russian army officer is always conscious +of the military might of the empire. Notwithstanding its violent +wind-storms, its bleakness, cheerlessness, its dusty streets, dingy +houses, and the rugged barren aspect of its hill-fortresses, Port +Arthur was endurable--many found a sojourn there agreeable. All classes +preferred Port Arthur to any other spot in Russian Asia. + +The life there resembled that of Vladivostok, but had greater gaiety, +and more noise. A more equable climate permitted of the round of +social pleasures being continued more comfortably throughout the +four seasons. Life at Port Arthur combined the lavish hospitality, +generous toleration and practical _bon-homie_ of Russian custom with +the luxury, freedom, and pervading spirit of ease which characterize +the orient. It was not Russian life run to riot, as some imagine; +nor yet was it purely a combination of Russian and Chinese elements +acting and re-acting upon each other. There was a little that was +truly cosmopolitan about life in Port Arthur, and the asperities of +Russian autocratic rule were tempered by the indomitable insouciance +of the former residents in China treaty ports. There were many British +subjects and American citizens at Port Arthur, whose ideas of making +the best of this life were borrowed from the fashionable _monde_ of +Shanghai. They expected the conveniences of life; they wanted ease +and pleasure, and time in which to enjoy both. Shanghai is the wonder +of the world, and the admiration of every Russian who has travelled +the orient. Russians were ready to copy the methods of those who had +taken any part in building up or maintaining that great settlement of +the British on alien soil, and the Shanghailanders quickly adapted +themselves to the peculiarities of the Russian state metropolis, +and their influence was soon manifested. These privileged settlers +had a unique position, and enjoyed a certain social status pleasing +to themselves. So much depended upon the individual. For instance, +there was a half-caste, a British subject born in Shanghai, merely +a book-keeper in a trading firm, but he kept his race ponies, got +into the best social set, and was invited by the Viceroy to ordinary +receptions and functions at the Government House. His principals were +not; they never could understand why he should be preferred over them. +It was merely because he knew better than they did how to ingratiate +himself with Russian officials, and Russians are as dead as are the +British to racial distinctions. A full-blooded negro, a Chinaman, +or any other non-Caucasian would be welcomed as an equal in social +intercourse so long as he possessed the instincts of a gentleman and +behaved as became a guest in the company with which he mixed. The +wonderfully select Naval Club, the rendezvous of the élite, had a Jew +book-keeper amongst its members. + +So the foreigners were making themselves felt, and were esteemed, +not only for their personal worth, but because of the luxuries, the +notions, and the manner of life they introduced. + +The government of Port Arthur was such as told in their favour, for +it was a too much governed place, with a somewhat lax executive. +First, stood H. E. the Viceroy, personal representative of the Tsar, +a privileged person, possessing almost autocratic power, but never +accused of being a despot. An admiral, he thought first of the +port, and was anxious to foster its interests, and zealous for its +aggrandisement. He wanted a larger harbour, more docks, a better +equipped naval station. These views naturally commended themselves +to the commercial residents, each of whom benefited by the increased +expenditure of government money in and about the town. Then there +was the Port Admiral, an energetic and capable seconder of the +Viceroy’s views. The Admiral of the Fleet was in a position of power +and authority, so was the Commandant, and the Mayor, and the Chief of +Police. A Russian subject, a direct employé of the government, might +or might not be punished for an infraction of any rule or bye-law--it +would depend largely upon his personal value in the position he filled. +The commercial employé was in a better position. If a foreigner, +although he had no consul to look to for protection, his employer +would stand good for him in just so far as he was valuable to him, and +the difficulty there would be experienced in obtaining some one else +to do his work. The commercial man, whether contractor, caterer, or +purveyor, might be, and generally was, of particular use to some one +in one or other of the government departments. If the Police, or the +Commandant, thought the town would be better for his absence, some +port authority, perhaps, found him indispensable; and just as he was +indispensable to the authorities, so were his employés indispensable to +him. The entertainers and others trying to amuse the public had usually +some influential friend who was ready to exert himself to protect them +and their interests. Thus the police were always slow to take the +initiative in any proceedings against a foreigner, and each authority +was just as slow to instruct the police. There resulted a freedom and +immunity from molestation probably unequalled in any Russian fortress. + +With the personal appearance of Admiral Alexeiev the world is now +familiar, and most people know a great deal concerning his character. +He upheld the dignity of his position as Viceroy very successfully; to +strangers he was invariably courteous, affable, and easy of approach. +As an administrator he was not without faults, many traceable to his +inordinate appreciation of the Russian navy and his determination to +use that navy as the main factor in his policy of Russian expansion in +the Far East. Years had steadied his impulsive temperament, but to the +last he was subject to periodical fits of furious strenuosity, and at +these times work in Port Arthur went ahead rapidly, only to slacken or +stop as soon as the energy of the controller lessened, or his vigilance +ceased. The Viceroy was popular with naval officers and the townsmen. +The military officials did not appreciate his work, and often found +it very difficult to work under him pleasantly. General Subotich, who +succeeded General Grodekov as Governor-General of the Pri-Amurski +Region, resigned immediately Admiral Alexeiev was appointed Viceroy. +Incompatibility of methods was the real reason of this, but not every +official had the courage of General Subotich, a man whose usefulness +has been proved in Kouropatkin’s campaign. + +Possibly the chief of the military forces at Port Arthur was worst +placed with regard to the civilian population, for from the first there +has been friction between the naval and military authorities. General +Stoessel was generally disliked; he regarded Port Arthur as a fortress +simply, not as a naval station even, and the civil and commercial +circles were abhorrent to him. One day a half-caste, of quite different +origin to the one already mentioned, had ridden down to the beach for +a change of air and scene, when the General came up and wished to +know what he was doing there. He answered that he came to look at the +sea--for which he understood there was no charge made. The General said +he was too near the forts, and the man retorted, that if the General +wanted the whole place to himself he was welcome to it; then, to annoy +the General still more, he called to the soldier who was leading his +horse to and fro, “Fellow, bring me my horse!” Nothing irritated the +General more than to have one of his soldiers ordered about by a +civilian, and to hear him addressed as “fellow,” just as though he were +a mujik, was still more galling. The General did nothing; he did not +know whether the man belonged to the staff of a contractor, or perhaps +to the Russo-Chinese Bank, and at any rate he must have been well +protected to dare to be so impudent. The General changed all that when +war broke out; he became a despot. + +Once he struck an unsuspecting civilian across the face with his riding +whip because the man had failed to recognize and salute him as he was +riding through the town. Nor can it be said that General Stoessel was +loved by his officers or their men. All dreaded him. Soldiers, seeing +him approach, would turn up side streets, hide away behind go-downs, +get anywhere out of his way. He careered through the town like a +whirlwind, shouting, commanding, blustering. The sentries shook as he +neared them. He would ask a soldier who he was, where he came from, +when he joined the regiment, and if he saw nothing to complain of in +the man’s appearance would command him to take off his boots there and +then, so that he might inspect his foot-rags: if these were correct, +as likely as not he would ask to see the extra pairs in the man’s +kit--rarely indeed did a soldier so examined escape the interviewer +without a punishment or a reprimand. It was said by many Russians that +if war should come General Stoessel would be shot from behind by some +of his own soldiers--so widely and so thoroughly was he hated. A strict +disciplinarian, he regarded his men as so many fighting units whose +duty it was in peace time to keep themselves in fighting trim; and in +order that they might be found so when he should require them he did +his best to keep them sufficiently fed, properly clothed, and in good +health. + +The conditions ruling in the port made his task hard, but he kept +pounding away at rank and file. A man of excellent physique, fine +courage and exuberant spirits himself, he thought every soldier ought +to be as able and ready as he was himself to labour incessantly. + +In ordinary times life at Port Arthur was different in degree, but not +in kind, from that of the majority of garrison towns. Many exaggerated +accounts have been circulated respecting the vices of its inhabitants, +and the port has been represented as the modern equivalent of the +cities of the plain, whereas of crime there was less than the average +in other Russian ports, and the percentage of vicious and undesirable +citizens not higher than at Vladivostok, or some other Pacific ports. +Fast living and outrageous rowdyism were more noticeable, because +confined to a small area. The garrison numbered about 20,000; add to +this 5,000 for the onshore men of the fleet and the male civilians, and +it will be apparent that females must have been comparatively few, and +so were shown particular, even absurd attention. There was hardly a +singer at a music-hall but received extravagant praise and had numerous +admirers; a tight-rope dancer was equally certain of applause; and +the officers, as all men of a class congregating together are prone +to do, not infrequently were carried away by their enthusiasm and +acted boisterously and foolishly. They were lavish with their money, +particularly when amongst a gang of their equals in rank, and delighted +in monopolizing attention, ‘closing the house,’ having a repetition +of the performance for their own delectation, and in every way making +themselves conspicuous by extravagant behaviour in public. All +officers, whether on or off duty, wear their uniforms, therefore are +constantly in evidence at music-halls, rollicking along the streets, or +arguing when intoxicated before the public in a restaurant--glorying in +doing the very obtrusive acts every British and American officer would +be most careful to avoid when in uniform. + +The ladies of Port Arthur were neither numerous nor much in evidence. +The first woman to arrive at the port was the wife of the postmaster, +and every Russian in the fortress went to the shore to greet her. The +practice was kept up for a long time, but there were comparatively +few present when the postmaster’s wife slipped away after the war had +begun, for she was one of the first to leave. The first woman who died +in Port Arthur, after the Russian occupation, was a Scotch adventuress +named Dolly Andersen, who was cruelly done to death in the house of +some Jews amongst whom she had fallen, long before any semblance +of civil authority had been established. The women most conspicuous +latterly were the large troupes of chorus girls brought in for the +vaudeville halls, and these artistes were for the most part Jewesses +from eastern Europe. No doubt the majority of the officials of all the +services saw everything there was to be seen in the _starai gorod_ and +China Town too, but only a minority made a habit of riotous living. In +Port Arthur, as elsewhere, the majority ordinarily went through their +daily duties in humdrum fashion and occupied their leisure in following +a simple hobby, visiting their friends, and waiting for the morrow. +Very few took keen interest in their work; the really busy people were +the commercial men, Russians, Jews, foreigners and Chinese--these men +had no time to spare from the soul-engrossing game of money-making. + +To me the officers and men of both services seemed decidedly apathetic, +considering that almost everybody believed that war was probable, if +not imminent, and that for weeks past Port Arthur had been visited +continuously by special war correspondents from every country. + +The Russians were insensible to the danger, but not because of their +own preparedness to meet attack, for it cannot be said of them that +they so conducted themselves in times of peace as to be ready for war +if it came unexpectedly. On the contrary, they danced under the sword +of Damocles, and set it swinging by sawing at the delicate thread by +which it was suspended. And they are the more blameworthy inasmuch as +Russia placed in their hands a trust they betrayed, unwittingly it is +true, by their fatuous neglect. The handwriting was upon the wall, +but they heeded it not, and, like their neighbours the Chinese, who +threw up millions of hummocks to impress the foreign invaders with the +vastness of their number and consequent invincibility, they relied upon +the advertised strength and impregnability of their great fortress +to ward off attack and secure for themselves immunity from danger. +The authorities really believed that even if Japan did make war upon +Russia, the great stronghold of Port Arthur would be one of the last +places they would attempt to assault. + +It would have been well for Russia had the authorities at Port Arthur +inculcated the counsel given long ago by General Nogi, the man who +was to carry the Sun-flag into their very midst. In that general’s +opinion “the brilliant and faithful performances of a soldier on the +battlefield are nothing but the blossoms and fruit of the work and +training performed day by day in times of peace. The man whose life is +in disorder during the days of peace would have a difficult task if he +attempted to perform successfully and correctly the duties of a true +soldier in the tumult of the battlefield.” + +Russia is represented conventionally in pictorial art as a bear, but +the figure of an ostrich would be more appropriate, for, like Russia, +that has wings but cannot soar, only run, and like the ostrich Russia +thinks by hiding danger from its sight it thereby secures safety. + +By the end of the first week in February 1904 the relations between +Russia and Japan were so strained that the official representatives of +both countries left their posts. An act so indicative of danger as this +has always been held to be, ought to have been received in Port Arthur +either with gladness or with consternation. It was accepted by the +officials with indifference: the public knew nothing until the Japanese +came. Elsewhere such news would of itself be sufficient to cancel all +private engagements made by members of the fighting services, but at +Port Arthur so slight a matter would not warrant even the postponement +of a social function. Monday, February 7, was the name-day of the Port +Admiral’s wife and daughter. The invitations were out, the reception +was given. Officers of all grades flocked to the residence from the +forts and the ships. Those who had to make but a duty call, for the +most part concluded the day by visiting some place of amusement. More +intimate friends stayed to the reception. The social life of the port +continued without a moment’s intermission. Midnight came, and shortly +after midnight the foe attacked. + +Even then Port Arthur was slow to exert itself. It did not realize +the danger that threatened. Some naval officers on shore said, and +believed, that the firing in the roadstead was because of ‘naval +manœuvres.’ Harbour, forts and town, for an hour or more, were +absolutely at the mercy of the enemy, but the enemy did not know. + +The Russians had ignored sign after sign: the withdrawal of Ministers, +the flight of the Japanese, the presence of the Japanese consul +directing their embarkation, even the firing of their own guns against +the invading enemy seemed insufficient to notify some officers that a +state of war existed. _That_ was just what could not be believed. + +The foreign residents knew. At the sound of the first shot one woman +jumped into a two-horse carriage and drove from the New Town right down +to the beach, a distance of four miles, to make sure that the war she +had been so long expecting had at last really commenced. + + + + +CHAPTER IV + +War + + +Just before sundown on Saturday, February 5, I entered Mukden by the +south gate, in a covered Peking cart drawn by three tired mules. That +day I had travelled over forty miles across country, arriving by way +of Ma-tsian-tsia, and it was my intention to remain in the city over +Sunday and continue my journey towards Kirin as early in the week as +circumstances allowed. I put up at the Russian guest-house--a dreary, +dirty building. That same evening, tired though I was by the constant +jolting of the springless vehicles in which I had been lying, sitting, +squatting and tumbling--mostly tumbling--for fourteen consecutive +hours, I started out to make inquiries as to the Russian troops +quartered there and their exact location. I learned also that Mr. +Bennet Burleigh and other war correspondents had been in the town very +recently. + +I noticed that the Sikh watchmen--and there were many of them in +Mukden--invariably saluted me, although they never acknowledged any of +the Russian civilians. As I was wearing Russian clothes, from fur cap +to high boots and overshoes, and had on me enough Russian leather to +proclaim my presence for half a _li_ around, the Englishman must have +been sticking out of me very prominently somewhere, or the Sikhs have a +special faculty for recognizing people of the only race for which they +have any regard. + +That same evening the news of the departure of the Russian and Japanese +Ministers had been sent to Manchuria, but no one in Mukden knew of it. +The only news current of the world’s affairs was derived from Harbin +and Port Arthur journals, neither of them well informed and both two +days old by the time they reached Mukden. + +The next morning I was astir early. I went through and round the +town, interviewed British, American and foreign missionaries, all +of whom, though they thought war probable, did not believe it to be +imminent. Some had been warned by their consuls to send the women and +children into China, and to be prepared for an outbreak of hostilities +themselves. The news promulgated from the Russo-Chinese Bank was of a +reassuring character: war, if war there should be, was still apparently +for future months. + +In the afternoon I visited the Russian settlement and the railway +station, and saw the south-bound train pass through. On board there +was a Japanese tradesman with his wife and family. That was the only +disquieting indication I observed. Less than a fortnight before, when +in Port Arthur, I recognized that the Japanese merchants were selling +off their stocks at reduced prices and leaving the port--but there +seemed no immediate hurry. This fresh evidence of the continuous +withdrawal of the trading Japanese from Manchuria aroused my +suspicions, and caused me to doubt whether it were wise just then to +travel into the wilds of north-eastern Manchuria, where I should be cut +off from all news for days and possibly weeks together, and leave Port +Arthur uncovered, for I knew that no other _Times_ correspondent was +likely to be there for some time. + +The evening I spent with one of the European staff of Messrs. Bush +Brothers, of Newchwang, who was in Mukden on business, and would leave +on the morrow. We had the usual Chinese dinner of chopped chicken and +rice, sharks’ fins, sea-snails, giblets, frogs’ chitterlings, bean +sprouts, sugar cane and monkey nuts. We talked of the probability +of war, and of the Chinese of Fengtien province, who--according to +my informant, and he of all men was most likely to know--showed no +apprehension of war commencing at an early date, and were concerned +chiefly with local happenings, such as Hunghus raids and highway +robberies, the usual concomitants of commerce in that neighbourhood. +He said nothing to alarm me, but before I reached my inn I had resolved +to start on the morrow for Port Arthur instead of going in the directly +opposite direction towards Kirin, as I had been ordered to do. + +Next morning I sought everywhere for evidence which would be enough to +convince any one that I was warranted in adopting the course I intended +to pursue, but I found nothing. On Monday no news of a disquieting +nature reached Mukden; there were no indications that the usual course +of things would not continue always. The little world of Mukden, with +its swarming population, its Russian Commissary and executive, its +Tartar General and Russian garrison, was totally absorbed with its +local affairs. There was no moving of troops, no indication of change. + +I took the post-train south. On board were a missionary and his family +returning to England at the end of his term; another missionary and his +wife from the south on a social visit to Newchwang; the usual Russian +officers and Russian immigrants; the wives and children of Russian +officers stationed at Port Arthur, going thither to take up their +residence; a sprinkling of adventurers; some local European and Chinese +travellers, and two Japanese families on their way back to their own +country. The passengers were such as one expected to meet, the same +classes as had been represented on every post-train south for weeks +past, and the train, like all trains in Manchuria, was crowded. Some +were bound for Newchwang, more for Dalny, but most, as myself, were +going through to Port Arthur. + +About midnight all the British travellers but myself left the train +at Tashichiao. The train rolled on slowly through the darkness; the +Cossacks patrolled the line, the riflemen guards played cards; the +soldiers and gendarmes at the small stations talked with the conductors +and brakesmen; the passengers slept. War had already begun at Port +Arthur, but none of us knew. + +I was early astir, and at the first stop got off to take tea. The train +was late--we had lost hours during the night. The day broke cold and +clear. There was a brisk, biting wind, which now and again drove clouds +of dust before it. First to the right, then to the left, then to the +right again, the blue sea could be seen beyond the white fringe of ice +which clung about the coast. + +The train was late and I sought the cause. It was of little use asking +an official, for Russian officials invariably say they know nothing, +and as often as not they are right. There is a somewhat true story +told of me in Manchuria, to the effect that one morning when I was +standing on a railway platform, a traveller asked the station-master +if that day there was an express train to Harbin, and he replied in +the negative. Whereupon I interrupted, “Excuse me, but there is, and +here it comes.” Then the express drew up at the station. As a matter +of fact, as soon as I got into Manchuria, I secured a station-master’s +time-table of _all_ the trains running over the Eastern Chinese +Railway. This gave the days and the time of all arrivals and +departures; showed, not only the passenger service, but the connexions +of military, freight and construction trains. It was easily understood +by any one who could use a _Bradshaw_. From an American passenger who +had come from Newchwang and joined the train at Tashichiao, I learned +how much we were behind time there; from the brakesman I ascertained +that there had not been a breakdown; there was nothing so severe in the +weather that the train could have been delayed through its inclemency, +consequently a freight train out of Port Arthur was the most probable +cause of our slow running. + +Of course, the freight train might have been delayed by one of hundreds +of causes other than war, but it was of war, and war alone, that I +was apprehensive. The American, who but on Monday evening had left +Newchwang, where telegraphic news is received without intermission, +informed me that there was no change in the political situation, but +that he was sure there would not be war, because the Japanese were not +ready, and the Russians did not want more trouble--there would be peace +for years. + +At the next station my suspicions were increased, for on the door of +the booking office was a written notice stating that telegrams could +not be accepted for transmission. The reason for this order was not +stated. If it were due to the cutting of the wires by the enemy, war +was meant--but it was improbable that the wires would have been cut +both north and south of that station, and the same reason applied if +there had been an accidental breakdown on the lines of communication. +Moreover, the trains were running, and they are run on a telegraphic +check system, so this proved that the wires were intact. It was clearly +only a peremptory discontinuance of a public service, and due either to +war, or to some calamity or occurrence which had necessitated the use +of the public, the railway and the government wires for State messages. + +I felt as certain that a state of war existed as I should have done +had I heard the rifle bullets whizzing over my head and the booming of +distant artillery. + +The irony of the position was that although I was confident hostilities +had commenced, I was precluded by the very order which had given me the +news from sending out any information by telegram, and there was no +train north until our own returned from Port Arthur. + +My theory was confirmed soon afterwards by seeing a Russian military +officer receive a telegram at the railway station. At Nangalin junction +I should have to change trains, and, pre-supposing that a state of war +already existed in the fortress of Port Arthur, it was unlikely that +I should be allowed to continue my journey there if recognized as a +foreigner, so I kept as much as possible to my compartment. But I need +not have had any fear on that point. The news itself so astonished +the officials, both railway and military, that they failed to act, +and merely performed their routine work in a perfunctory manner. +They neither thought nor realized in what way the outbreak of war +affected the train and its passengers. Without definite instructions +from some high authority, they would not act in any way different to +their ordinary mode. No one took notice of anybody; women with babies, +children, Japanese, were neither informed that war had begun, nor +warned to remain outside the sphere of military operations, and all, +at their ease and unsuspecting, ran right into the fortress during the +bombardment. + +My first verbal confirmation of the news I received from one of the +Riflemen. Our carriage, like those of all the through trains on the +Eastern Chinese Railway was constructed of armour-plate, and the +internal fittings were so arranged that at short notice they could +be differently fixed in order to convert the train into practically a +covered and protected moving rifle-trench. The officer who had received +the telegram was closeted with four others in one of the compartments, +and suddenly came out, stared at the two Japanese at the other end of +the corridor, shook his clenched fist at them, then went in, grasped +hands with his brother officers, all talking very rapidly and together. +A Rifleman came, hoping to borrow a light for his cigarette, but they +had retired and drawn the door close. I tendered him a box of matches +and asked him if there was any news. He informed me _sotto voce_ that +his captain had received a telegram to the effect that the Japanese had +attacked the Russian fleet that morning, that three ships were struck +by torpedoes and that one was already sunk. More he did not know. + +Outside patches of snow covered the red-brown hills, and ice clung +to the rugged sides of the gullies through which tiny streams still +trickled. Slowly, very slowly, the train rolled into the station at +Inchentze, and there waited long, but no one alighted, no one spoke +of war, none who knew of it wished to turn back. Then the train +started, crawling along the few versts of valley to the port, and +everywhere watched--but without particular interest--by the Cossack +sentries patrolling the track. At last the outskirts of the town came +into view, to disappear again behind Signal Hill, and the passengers +commenced to get their packages together as the train wound its way to +the terminus on the harbour brink. + +As we bustled about the corridor, reaching down bundles, and passing +along bags to their owners, I overheard part of the conversation of the +army officers: “It is war now;” “I’m glad of it;” “_Da_, I also,--we +shall show them;” “They will be sorry;” “Certainly--they must be mad.” +It was indeed a relief from the uncertainty that had prevailed for +months. There was now a clear course open; no doubt as to the issue. +But it was only a brief respite, the uncertainty of peace was soon +succeeded by the more dreadful and paralyzing uncertainty as to which +side would emerge victors after the conflict. + +At the terminus a deathly stillness reigned in place of the usual +clamour and turmoil which accompanied the arrival of the post-train. +Slowly, more slowly than customary if that be possible, the train +rolled to its point. The place was deserted. Not an official was to be +seen. There were no carriages in waiting, no jinrickshas, not a porter, +a gendarme, a policeman--not even a coolie! Far, far away behind, up at +the cross-points, a solitary soldier stood sentinel with bayonet fixed, +hugging himself in his great-coat and turning his back to the cold +wind. + +I hauled my baggage on to the platform. The American was the only +passenger who followed me, the others stood huddled in the vestibules +not knowing what to do, scarcely daring to move, and the army officers +called half-heartedly for assistance. I went into the empty shelter, +and crossed to the deserted station-buildings and buffet. Not a +man, woman or child could I see. Then I went into the quarry, where +a station site is being excavated, and from a cleft drew a Chinese +_gamin_ of the coolie class; making him shoulder my bags and walk +before me, I wended my way into the town. + +I have no recollection of passing or meeting any one _en route_. The +road was deserted, so too were the quays, the steps to the railway +buildings and the terraces on the cliffs. As we proceeded I heard the +booming of guns and bursting of shells. + +In the harbour some of the warships were snugly moored, a number of +torpedo-boat destroyers lay alongside the wharves on the Tiger’s +Tail. In the entrance to the harbour I saw the _Retvizan_, nose down +and heeling over; the _Tesarevich_, with tugs and launches fussing +round her, all down by the stern and with a heavy list to starboard, +another vessel lay farther out in the narrows, and right away at sea, +just discernible as specks near the horizon were the warships of the +enemy’s fleet bombarding Port Arthur. The many _sampans_ and other +small craft which ordinarily plied from shore to shore were absent and +the port seemed almost as lifeless as the town. + +The busy wharves under the terraces were deserted but for the Sikhs +watching the immense stores of _vodka_ and other provisions. The +Field Telegraph Office on the Bund was wrecked and the Bund looked +as lonesome as other parts of the town, the only human creatures in +evidence being the Sikhs before Ginsburg’s offices and the premises +of the Russo-Chinese bank. I turned up the Pushkinskaya, passing the +unoccupied premises of the _Novy Krai_, and it was not until I reached +the post office that the first group of people appeared--they stood +talking nervously, and looking first one way and then the other, as +though shells might take the direction of vehicular traffic along the +streets. Of carriages, jinrickshas, carts, Chinese, and troops I saw no +sign whatever. + +Turning into Efimoff’s I found everything in confusion. Neither +proprietor nor manager was to be found; the cook had disappeared, +the two Chinese boys remaining were too scared to answer a question. +Ascertaining myself from the register that the inn was full, I went +along the Artilleriskaya to Nikobadze’s, where the confusion was +even worse than at the other inn. Leaving the boy to take care of my +baggage, I went farther into the town in search of quarters. Everywhere +the people were hurrying--for the most part in directions away from the +harbour and town. In the Strielkova I had noticed an inn which had been +newly painted, so presumably was less dirty than any of the many second +and third rate hostels in the old town. It was closed, and I knocked +loudly and long before any one opened. I learned at length that there +was a room vacant, and that the house belonged to a soldier, a young +non-commissioned officer in an infantry regiment. Having established +myself and belongings there I went out to see what was happening, and +to find out how I could get messages out of the town, now that the +telegraph was closed to us. + +Arriving at the Bund I saw some of the havoc already wrought by the +bursting shells. Goods had been hurled hither and thither by the force +of the explosions; the double glass windows of the buildings along the +water-front had scarcely a whole pane remaining. On the Bund near the +water-edge a shell had burrowed a hole large enough to hold an omnibus +and team, the gravel and earth had been scattered everywhere and mixed +with a heap of coal dust being discharged from lighters. Walls were +down here, the plastering from house sides there, and in the garden of +a house built on a terrace cut into the hill side a spent 13-inch live +shell had dropped and was now guarded by a sentry. The shells had all +been directed from the maximum range at the ships in the harbour. Some +had struck the parapet below Golden Hill fort, but most had dropped in +or near the harbour. The maximum lateral deviation--that is from north +to south--was less than fifty yards, and the elevation was good. It was +in fact excellent shooting considering that the range was never less +than eight, and sometimes over twelve miles. Very few shells failed +to explode, some fell innocuously in the deep water of the harbour. +Two of the last fired burst right amongst the merchant shipping and +caused great consternation, and some slight injuries to those on board +the steamers at anchor. The bombardment which commenced about an hour +before noon, lasted scarcely two hours, and was slack after mid-day. + +In this bombardment the townspeople, but not the naval authorities, +were taken by surprise. About 8 a.m. the enemy’s squadron was sighted +to the south-east of Liaotishan, and reported. Vice-Admiral Stark’s +flag-ship, the _Petropavlovsk_, the _Poltava_, the _Sevastopol_, and +the _Peresviet_, the flag-ship of Rear-Admiral Prince Ukhtomsky, with a +number of cruisers, were under steam. The cruiser _Boyarin_ went out +to scout, and at about 10.30 a.m. returned to report having sighted the +enemy approaching, and shortly afterwards a fleet of twelve sail were +descried on the horizon. A few minutes later the enemy opened fire from +12- and 13-inch guns. The Russian fleet thereupon formed into parallel +lines, the cruiser _Askold_ leading one south towards Liaotishan and +the _Boyarin_, the other north towards the Lutin point. + +I cannot state that the glimpse I had of the naval battle impressed me +deeply. As a matter of fact it did not come up to my expectations, and +in appearance was less effective and less theatrical than some naval +manœuvres I have seen. Upon the vessels engaged it must have been much +more exciting, particularly to those on ships which were made the aim +of the enemy’s fire. I doubt very much whether the conditions on board +a battleship are either so terrible, or so dangerous, as imaginative +writers have pictured them. A modern warship, anything of a class +superior to a small cruiser, is not to be sunk by a single shot, and +though she may sink as the result of a torpedo attack, yet she will +not sink immediately. If the shell fire is very hot, then indeed some +alarm may be felt, but there are so many places of comparative safety +on board an armoured vessel, and the result of one bursting shell is +so local in its effect, that not only can the majority of the crew be +kept unharmed through a long fight, but a well fought ship will last +long after she has been struck before she is put out of action by the +aggregation of damages sustained. In one instance only during the war +has a shell struck a vulnerable part; that was when a shell entered +between the sides and the cover of a conning tower. The Russian forts +opened fire on the enemy’s fleet, the chief part being taken by the +Golden Hill fort, and by the Electric battery on the crag below it. The +firing was from 10-inch guns, and fell short, and was watched by the +Viceroy from Golden Hill. + +The fleets approached each other, the distance varying from six to as +close as three miles, and the Japanese in turning again to the south +were engaged by the cruisers _Askold_, _Novik_ and _Diana_, who, it was +stated, inflicted some injury on the enemy and themselves sustained +some slight damage. The Japanese, having made a reconnaissance in +force, to ascertain the result of the torpedo-boat attack which had +been made in the darkness, again headed south and disappeared behind +the Liaotishan peninsula. + +The Russian official account of the losses was: on the fleet--Killed, +21 men; wounded, 4 officers, 97 men; on the forts--killed, 1 man; 1 +man severely and 3 men slightly wounded. The losses from the torpedo +attack were announced as: killed, 2; drowned, 5; wounded, 8--in all +only 142 casualties for three engagements. + +The immediate effect of the firing upon the town was general +consternation. At first, when the enemy was approaching and their fire +was directed upon the ships outside, some of the inhabitants went up +on to Signal Hill to have a better view of the latter. A party of +ladies and gentlemen gathered on the terrace before the Mayor’s house +for the same purpose. A shell fell immediately below that terrace and +scattered the party. One little company of foreigners on Signal Hill +was also dispersed by a shell which burst within a quarter of a mile +of them. Two Americans made for the nearest hollow, where one, to use +his phrase, “was sick to death;” a third ran, and ran, until, hatless +and breathless, he was stopped by a sentry miles from the water-front +and taken to the guard house and detained, until some of his friends +promised to take care of him. + +Doubtless the first effect of shell fire upon a civilian population is +terrorizing in the extreme, and especially is this the case when it +is unexpected. Imagine yourself looking at a fire-work display from +the terrace of the Crystal Palace; you hear, as it were, the _shhh!_ +of an enormous rocket; there is a blaze of light, a bang, a clatter, +a deafening noise such as would be caused by the instant and entire +collapse of the immense iron and glass buildings behind you. For a +moment you are dazed; then you feel that as if by a miracle you had +escaped instant annihilation; you hear a roar as of a near clap of +thunder, see a slight cloud of yellowish smoke, and are sufficiently +recovered to know that a shell has burst, and able to look for the +effects of the explosion. + +Individual experiences vary greatly. Personally I was merely excited by +the first series of bursting shells, but then I was elated at finding +myself in the midst of the fighting instead of being jolted in a Peking +cart over desolate country in North Manchuria, where easily I might +have been. As each successive shell burst I felt more and more glad; I +grew bigger and bigger, and walked on air. As for the danger and the +risk--no thought of either even occurred to me. I was seeing a fight, +seeing as much of it as I could, and wanting badly to see more. I think +I would willingly have changed a pair of legs for an extra pair of +eyes just then. That feeling of general elation was long in passing, +it lasted hours after the last shell had been fired; it never recurred +with the same intensity. Subsequently the roar of cannon, the noise and +nearness of approaching battle failed to rouse me--the din became a +nuisance, especially when it disturbed my slumber, and the trouble of +hunting for views of the fighting even grew irksome. + +On the whole I think the few English people in Port Arthur were less +visibly excited by the bombardment than were the people of other +nationalities. The Americans were less phlegmatic; some were just +bundles of nerves, others as ready to go off as a handful of fireworks. +I remember one, the manager of a large business, coming into the office +with a rush, his tie flying, his hat half-off and his hands wildly +waving, “Boys, I’m off! I shan’t stand for this! Take my sticks, divide +them as you like. I’m going!”--and he went, that was the last the +office and staff saw of their manager. + +Whilst the firing was on men ran anywhere for shelter. The business +centre of the town was quite forsaken, and it was not until hours +later that people congregated in small groups to recount their own +experiences, compare impressions, and discuss plans. That same evening +saw the first rush for the railway station, and crowding to the +passenger steamers in the harbour. The hurried exodus of all classes +continued without intermission for days. + +Loss of life and limb was not much in evidence. A few civilians were +taken to the hospital in carriages; more were seen with bleeding faces +resulting from broken glass and scoriation from the earth scattered +by the shells which struck the Bund and the rocks. It was late in the +afternoon before the lines of stretcher bearers made their appearance +conveying the wounded from the port to the lazaret, and that night +the harbour, forts, and town were in total darkness. Not the glimmer +of a light through the shutters was permitted, not the smallest, +dullest lantern in the streets. That night there was no performance +at the circus, no public at the music-halls, and no house parties for +pleasure. Even the Saratoff closed before the usual hour for supper. +Port Arthur had then been frightened into realizing the seriousness of +war. + + + + +CHAPTER V + +Hiding in Port Arthur + + +The morning after the first bombardment was a rough snowstorm and +blizzard. It was impossible in the forenoon to distinguish any living +form across a narrow street, and useless to attempt to inspect the +harbour. The wind blew in from the sea, and when the storm had +moderated a little and the snow fell thickly in large flakes it was +ideal weather for a torpedo attack. Relying upon fictitious advice +Japanese friends had given me that their forces would follow up every +attack with another quickly, and take Port Arthur--town, forts and +harbour--within a fortnight, I wandered round the shore looking eagerly +for, and expecting momentarily, the torpedo attack which was never +attempted. It was during these hours of watching that I met the British +officer--also peering seaward for some sign of an invading squadron. + +On a subsequent occasion, when we also met by accident, being on +the same quest, we went together round the town and as far as +possible made the circle of the inner line of fortifications. In this +peregrination I asked him to choose for me the safest quarter in which +to reside during future bombardments, and he pointed out a somewhat +thickly populated district immediately behind the town gravel pits, to +the north of the Bund. Later I secured a room in a Chinese house in +that vicinity. It opened on to the Poyarova, and had on the opposite +side an exit still nearer the shelter of the quarry. About the same +time also, I was offered the use of rooms in the flat of a foreigner, +who had left them in order to be nearer his work. + +The torpedo attack and the subsequent bombardment had astonished the +Russians; the only word which expresses adequately the condition of the +authorities is “flabbergasted,” for they were rendered defenceless by +their unlimited bewilderment. A few well-armed, daring troops landed +immediately after the torpedo attack, or simultaneously, would have +captured the town, the staff and the heads of the naval and military +departments, and might have carried at least one of the forts. At any +time within the first week the Russians would have been surprised +by an attack, and probably would have succumbed to a vigorous and +well-organized offensive movement. At every hour we two were expecting +to hear the rattle of rifle fire from the direction of Pigeon Bay, and +as the days went by could scarcely credit that no invasion had even +been attempted. + +At first everything in Port Arthur was in hopeless confusion. The +defence of the place had to be organized, and even a special staff got +together for the direction of the general plan. The naval and military +authorities did not work together harmoniously, and General Stoessel, +who in a sense was outside both factions, did not succeed in getting +the unlimited authority the duties of his position necessitated until +after the Viceroy had departed north accompanied by the staff. The town +was in a state of chaotic confusion. All the Chinese servants left; the +Chinese tradesmen and coolies tried to leave. The trains were closed to +them, but the ships in the harbour gave them room and were overcrowded. +Sampan men asked and obtained from five to fifteen dollars for ferrying +a passenger from the wharf to the ship--a service for which as many +cents was ample reward ordinarily. The public carriage drivers were +equally extortionate, and demanded fifteen dollars for a journey +between the old and the new town; the jinricksha men disappeared, +their vehicles too, and the melting snow and deep mud made the roads +impassable. + +Leading merchants and the heads of firms had sudden important business +calls to visit Newchang or Harbin, and _they_ secured places on the +trains which left more or less regularly every day. The retailers +thought the present the best opportunity to make a fortune by realizing +their stock at famine prices. On some goods the retail prices were +doubled in a day, and quadrupled within a week. + +Having trusted to Chinese workmen for their preparation, at once +provisions ran short when their services could not be obtained. There +were no bakers and no butchers at work, until the masters organized +fresh staffs from among the troops. Within the first week I had to +buy half a loaf at the Saratoff restaurant in order to have bread for +breakfast the next day. Two days afterwards I had purchased the whole +stock of plain biscuits the storekeepers possessed. There was plenty of +water in the wells, but no coolies to carry it; the public baths were +closed because there were no Chinese to keep the fires going; coals +were cheap enough at the compounds but, again, no means of getting +them home. All the horses and carts which had not been requisitioned +by the authorities were earning double their cost each day in taking +the more valuable household effects of residents to the wharf, the +station, or by road to Dalny. There were no boys to wait on one, or to +do housework; cooks were at a premium; restaurant waiters and carriage +drivers were in the army reserve, and doing their turns of sentry go. +The sanitary corps broke down completely. Laundries ceased to exist. +Never in so short a time did the social organization of a civilized +community go so completely to pieces. To make matters worse, there +was a dearth of ready money. The Russo-Chinese bank, the only bank +permitted in the town, had been damaged during the bombardment, and was +removed to fresh premises in the New Town. When finally it was duly +installed there and opened its doors for business, it would receive +money only, and pay none away! It was long weeks before it again got +into proper working order; when that was accomplished most of the staff +were transferred north to Newchang, Mukden and Harbin, and disorder was +again manifest. + +The confusion and disorder in the town were not worse than the +derangement of routine and subversion of order in the official +departments. When the Post Office reopened, one could scarcely get +within its doors so great was the crush. Inside there was little chance +of getting even a stamp delivered to one, or to get a letter accepted +for registration. + +The guns in the forts were fired in desultory fashion night and day at +almost every object seen moving on the water. It was unsafe to take +a boat in the harbour, for there rifle fire at people in sampans and +ship’s gigs was both frequent and disastrous. + +Of all the departments those connected with the administration of the +affairs of the commercial port were undoubtedly in the most hopeless +state of muddle and remained so. In the private houses everything was +topsy-turvy owing to all of the assistants being absent from duty. In +the official departments the confusion was often due to there being +too many engaged in each division, as every department worked its full +staff overtime or obtained additional hands. The departments were on a +war footing. There were many zealous persons without sufficient duties +assigned to them to keep them fully employed who interfered in matters +outside their own business, and there were some who insisted upon doing +other people’s work and only attempting to do their own. + +All matters connected with mercantile shipping were now helplessly +mixed. After the torpedo attack no vessels were allowed to move in +the harbour, but the _Columbia_ escaped from the quarantine station +and sailed away unnoticed and unchallenged. We were informed that she +was sunk at sea by the enemy--quite untruly. The _Foxton Hall_ was +abandoned within the inner harbour and allowed to drift; the _Wenchow_ +was detained once because she had Japanese on board, next because she +had no Japanese on board; the _Pleiades_, with many thousand sacks of +flour for a consignee who had run away, was allowed to sail, conveying +from the port provisions all needed. + +One knew not what to do. The first vessel given full permission to +leave port, papers granted after the bombardment and after official +inspection and all other formalities and requirements had been complied +with absolutely, was fired upon by the guardship as soon as the captain +attempted to obey the Port Admiral’s commands. The shells from the +guardship killed two of the Chinese passengers, a girl had both legs +blown off by the shot, and several Chinese were wounded severely. + +All these vessels were British-owned steamers sailing under the +protection of the British flag. The _Fuping_ was fired upon in broad +daylight, when she was within the harbour, and had her flag and +signals flying. The firing was just as much a mistake or an outrage +as was the unprovoked attack upon the Dogger Bank fishermen by +Admiral Rojdestvensky’s fleet nine months later. It was unnecessary, +unwarrantable, and only explicable by assuming that each bungler +holding office disregarded every authority but himself, and acted as he +thought best for the defence of the port according to his own lights +and on his own responsibility. + +The British officer was highly indignant at the incident, and wished +me to make the most of what had happened, informing me that he was +forwarding a strongly worded report of the proceeding to his chief for +transmission to the Foreign Office. I was astonished subsequently that +so little importance was attached to the affair at home, and I am of +the opinion that if the incident had been handled diplomatically by our +Government, the _Knight Commander_ and the _Hipsang_ would not have +been sunk, our Indian mail would not have been tampered with between +Brindisi and Port Said, the North Sea trawlers would not have been +molested, and the British flag would be regarded by Russia with the +same respect that it used to receive from people of other nationality. + +The guardship _Razboinik_--“razboinik = robber, highwayman, cut-throat, +moss-trooper, scourer, ruffian, bandit, brigand.--_Alexandrov_”--was +commanded at Port Arthur by Prince Lieven, an experienced officer, +whose culpability for the affair must not be assumed, as I was not +able to ascertain for certain whether or not he was on board his ship +at the time of the attack upon the _Fuping_. Prince Lieven was a +well-known figure in society, and typical of a small but worthy section +of the Russian navy. A Baltic Russian by race, he had little of the +impetuosity of the Slav and much of German staidness; his brain was +contemplative rather than initiatory. He was a devout Lutheran, and +scrupulously conscientious, able to give a reason for every act he +committed, even though that reason would not suffice to convince any +one but himself of its absolute righteousness. He was sober, frugal, +and plodding The gallant captain had fascinating manners, and though +a ladies’ man was essentially of the domestic type, but his life was +far from being devoid of romance, as every one in Port Arthur knew. For +some reason or other the Prince was chary always of being left alone, +and was nervous when in the presence of strangers. It was rumoured that +he was one of the “watched,” that he feared he was being followed by +some one who had determined to take his life. This feeling is of course +too common among a certain class of officials in Russia to be mistaken +for hallucination, as there is often good grounds for the assumption +that they have bitter enemies. In this case the haunting was due to +an old romance. The Prince has been twice married--and one of his +admirers, a sprightly, dashing, intelligent woman--whom I saw sometimes +when I was wandering through the almost deserted town--follows him +everywhere. Subsequently I saw her in different treaty ports, which she +left for Japan, hoping from thence to reach Port Arthur at its fall. +When Prince Lieven escaped on the _Diana_, she sailed for Saigon, where +the crew is interned. Upon this man many important duties devolved--for +some of which possibly he had no time. + +Another trouble arose through the ships in harbour being unable to get +supplies of water, and for days the unfortunate passengers had neither +water nor food--but the position of the civilians in town was not much +better. + +Of all the Government departments, the best managed during this trying +period was the railway. The staff was less affected by the war than +were some others. Trains ran regularly, and for one day only was +communication with Russia interrupted. Many trains were requisitioned +for military use, nevertheless some passengers were forwarded each day, +and General Stoessel ordered the people to be patient in attempting +to get away, as 20,000 seats were wanted, but the station-master had +only one train with which to meet the demand. On the military side the +railway was used to the full extent and much was accomplished. Troops +were sent to guard inland positions, stores were brought in, heavy guns +were sent to the outlying fortifications, and everything was worked +without any show of haste. + +The outgoing passenger trains were at first crowded to their fullest +carrying capacity, and people even stood outside the cars on the +platforms between them. Only first and second class tickets were +issued, and the greater part of the accommodation was third class. No +Chinese were conveyed by train at all. + +Port Arthur recovered from the first shock of war in a comparatively +short time. The restoration of calm was due chiefly to non-molestation +on the part of the enemy. Sixteen days elapsed after the first +bombardment before another serious attack was attempted. In the +meanwhile the defence had been organized; a more careful watch was +kept seaward; the batteries were fully manned, big guns were got into +position, the damaged cruisers were docked and repaired, and the fleet +utilized to some extent in supporting the fire from the forts. And the +morale of the citizens improved; the bombardment had injured but a few +personally, the damage to property was not so very serious, and people +found courage, being more confident of immunity from immediate danger. + +In the town there was an amelioration of the conditions which ensued +when the Chinese servants absconded. For one thing, just as the +Port Arthur Chinese made haste to reach Dalny, the Dalny Chinese +simultaneously sought safety at Port Arthur. Servants were less scarce, +and the Russian soldiers were engaged upon all kinds of necessary work, +both in houses, and at the docks and on the wharves. + +The extent to which the Russian soldiers invaded every domestic domain +with their useful services was astonishing. It was excellent training, +too, for the long siege which followed, as when there was really little +at stake, beyond the sanitary conditions, if the ordinary work were +not done for a time, they filled the places formerly occupied by the +Chinese and so made the defending force absolutely independent of the +assistance to which the coolie immigrant had accustomed the town. + +One snowy morning I turned into a short street formerly occupied almost +exclusively by Japanese barbers. Their shops were closed, but I saw +that one of the Russian houses was open. I entered, and found the place +empty. The soldier who had been patrolling the now unfrequented street +followed me into the shop. I explained to him that I had only intended +to get a shave. “Si-chas,” he answered quickly, putting his rifle, +with bayonet still fixed, in a corner. Then he unwound the bashlik +from about his head, took off his great-coat and cap, hung them up, +and--shaved me. When he had finished, pocketed the half rouble, and put +away the tackle, he again donned his uniform, shouldered his rifle, +followed me into the street and resumed his turn of sentry go, until +the next customer should appear. + +An advance was made in restoring public confidence with the return +of business men to the direction of their affairs in the port. There +were sinister rumours respecting some of them. It was said that the +authorities, during their absence, had whilst guarding their offices +discovered evidence of the payment of secret commissions to Government +officials, and one statement affirmed that a “monthly pension list” +of premiums regularly paid by one firm to certain naval officers had +been seized and delivered to the Viceroy. No credence was attached to +these stories, for it was incredible, not that payments were made, but +that the businesslike people who paid them kept any written record of +their secret transactions. Another side really merits publicity. From +my own knowledge I can write of the great generosity of the head of +the firm of Ginsburg & Co., a firm of whom I never asked or received +any favour. Mr. Moses Ginsburg was willing and seemed able to help +any one in need. Those who wished to leave Port Arthur and had not +the means to do so went to him for assistance, and he advanced money +without security to all sorts and conditions of people. He took over +and paid cash for stores he did not need, in order that foreigners and +others might close out of business quickly and without loss. He was +a good man of affairs who had made a fortune by commerce, and might +easily have made another in this time of stress, but he was not sordid +by nature and his conduct was exemplary. It contrasted favourably with +that of some men in responsible positions, whose every care was for +themselves. They sacrificed the goods of their firms in order to obtain +ready money, went away with all they could obtain, and left their +clerks and menials without friends or goods to shift for themselves as +well as they could. Nor must it be supposed that the men who acted so +meanly were invariably Russians. Some foreigners are not wholly free +from blame in this particular, though others behaved as became men when +heavily embarrassed with difficulties not of their own creation. + +The first brunt of war brought out character. On the whole the Russians +stood the test well: stood to their duties manfully and without +complaining, seemingly inured to hard fortune, and capable of winning +through the troubles with which they were beset. And there is much +that is good in the Slav character, and best is their ever-ready and +eager response to the goodness inherent in human nature, a trait so +marked that if only the Tsar, or his advisers, knew how to appeal to +the people every true Slav would rally to the call. At Port Arthur the +common people, when they realized the position, knew the need there was +for their services, almost without exception accepted the inevitable +with excellent grace and rendered what aid they could. Port Arthur +would beat off the enemy; until victory was really theirs they must +make the best of what fortune had in store for them. The proprietor of +the Saratoff restaurant, a rough fellow with many faults, in harmony +with the spirit of the day advanced his prices--for one day only. On +reflection he went back to his old prices, did his utmost to cater +successfully for his customers, and when you asked for something not +on the bill of fare and he was able to serve it, his gratification was +pleasing to witness. It said, as plainly as if spoken, “Maskee the +enemy, I give you what you want.” It manifested the spirit of defiance, +was earnest money of the victory that was to come. + +One of the first important orders given by the Viceroy fixed the prices +of the necessaries of life in the town. The rise in prices had not +been justified by what had happened, there was in truth but a slight +change in the exact value as the result of the war, and the retailers +who thought to benefit by making exorbitant charges were checked at +the very outset. The legitimate prices of bread, flour, rice, salt, +tea and such commodities were but slightly in excess of those current +in January, and any one could go into the market, or any shop in which +such provisions were on sale, and insist upon having a quantity at the +price scheduled. + +The Commandant, General Stoessel, was very busy interesting himself +not only in strengthening the defences but in the welfare of the +inhabitants. He issued orders almost every day: their general purport +may be judged from the following specimens, all promulgated on February +3 o.s. (16th). + + +GENERAL STOESSEL’S COMMANDS + + ORDER No. 61 + + RECENTLY I saw on the pavement two or three men, and trotting, + notwithstanding that this is forbidden, as every soldier knows. + Therefore, on and after the 5th inst., everyone so offending + will have the horses transferred and himself be subjected to a + fine. + + ORDER No. 62 + + THIS DAY I saw in the street two or three drunken men, and all + of them our people. _Notice_ is therefore given that from the + 6th inst. every drunken person found on the street will be + arrested and taken to the lock-up, and set to hard labour on + the fortress. It is impossible for anything to be done now with + drunkenness allowed. + + ORDER No. 63 + + THE STAFF COMMANDER will institute performances of high-class + MUSIC on the Boulevards from 3 until 5 p.m. twice a week. + +H.E. The Viceroy, Admiral Alexeiev, was not so much in evidence; +occasionally he drove through the town, and with him always were many +of his staff. His notices were of the usual Court order; official +acknowledgments of congratulatory telegrams, and notifications of the +receipt of Imperial commands. The Tsar’s manifesto was not published +until Valentine day. + +The Commandant knew how to revive the patriotism of the +inhabitants. His appeal for volunteers to the militia was answered +immediately--nearly every one capable of bearing arms was enrolled. +Later, when the investment was complete, and full military duty was +required, the service became irksome. As one of them told me, fourteen +days in the trenches, alternating with ten days off in which to attend +to private business was unbearable, as the military service unfitted +him for any rôle but that of patient in a hospital. So he left Port +Arthur, as did many others. + +It must be borne in mind that for five days after the first attack +the inhabitants were without news of any sort from the outside world. +On Saturday evening the _Novy Krai_ published a bulletin containing +the Tsar’s manifesto, and an account of the torpedo attack and first +bombardment. After that date bulletins were issued regularly for +some weeks, but the news allowed to become public did not truthfully +represent the progress of the war. + +There were many optimistic rumours current, in addition to the fanciful +statements respecting Japanese losses published in the bulletin. For +days every one believed that as the result of the Russian cannonade on +the first day six Japanese vessels were damaged; that three Japanese +warships were ashore at Chifu, and one officer informed me in good +faith that although in all twelve Russian ships were lost or damaged, +at that date sixteen Japanese war vessels had been put out of action by +the Russian fire. Again, although on February 11 the _Enisee_ had been +lost at Dalny, I was informed four days after by an officer who had +just arrived from Dalny, that he had seen her the day before, that no +accident had happened, and that the story of her loss was an infamous +concoction. + +The Russian loss of life at Port Arthur was invariably understated. +Every one could see the lines of stretcher bearers conveying the +wounded, knew of the funerals of twenty corpses at a time in trenches, +could follow to the graves the remains of officers killed in action, +yet the published totals of the dead, wounded and missing numbered less +than the bodies interred that same day. Possibly this manipulation +of figures helped to allay public uneasiness, and the town certainly +recovered its accustomed gaiety very quickly. The places of public +amusement attempted to reopen, but it was merely the last flicker of +the burnt-out candle. With a town in total darkness after nightfall, +and a rapidly decreasing attendance, paying performances even at small +music-halls became impossible, and the artistes left the town. + +The circus horses were requisitioned by the authorities; the circus +became a Red Cross emergency hospital; some of the minor performers and +the attendants became drivers of public carriages, their horses being +those rejected from military service on veterinary examination. As long +as they could run, or haul any sort of load, they were worth more +to their owners than those accepted, for these were all taken at one +price, an order for 125 roubles, a sum any horse in private hands could +earn in a few days. + +An Englishman, very fond of riding, managed to retain a saddle horse +long after all others had been taken, by the simple method of riding +about on it all day, and housing it in a different stable every night. +Another foreigner secured a donkey and cart, which earned him a +livelihood for weeks. The donkey was seized in the stable, but three +men could neither coax nor coerce that donkey into making a journey to +the examination depôt, so they themselves decided that such a beast was +of no value to the military authorities. + +The destitute Chinese gave considerable trouble to the possessors of +stores lying on the wharves. + +One afternoon, just as it was growing dusk, on a day when there had +been some firing from the forts, a loud report was heard near Signal +Hill. At once people rushed that way, and the attention of all the +watchmen was directed to the same quarter. It was merely a preconcerted +signal. From every nook and corner, as though by magic, a crowd of +coolies appeared, and proceeding to a stack of flour on the Bund they +took off the mats, and with their accustomed ejaculations started to +carry away the whole parcel just as if they had been ordered to remove +the flour to one of the go-downs up town. The ruse succeeded for a +short time, when the bold theft was discovered, the gang dropped the +flour and ran. Some of the bags were recovered half a mile from the +Bund, and some were never seen more. + +But the Chinese were not the only people ready to loot. Some of the +deserted Japanese shops contained goods of considerable value. Of +these the police took charge, and they employed soldiers to pack and +convey them to a place of safety. More than one attempt was made by +well-to-do foreigners to secure an object of art at first cost, and I +have a recollection of a smart young American careering fearfully along +a street with soldiers in close pursuit. Some valuable effects were +also left behind by rich Chinese merchants who abandoned their homes. +The foreigners mostly shipped their valuables to one of the China +treaty ports, or deposited them at the Russo-Chinese bank, where they +doubtless remain. + +It is common knowledge that throughout the East the Chinaman is treated +by Europeans everywhere as an inferior. Possibly the Russians do not +offend more grossly than others, but to those who are not Russians +their cruelties seem more barbarous. Port Arthur was not an exception +to the rule. The lower classes, the coolies, were regarded as slaves. +Once, a Russian, who habitually treated the jinricksha men with +unusual harshness and occasional ferocity, was taken by men he had +abused to a deserted part of the town, and there fearfully and cruelly +mutilated. The perpetrators of this outrage were never discovered. The +authorities were so enraged at being baulked in their attempt to find +the criminals that they sentenced _all_ the ’ricksha men in the port +to a long term of imprisonment, but in order to avoid inconvenience to +the public, the men were divided into two lots, each of which went to +prison alternate weeks. + +A few days after the bombardment most of the respectable Chinese had +left the port; there remained many improvident coolies and some Chinese +of the worst type. There is no doubt that they broke the laws and +offended in many ways, but I doubt if they committed any crime which +justified the severity with which they were treated. Persons merely +suspected of wrongdoing were most brutally handled by the military +police. I have seen men cruelly kicked because they could not lift +heavy loads no man could carry; I have seen them beaten and mauled +for no other offence, that I could discover, than that they were +Chinamen. I have seen ears torn, and queues lugged until the scalp +has been ripped--preliminary punishment by the street police when +conveying unresisting coolies to prison, there to answer a charge. +And these assaults were common, in even the leading and most thronged +thoroughfares of the town, and were so usual as rarely to collect a +crowd or call for remark from an officer or any other disinterested +person. + +One heard of Japanese spies being captured, but I never saw one taken. +In fact, I saw but few Japanese in the town, except refugees in charge +of a guard, but there was one at least who remained long and escaped +without detection. There was also a Japanese _amah_ at large about the +town for weeks; she wore Russian clothes of loud colour, and rather +unusual fashion, but herself seemed not to attract attention; when last +I spoke to her she said she was in the service of a Russian officer’s +wife. + +As a check upon the admittance or sojourn of undesirable persons the +passport system is useless, even in a fortress town such as Port +Arthur, where the regulations are strictly enforced. Otherwise I had +been discovered and notified to leave the town forthwith. Simply +by living quietly and unostentatiously, moving hither and thither +unobtrusively, and keeping quiet, I was allowed every liberty within +the town limits. It was impossible to photograph; the mere possession +of a camera, if known, would have led to inquiry and arrest--and +Russian officers even were arrested for being found with a camera in +hand in the street. It was not easy to use binoculars, for no sooner +were they levelled at a ship in the harbour, than some sentry would +inquire of you what it was attracted your attention. + +Nor was it so difficult to get news--of an unimportant kind--or +to get that news away. Several ships left for Chifu; the German +cruiser _Hansa_ called to take away German subjects, and women of all +nationalities, who wished to leave; one passenger train left almost +every day, and was never without passengers--or letters and dispatches. + +At the very outset I was informed curtly by the telegraph clerk that +the cable to Chifu was cut--a statement I had then no reason to doubt. +A week or so later, messages for Russia were accepted by the railway +company, and for Manchuria at the town office, but neither was of use +to me. + +Much of the ordinary life of the town continued as usual. The war +seemed to make little difference immediately. Even at the time of the +first bombardment there was a wedding at the cathedral; a Russian +wedding is a tedious ceremony, and this one lasted longer than the +bombardment. The same night the bridegroom left with his regiment for +the Yalu. That indicates how little change war made with regard to some +matters, and how greatly altered other relations were by the state +of war. As long as I kept to the streets and open ground I could go +anywhere; at any and every hour of the day and night I have walked +between the old and the new towns. I never approached so near to any +of the forts as to be challenged by the sentries, but in the daytime +I walked into and through the Admiralty dockyard, inspected the ships +undergoing repairs, and even saw into the workshops. On the last +occasion I was stopped at the gates as I left the Admiralty enclosure, +but a word satisfied the officer, and, of course, the sentry, that I +had been on permissible business. I said that I would return later, +but found it inadvisable to keep the promise. Without going into the +yard at all one could see which ships were in dock, what progress was +being made with the repairs, and which ships were lying in the basin +waiting to be docked, for the hill near the Viceroy’s house commands +an uninterrupted view. If one did not recognize the ship, or could +not read her name, one had only to ask either the naval sentry, or +some passing sailor, to be told, and given full particulars. Such +information had no news interest, and I certainly was not sufficiently +concerned to pass it out for the enlightenment of the enemy. There were +things which, as long as I was in Port Arthur, I liked to know. + +Once only was I accosted by a soldier. It was in the very early hours +of the morning, the night dark and cloudy with some snow falling. I had +passed the railway when a Cossack, leading his pony, came to me to ask +if I knew where the telegraph office was. He had been looking for the +steps up the cliff for more than an hour without success. And this was +the Cossack! The scout of scouts, the man who could go direct to any +spot at any time--and I, a foreigner and a stranger, had to conduct him +to the town telegraph office! + +It was open for any one to see the troops who left the fortress, to +note the regiment, number of companies, and the physique of the men; it +was as easy to go to the railway station and check the number of trains +arriving and departing, to find the military trains and ascertain +what they brought and what they took away. There was no secret made +of anything. Then one could go to the drill ground and see the troops +being exercised, and the recruits put through barrack-yard evolutions +and parade-ground displays. The march past in review order, wheeling in +line, forming into columns, and the simplest manœuvres seemed to be the +usual order of the day. Woe to the man who failed to keep his dressing, +who advanced too rapidly, or fell behind. A running kick from the +drill sergeant was the first notification he had of his error. As in +every drill yard of Russia in time of peace the troops rehearsed their +cheers. At Port Arthur, and elsewhere in Manchuria, there as in Russia, +the cheer was the performance of an order, done as mechanically and +precisely as the movement of shouldering arms, or turning right about; +and it was always given in the same tone of voice, jerked out in sharp, +staccato fashion, a succession of disconnected syllables; not, “Long +live the Tsar! Horray!” but: “Da--zdrav--stouett--nash--obo--jamie +--goc--u--dap--im--per--at--or--ura!” + +During the whole of my stay at Port Arthur I heard but one genuine, +spontaneous cheer in connexion with the war. It was on the first day +when the little cruiser _Novik_ returned from being under fire from +the enemy. The crowd of Government employees on the Admiralty quay to +greet the vessel, cheered lustily and long. The _Askold_ also received +an ovation, and so did some of the torpedo-boat destroyers. Captain +Essen, of the _Novik_, was one of the most dashing officers of the +Russian navy, and was repeatedly mentioned in dispatches. Another +fighting commander was Zalyesski of the _Askold_, and Lieutenant +Kouzmin-Korovaiev, of the _Serditi_, both of whom distinguished +themselves on the occasion. + +The small cruisers and boats of the torpedo flotilla were soon +repaired, but large ships like the _Pallada_ had long to wait, and the +injuries to the battleships were very severe. + +The _Retvizan_, torpedoed, had a hole on the port side over forty +feet in length, and twenty in depth. Seven compartments were full of +water, and as she lay beached the tide rose and fell in her holds. The +bodies of a number of drowned sailors were in the filled compartments, +and not recovered until after many days. The Russian engineers put a +patch of wood over the hole, covered it with tarpaulins, and started +to pump out the ship. When the depth of water inside had been reduced +several feet, the pressure outside was so great that the patch burst +in, and the ship filled again. The services of a Scotch engineer were +then requisitioned. He found the appliances at Port Arthur primitive +in design and wanting in quantity. The port was even short of hose. +The authorities also opposed the suggestions he made for salving the +ship. He wanted to make a hole in the side of the vessel above the +water line, so that instead of having to pump up the water thirty +feet, five would suffice. This proposal was negatived, as was also one +for removing the turret guns, the anchors, cables, and other heavy +gear forward in order to lighten the ship. Ultimately some of his +suggestions were tried, and the ship was refloated. + +The _Tesarevich_ had been torpedoed on the starboard quarter, had lost +the propeller and boss, and though not sunk was kept afloat only by +constant pumping. There was no dock at Port Arthur large enough to +take the big warship, and but for the advice of a Hollander she could +not have been repaired at all. He suggested that a deep hole should +be excavated on a mud bank in the harbour, the vessel backed into +the hole, then mud walls built up amidships, and the water from the +excavated hole pumped out, thus leaving that half of the vessel which +needed repairs in a dock of mud, and the fore part in the shallow water +of the harbour. This plan was tried with success. A new propeller was +sent by railway from St. Petersburg and the vessel repaired, seaworthy, +and in good fighting trim eventually escaped to Kiaochow, where the +German authorities detained her until the war should end. + +So far the war had proved several things; one was that a modern +battleship is practically indestructible both by torpedoes and shell +fire unless sunk in deep water. The tremendous poundings some of the +ships received caused damage which made the vessel resemble a wreck, +but in a few days, or weeks at most, the ship would be out of dock, +spick and span, in fine fighting trim, and to all appearances equal to +new. Even the _Retvizan_, lying beached and waterlogged, used her guns +with effect at that time, and was ultimately patched up and made as fit +as any ship of the fleet. + +Some experts contended that with the fleet Port Arthur would prove +invulnerable. The ships were to manœuvre outside where protected +by the guns of the forts, and snatch advantages from the attacking +fleet of the enemy. As it turned out the naval guns of the Japanese +were better than the fortress guns of the Russians, and were used to +better purpose. From the first the fleet, instead of being an aid to +the defence of the fortress, was an immovable incubus, an inert dead +weight, a crushing load which the forts had to protect always. + +If Russia had possessed a fighting navy in the Far East, the plan of +campaign might have been different, or, if the same, the results might +have been otherwise than they are. But a fighting navy Russia does not +possess. I have already expressed the surprise I experienced when this +was told to me; that surprise was equalled by the proof I subsequently +received of its accuracy. I have overheard Russian naval officers state +that they did not intend to fight, that they could not take this risk, +or that, or some other. It has been on other occasions a subject of +conversation amongst officers when I, a foreigner, was present; and I +have even been told by certain officers that, at least, so far as they +themselves were concerned, dying or being wounded in the defence of +their country was just the last thing they intended to risk. + +These men had a different conception of their duties, their calling, +and their status to that possessed by officers of our navy. In fact, +some seemed to think it was wrong that their navy should ever have been +called upon to fight, that fighting was a purpose for which it was +never founded, and that, like a British gunboat, it was intended for +diplomatic uses only. I do not assert that the officers who thought +and spoke and acted in this way were a majority of the Russian navy, +or even that they were fairly representative of the whole service; +but I do believe they were as numerous as were the men who were keen +for fighting, who were ready for battle, and wished to be engaged in +struggling against the enemy’s fleet. The bulk of the sea-forces, so +far as the officers are concerned, were more or less indifferent, +inclining to prefer peace, and always to avoid personal risks. + +The men, like the soldiers of the Russian armies, are just simple +fellows, doing their duty in war and peace because they are ordered to +do certain things. The engineers and the gunners both were, I think, +more inclined to shirk the risks, and to find excuses for absence on +particular occasions, than anxious to distinguish themselves by gallant +conduct in battle. Such men do not merit praise, but they must not be +condemned too hastily, nor are they necessarily cowards. + +Men who have risked their lives in battle, men who have been actually +under fire, are affected by the circumstance in different ways. +When the excitement of the fight is over, I think there are few who +are really anxious for a renewal of the risks for the sake of the +excitement, but they may be willing to engage again as bravely as +before for other reasons--patriotism, for instance. If there is a +certainty, or even probability, of those same or like risks being run +again, or many times, then, in the intervals of repose, men see other +things and other circumstances than the war and their own immediate +surroundings out of proper focus. Self-preservation being the highest +law, secondary laws, including all moral obligations, suffer a seeming +decrease in value. The man whose life has been and at any moment may +again be risked in battle, is not likely to consider that he owes the +ten shillings in his pocket to some person far away, and that he ought +to remit, but his one idea is the value of that ten shillings to him +just then, where he is. What pleasure will it obtain for him at the +moment, seeing that sooner than he can realize its value he may be +dead? Quickly recurring risks of sudden death cause a deterioration of +what may be called the moral fibre of the individual, and at the same +time produce a marked hardening of character. The man whose life is +in jeopardy, or soon may be, wants to find a way out into safety. He +whose whole being is in danger of immediate extinction is unlikely to +have any particular care for his reputation. Life is worth more than +reputation; the latter may be retrieved if the former is saved, and at +the moment life seems better worth saving than honour. + +Another feature is the growth of recklessness due to the greatness +or number of the risks run. The man who has faced bullets with grim +determination not to waver, will skate over the thinnest ice with a +glad smile on his face. The greater excludes the less. The respectable +man who has been forced to commit a murder for which he will be hanged, +is not going to be deterred from assaulting a policeman through fear of +incurring seven days’ imprisonment. + +Now the individual units which constitute the Russian navy are not +drawn chiefly from a true fighting race. In the aggregate _esprit de +corps_ means to them something else than it does to the members of a +fighting regiment, and is concerned chiefly with matters of etiquette +and other little things. Then they are not imbued with the traditions +of a glorious past, as are, say, men of the British navy. There is not +much reputation to lose, and the glory of achievement they have never +experienced. Worse than all, the Japanese delivered the first blow, +a heavy blow, one that damaged and for a time paralyzed the navy--it +showed that fortune was with them. From the very first the Russians +were disheartened--too badly beaten to retrieve their position. + +In the circumstances it is not surprising that some of them--from one +or other of the causes already explained--in order to find distraction, +turned to such allurements as Port Arthur possessed. There were +carousals, wild parties intent on devilment; there was shirking of +duty, courting of pleasure; there was dissipation, debauchery, and +degrading licentiousness, a disregard of warnings, of orders, and of +restraint. Some places of amusement were closed; those which remained +open were thronged with boisterous, distraught, and reckless men of +every rank, and although naval officers were the worst offenders, they +had as company their equals from other services. Port Arthur after the +commencement of hostilities was in these particulars far worse than +the somewhat gay but always enjoyable town in the days of peace. As +time wore on the men of the services became more and more suspicious of +civilians, particularly of foreigners, and most of all of British and +Americans. One of the foreign firms, intent upon possessing a competent +stevedore, had engaged a British master mariner in that capacity. He +attended to his duties assiduously, was so successful, so resourceful, +and moreover so quiet and entirely wrapped up in the heavy work upon +which he was engaged, that they became sure he was a spy. For so good +a man to be a simple stevedore was incredible; his like should be of +admiral’s rank at least. So he had to go. + +Their dislike sometimes took an offensive direction. A quiet young +American, a clerk in the employ of one of the firms, was struck by +a naval officer in the Saratoff restaurant for no other reason than +that he was an American. There was no apology asked, nor was one ever +tendered. That man also had to go. + +A chinovnik, one of my best-informed newsmongers, told me that the +officers of high rank were no longer sure of the superiority of +Russia’s power. They thought Russia might be beaten on land as well +as at sea, even that she might lose Port Arthur. Later this change of +opinion permeated through the lower ranks of officers, and to the men. +The commandant had to issue an order that workmen and others must not +be allowed to leave the town without written authority. My informant +thought it best to go. + +Some of the foreign firms closed out rapidly; their clerks were ordered +to go. One of them, a Russian subject, of the type that assumes to +know everything, made up his mind to stay on in the town. In order +to obtain the necessary permission he interviewed General Stoessel, +proffering him a plan for strengthening the fortifications of the +fortress. General Stoessel thought him a most dangerous man to have in +the town. Forthwith he had to go. + +It became increasingly difficult to obtain trustworthy information +concerning anything of importance, and not easy to meet one’s +informants, as though by accident, at the time when they had +information, and were willing to communicate it. The results of the +desultory firing day by day were not distinguishable, and the _Novy +Krai_ became a newsless sheet. + +Between the naval and military authorities the dissensions long +existing, and bitter even before the war, suddenly became acute. +Differences were discussed openly, the army and navy were at variance, +and the diplomatic body seemed unable to make peace between them. +Matters were not much improved when it was known that the Viceroy +would leave Port Arthur, placing Admiral Stark in full command, and +take the diplomatic corps and executive of the Administration to new +headquarters at Mukden. + +General Stoessel was to be in chief command of the land defences; +General Smirnov to be his assistant, and in full charge of the +southernmost forts, both east and west. From the beginning the two +did not work well together, and as the enemy gained advantage after +advantage by their attacks on the land side, whilst General Smirnov’s +forts escaped serious injury from different bombardments by the enemy’s +fleet, this lack of harmony changed into discord, and later developed +into something of the nature of mutual antagonism. General Stoessel +strengthened the outer line of fortifications by every means devisible. +Land mines innumerable were sunk below the soil of all the slopes; the +workshops were working night and day preparing fougades from lengths +of any iron tubing procurable, wire entanglements were erected, German +firms and others having foreseen the possible need, and laid in large +stocks in anticipation of the demand, and, last of all, a trench was +dug all round the outer line; its length was seven miles, and its depth +twenty feet, and width in some places nearly fifty feet. + + + + +CHAPTER VI + +Last Days in Port Arthur + + +One morning I was taking my early breakfast at the Saratoff, when +a carriage pulled up. Almost immediately afterwards Mac, Reuter’s +representative whom I had met in Port Arthur before the war, entered +the restaurant and, thirsting as I was for trustworthy news of what +had happened outside the fortress, I lost no time in inviting him to +be seated at my table. Mac was equally eager to know what had happened +in the town whilst he had been absent. We fenced phrases a short time, +and I was so intent upon drawing Mac that I had not noticed an officer +who had followed him into the restaurant, then seated himself at a +near-by table and engaged in conversation one of the civilians of the +Port who was breakfasting there. In a few minutes Mac drew my attention +to him, and told me that he was the officer of Gendarmes who had him +under arrest. That he had come into the fortress with an escort and +was furnished with special permission to get what belonged to him, and +leave the fortress again within forty-eight hours. When he told this +I felt that it was the beginning of the end of my stay at Port Arthur. +I learned from Mac that up to the present the military activity of the +Japanese was confined to operations in Korea. The way out north was +still open, and likely to remain so. + +Later that morning, I met Mac again. He had shaken off the police +escort and was in the company of an Anglo-Russian resident +correspondent, and some civilian foreigners. We took tiffin together +at the Saratoff, all of us intent upon getting news of the outer +world from the new arrival. Again, as luck had it, Tsintsius, the +plain-clothes detective of Port Arthur, came in, shook hands with Mac, +and took stock of the company. Me, of course, he did not know, and +inquired. Mac obligingly introduced me--he could not do otherwise--and +told me consolingly that Tsintsius was the man who had arrested him +originally, and he wished him anywhere but there. + +The detective was watching Mac and noting those with whom he had any +conversation, and of course would want to know all about me, and +probably would obtain some information before the day was out. I had +seen him many times about the town, for he was a conspicuous figure. He +wore a moustache--unusual amongst civilians--a light coloured slouch +hat, a very gaudy scarlet neck cloth, sailor shirt, and a light grey +sack suit. Tsintsius would recognize me again anywhere as easily as +I could recognize him, for that was his profession. I foresaw much +trouble looming up for me, and, as the Americans say, got up against +myself to find a way of escape. Sooner or later, I should have to +own up, and, just as a person who is about to be discharged from his +employment scores by getting his resignation accepted first, I deemed +it best to go to some one in authority who would listen to me, then +cross my legs and tell my right name and real business, or I would be +taken and treated as a spy. + +Clearly, there was no one in authority more likely to listen to me than +was Major-General Floog, then unknown to world fame, but who had a +responsible position on the staff of the Viceroy, and was assumed to be +occupying himself with the claims of newspaper correspondents. I drove +over to the New Town at once, and called upon the General. Of course, +he would not see me--it was a case of “come again--to-morrow morning at +nine o’clock”--but I got my name registered there, without any mention +of the business on which I wished to interview the General. Then I went +out towards White Wolf Hill, and back by the upper road into town. + +On the Serpionaya there was a curious joint, frequented more or less by +every one who was anybody in Port Arthur, a house Mac was most unlikely +to visit. I went there for an hour or two, and just as I was leaving, +I opened the door to Tsintsius! + +“Where are you going?” he asked. + +“Round to the Saratoff for supper.” + +“I’m going there too. I have a carriage here; jump in. I’ll drive you +round.” Then he called to the driver, “Straight on!” + +At the first corner, I shouted, “To the right!” + +“Straight on, straight on!” called Tsintsius. Then he explained, “We’ll +go over the hill, it is not much farther, and it saves many turns.” + +“All right.” + +“The Anglo-Russian correspondent”--he mentioned his name--“told me +where I might find you!” + +I should not have thought it of him; the boy had guessed right the very +first time, and really he never had enough sense to creep in under +cover out of the rain. The newspaper pose never suited him, and he is +doing better work now as secretary to an Archimandrite of the Orthodox +Church. + +“Do you know many people in Port Arthur?” asked the detective. + +“Very few,” I answered promptly. + +“For instance?” + +That was too easy. “For instance? Those correspondents and their +companions with whom you saw me taking lunch to-day?” + +“Ah, you are going to have supper with them? But whom else do you +know?” He fidgeted uneasily by my side. + +“Some business men in the town,” I answered, without interest. + +“Do you happen to know the chief of police?” + +“I am not personally acquainted with him.” + +“He is a very fine man.” + +“Everyone praises him.” + +The horses were toiling slowly up the ascent, splashing through the +ice, snow, and mud; the night was dark as the inside of a money-safe. + +“You ought to know him. He lives close by.” + +I knew very well where he lived--at the top of the hill--which we were +nearing, for the horses were trotting again. I ignored his remark. + +“That’s right. I shall be glad to get some supper. I am very hungry.” + +“I should like to introduce you to him now.” + +The conversation did not please me at all. “Some other time,” I +protested. “I want supper.” + +“It will not delay us a minute. Stop, driver!” + +“Well, where are we now?” I asked. + +“At the Chief’s. Come, just a minute! You will find him an excellent +friend.” + +He got out of the carriage. + +“Don’t be long. I’ll wait for you,” I remarked casually. + +“No, no! Come in! You must! I insist! He is a charming man. We need not +stay a minute and perhaps I’ll not have the opportunity again.” + +“To-morrow morning, then. Now is not the time to make a social call.” + +“The hour does not matter; I’m one of the staff. Come along!” + +He spoke pleadingly. I guessed what was in store for me, but deemed it +wisest to agree, so followed him into the house. + +“Tell your master I wish to see him.” + +We entered a small reception room on the right. It was comfortably +furnished for a Port Arthur house, and had a large writing table and a +telephone. + +We had been seated only a few minutes when the Chief of Police entered +the room. He is a tall, handsome, Baltic Russian, with a courtly +manner, and a charmingly frank countenance. The Tsar has no more +honourable or devoted servant than the clever Chief of the Port Arthur +police. + +He acknowledged my bow with a slight inclination, and strode across to +the telephone, and rang up. + +“This is an Englishman I have just arrested on the Serpionaya,” +explained the detective. + +“Take him to the lock-up,” commanded his chief. + +That was all. As the telephone was ringing in answer, we left the +room--and the house. + +When we were again seated in the carriage it was the detective’s turn +to have the conversation take an unpleasant turn. + +“What about our supper at the Saratoff?” I began. + +He was silent. + +It would have been better had I remained silent too, but that was +impossible. I upbraided him with his deceit, his treachery, his +unfriendliness, called him _störer_, _schürke_, and _lump_, _schuft_, +_verrather_, and _hundsfott_; the German language had not bad names +enough for him, and I relapsed on mujik’s Russian. When he protested I +called him _lugner_, and he took it with composure. It did not occur to +me then that he had done his business in a masterly manner. + +The horses plunged into mudholes in the darkness; the carriage swayed +and groaned; we were crossing unmade ground, going round to the back of +the jail by a way with which I was not familiar. At last the carriage +stopped near the edge of a rough declivity. We groped our way round the +gable of a building and by-and-by reached the porch. + +Inside was one large room with some smaller offices opening from it, +and a corridor leading in the direction of the jail. There was the +usual stove, some policemen idling about, and a clerk busy with printed +forms at a table in the corner. + +Tsintsius spoke a few words with some officer in one of the inner +rooms, then left the building. I asked if it were permissible to smoke, +and having leave to do so, walked back and forth in that room--it +seemed for hours. Luckily I had my identification and other papers on +me, for I had then no invention to concoct any sort of plausible story. + +People came and went, policemen marched through the room; officials +arrived, hung their great-coats on the wall, disappeared in the inner +rooms, re-appeared, put on their coats and went out into the darkness. +The clerk filled in the printed forms, and smoked cigarettes with equal +assiduity. It was the sort of thing that might continue without change +as long as the Russian empire endures. + +At last there was a diversion. Tsintsius arrived with the Anglo-Russian +correspondent and Mac--the energetic man had arrested both of them. + +The Anglo-Russian correspondent recognizing me, and cognizant that he +had been the cause of my arrest, opened with an apology, and I, full +of resentment towards him, started on a wordy attack. Mac looked on +silently, pityingly, wonderingly, and full to the eyelids of his own +woes. + +“If you _were_ asked where I might be found, it would have been easy to +say that you did not know--and, if you were born and raised in Russia +and have not learned to say, ‘I don’t know,’ to any and every question +asked you, I should just like to meet the people with whom you have +associated?” + +He is a good-hearted, generous fellow, always acknowledging his fault, +blaming himself, and apologizing profusely--the sort of man who gets on +my nerves at once. + +“Yes, yes, I know I ought to have said, ‘I don’t know,’ but I didn’t +know, and----” + +“Oh, don’t talk to me! And don’t get new--for I can’t stand that.” + +We were interrupted by a new arrival--none other than the officer +of Gendarmes who had Mac in his charge. He strode to Tsintsius, and +began a clamorous altercation, which almost immediately developed into +a fight. The enraged officer clutched the detective by the throat, +twisted him over backwards and commenced belabouring him unmercifully. +Tsintsius would then and there have suffered the half-death he merited, +had not the officials separated the combatants. Truly, Russian +officials have great affection for each other. + +The trouble had arisen from the officiousness of Tsintsius in arresting +Mac; the officer declared he had him in charge all the time; the +detective declared that he had not. Their difference ended with the +arrival of the Chief of Police, and soon Mac was through, the officer +undertaking to get him out of Port Arthur by the next train. Then my +turn came. + +Fortunately my papers were found to be in order. My passport had been +duly registered, but the police had not been notified of changes of +address. I informed the chief that I had produced my passport when I +engaged rooms, but had been informed by the proprietors that as it had +already been endorsed no further formalities were necessary. If they +were, the proprietors, who were Russians, were in a position to know of +what had been ordered better than myself, a stranger. + +As to my business, my visit to Major-General Floog earlier in the +day decided that. The chief made me promise that I would call on the +Major-General the next morning, and follow his directions. Meanwhile I +was at liberty to go wherever I pleased in either the Old Town or the +New. + +It was past midnight before I took supper at the Saratoff. Tsintsius +was not present, but I noticed a change in the attitude of the +company towards myself. The police interlude had enveloped me with an +atmosphere of uncertainty; people doubted whether they might converse +with me, without bringing suspicion upon themselves. + +Mac left during the night. Early the next morning I once more took up +my abode at Efimoff’s, now crowded with Russian officers of inferior +rank, horribly mismanaged and many times more filthy than when the +proprietor was directing in person. + +Then I went again to visit Major-General Floog. + +On this occasion I did not see that irresponsible officer at all. +First he wished to know the nature of my business with him. My papers +explained it to him, or to his secretary. I awaited the reply with +some misgiving. On one occasion when I interviewed an officer with +reference to facilities for newspaper correspondents, I was answered by +an inferior possessing the proportions of the conventional alderman, +who came close to me, bowed slowly until our foreheads almost met; then +straightened himself up suddenly, and as I took a step backward he +repeated the manœuvre, and continued the ceremonial, until, against my +intention, I was outside the room. And all he said was that the high +authorities intended to make it so difficult for correspondents that +few would care to remain with the army--if, even, they got so far as +to be permitted to reach the Russian forces. By that time I was on the +mat outside, experiencing a numb sensation of absolute soullessness +pervading my whole being. + +The Russian officials told off for this special duty have such an +excellent address, and are so adroit, yet gracious in their manner, +that an undesired visitor is bowed out in less time than it takes him +to say good-day. Another correspondent of the _Times_ had occasion to +call on the Russian Administrator of Newchwang. It was his first visit, +and before he had time to mention the purpose of his interview he was +gladly received--and dismissed--finding himself on the mat, and the +sentry holding open the hall door for his exit, before he realized that +he was in the presence. Having experienced similar treatment, this time +I was prepared for the excessively polite attack which ensures speedy +and complete defeat. And first I walked across the room and took a seat +near the wall farthest from the door. + +Lieut.-Col. Maximovich was the official to whom my application was +entrusted. He came in expecting to find me in the place usually taken +by casual callers. In one hand he held out my documents, in the other +I noticed a printed paper, the like of which I seemed to have seen +before. He informed me, courteously enough, that all applications by +correspondents must be made through the correspondent’s own Minister +of State for Foreign Affairs recommending him to His Excellency +the Russian Minister for Foreign Affairs, who would transmit the +recommendation to His Excellency the Viceroy, who might consider +favourably such an application for permission to be accredited to one +of the Russian armies in the Far East. + +There was a great deal of circumlocution attached to this course, +in which so many Excellencies had to be interested. I begged the +Colonel to be kind enough to put that information in writing for +me. He complied, using an abbreviated form and omitting various +_Vuisokoprevoskhodityelstvo’s_, and other titles. He reached me at +once, on concluding, with the order: “You must now leave Port Arthur +forthwith.” + +“Yes,” said I; “where may I go?” + +He suggested Chifu. + +I had no more business with Chifu than Russia could have. I suggested +Mukden. + +“No, not Mukden.” + +“Dalny?” + +“Not Dalny.” + +“Harbin?” + +He shook his head. + +“Newchwang?” + +As to that he could not say. Newchwang might be possible. + +There and then I determined that it should be Newchwang. + +“_Au revoir_, Colonel,” I said cheerily. + +“Good-bye,” he answered icily. + +As I left he handed the printed form to an orderly, giving instructions +that it should be forwarded immediately. + +Next I called upon the Anglo-Russian correspondent, but his flat +was forsaken--he had gone into hiding for a few days. The remainder +of my stay in Port Arthur was apportioned to getting rid of my +responsibilities as to other persons’ property, learning something +respecting the present state of the warships in the harbour, the +personnel of the new appointments to the Viceroy’s staff, the probable +date of their departure north, and arrange for the transmission of +further news to me at Newchwang. The programme was carried through in +its entirety; I spent the early hours of the evening with some officers +in the New Town, and it was long after dark before I directed my steps +homeward. I had still one call to make. That was interrupted by the +brusque entrance of Tsintsius, with a summons for me to attend at the +police-station at once. His manner was different from that he had shown +previously. He was abrupt and churlish. There was a third person in his +carriage when I stepped into it, and we drove along in silence. + +At the police-station I took the initiative; went into the inner room, +and requested the clerk to ring up the Chief of Police. I explained +the position in a few words, expressed my intention of leaving by the +next train, and told the police-master he would find me at Efimoff’s +whenever he needed me. I was ordered to be allowed to go, and the +clerk accordingly endorsed the order--the one I had noticed in the +hand of Colonel Maximovich that morning. The action of the authorities +was explicable. Having discovered the presence of a newspaper +correspondent in the fortress, they were anxious for his immediate +departure. He could not leave quickly enough to satisfy them. + +The next morning my baggage and myself were at the railway terminus +in good time. That day the train was late; at the moment no one could +say whether or not there would be a train leaving. It was a matter of +indifference to me--longing for a fresh attack by the Japanese fleet, +or any event which would prolong my stay. But at last the train came, +and I had an unexpected diversion. + +I was entering the booking office when a captain of the railway guards +tapped me on the shoulder. + +“Are you the war correspondent who is ordered to leave?” + +“I am,” I answered. + +“Have you a permit?” + +“No,” I said, astonished. “I am ordered to go.” + +“Ah, but you must have a permit.” + +The ever officious Tsintsius was at hand to explain. His explanation +did not satisfy the captain. + +“Get one for him, then,” said Tsintsius. + +The captain consented. He wrote an order, gave it to one of his men and +told him to conduct me to his quarters. + +When we arrived there, the clerk in charge made a lengthy business +of his work. He drew up a petition to General Stoessel, stating who +and what I was, where I wanted to go, specified that I had with me a +Gladstone bag, riding whip, etc., etc., and required a permit to leave +Port Arthur. The captain himself came and assisted in drafting the +document. Then I was dispatched with the guard to the commandant of the +fortress. + +General Stoessel was not at all pleased to see me, or gratified at +the nature of the communication. He stamped, and fumed, and abused +the captain and his men; the guard meanwhile standing strictly to +attention. No permit was necessary to leave Port Arthur--only to enter +the town. + +“Still,” I said, “they won’t let me leave without a pass.” + +“Stay! I will give you something which will satisfy that imbecile.” + +He scribbled a few words on paper and handed it to me. + +When we were in our carriage, the guard asked me to loan him the paper, +and he studied it carefully. + +“You see our captain was right. It is a permit.” That was well, but +when we reached the station the train had gone--there was no other +until early the next morning, so I had another day in Port Arthur. + +In the afternoon I met the Chief of Police on the Bund. + +“Why have you not gone?” he asked. + +I explained what had happened. + +He looked very serious. “You will go to-morrow. Good. Now go to your +room; eat, drink, smoke, sleep, do not come out until the train is +ready. I speak for your own good. Do that.” + +The police-master had not mentioned the purpose for which I was staying +in Port Arthur. I knew that he meant the Anti-British feeling was so +intense that my nationality alone might suffice to get me into trouble +with some of the more rowdy officers in the fortress. I took the risk +and that day again visited every accessible place of importance. I did +not visit the police-station, but as evening drew near it occurred to +me that Tsintsius would again be busy. I thought I might avoid him for +one night. At that time there were in Port Arthur two foreigners having +the same surname, say Smith. Harry was an American; Will was British. +Harry had invited me to spend the week end with his mess in the New +Town, and although I could not do that now, it would serve me to spend +the night there. Accordingly I looked him up. He was sorry, but one of +his messmates, a Russian, thought that if they in any way were known to +be associates of mine, they might have trouble with the authorities, +and certainly would be suspected. He thought his namesake would be +pleased to give me a bed, and he knew he had a spare room. + +Will was not at home. Close by there lived an American who kept open +house, and Harry suggested we should go there for a time. So we paid an +afternoon call, took tea, and made the acquaintance of other visitors, +including a naval officer whose turn it was to take duty on Golden Hill +fort in charge of the naval gunners then stationed there. He was due in +the battery at dusk, but seemed in no hurry to get away. We returned to +Will’s house, where Harry left me. + +After dinner Will proposed that we should go to the American’s again +and take a hand at cards. When we arrived I was told that shortly after +I had left the police called, searching for me. They were informed +that I had left with Harry Smith, and to his house they hurried. He +had not reached home. They visited his office, called upon all of his +associates they could find, but none had seen me recently. The police +then searched the Old Town thoroughly from the Bund to the market, from +the _Hotel de France_ to the hop-joints of far away China Town. + +When I left that house at midnight the naval officer was still there, +determined to remain until morning. Half a dozen other officers had +joined the party; the piano was going; corks were popping; fresh +packs of cards and chalk, glasses and crisp rouble notes crowded the +green-cloth tables. That was Port Arthur. + +Outside was utter darkness: the oppressive silence of suspense--broken +at long intervals by the reverberation of cannon presaging a more +anxious morrow. + +As I walked down from the New Town to the railway before dawn, only +a few Chinamen were astir, tripping ghoul-like hither and thither +silently. Sentries paced to and fro, their great-coats and bashliks +tight around them; rugged Cossacks patrolled the gloomy snow-flecked +road; the half-finished buildings seemed ghastly ruins in the murky +obscurity of awful night and awoke memories of horrid dreams--dreams of +baffled efforts, dashed hopes, and numb despair. + +Before catching sight of the ever vigilant Tsintsius I noticed that +the train of dining-saloon and sleeping cars, which had long been in +a siding, had now an engine attached, and that engine under steam. +Crossing the rails I saw huddled on the platform a party of about 200 +Japanese refugees. Most were women, and crouching and huddled into +groups for warmth. The few men were being unmercifully cuffed, beaten +and kicked by the armed soldier guard in charge of them. All were +bundled into covered waggons attached to the train, but I did not see +what became of them. Probably they were sent by way of Dalny and Chifu +to their own country. + +Even that morning the authorities were not anxious to convey me; at +least, did not wish me to travel in the only car in which there was +room. I told them they might put me off the train if they wished. I was +indifferent and did not argue. I left that to Tsintsius. He maintained +the discussion successfully until the train left the station and he +passed from my horizon. + +My troubles were not quite at an end. We stayed at Nangalin junction. +In the restaurant there were many officers and a few civilians. I +was telling the latter some of the gossip of Port Arthur; how the +circus had been broken up, the ponies drafted into Cossack stables, +and how they danced in the streets when the band began to play, and +so threw off their riders. I proceeded with other small talk, when I +was interrupted by a bearded, be-spectacled officer behind me, asking +suddenly in my own tongue, “You--are--English?” + +“Yes, thank God!” I answered. + +“Where are you going?” + +“Up north.” + +“Ah! Have you a permission?” + +“No. I have a ticket.” + +“Ah--no permission.” + +He retired to a corner, conferred with a number of officers, then +returned to the attack. + +He would know why I left Port Arthur, why I was going to Newchwang, and +a hundred other matters of no concern, all of which I answered with +great candour. In the end, he and his council agreed that I might be +allowed to proceed. + +On the platform outside, a large station guard had been drawn up. In +addition there was a draft of the 13th Siberian Rifles, and a number of +civilians carrying old Mauser rifles, belts, bayonets and ammunition +pouches. They rallied round a triangular white standard on which the +cryptic letters M.D. were embroidered in red. + +The officer who had questioned me was walking the platform leisurely. +It was my turn to inquire. I had given him such information as he asked +of me, and I determined that he should not escape my attentions. At +once his English became very meagre, but I plied him so vigorously +as to these troops and those, the number, intention, and destination +of the armed militia; the how, why and where of their enrolment and +condition of service, and other matters that he really deserved to be +excused, after supplying so much information, when he declined to state +anything respecting the special train which was following mine north. + +Luck favoured me a little, for later I had to change trains at +Tashichiao, and whilst waiting there the special arrived, with the +Viceroy and his staff. My attempt to board the train was frustrated +by the cordon of sentries, but from my own car I saw the company +foregather, dine, make merry, and converse. I recognized first one +officer, then another, knew that a tour of inspection was being made +and that the generals of the different divisions were receiving +instructions or suggesting alterations. Then the train pulled out of +sight and I journeyed to Newchwang without further incident but in +possession of some news, and the story of events in Port Arthur to that +date, which was cabled immediately. + + + + +CHAPTER VII + +The Day’s Work + + +Many suppose that because the special war correspondents achieved so +little they had a comparatively easy life, pleasantly passed under +the Sun-flag in the beauteous isles of the Orient. This was not so +for those whose luck it was to be accredited to the Russian army in +Manchuria, and still less for those newsgatherers who hovered on the +frontier of the neutral territory. + +There the day’s work was long, often arduous, and seldom satisfactory. +It had its dangers. Mr. Etzel, of the _Daily Telegraph_, the only +correspondent shot during this war, was of us, and I intend now to +describe the life we two led together at Yingkow, in the months of +March and April. We were not alone, from first to last more than +two score correspondents used Yingkow as temporary or permanent +headquarters. + +If we had not been disturbed during the night we would be out early, +and from a glance at the main roads east and west ascertain whether +there had been any movement of troops during the hours of darkness. If +there were tracks, we followed up the clue after breakfast. We had also +to visit the hotels to see whether there were new arrivals from Port +Arthur or the north, as the Russian train usually arrived very early +in the morning, and the Chinese train left the station on the opposite +side of the river at seven o’clock, so it was sometimes possible for +a through passenger to travel from one station to the other without a +stay in Newchwang, and correspondents could not afford to allow one to +slip by unquestioned. + +In the forenoon we rode out to the Russian settlement, to Niuchatun, to +the Russian fort on the south-west, or to their entrenchments further +out, near the salt-pans at the river mouth. Etzel was an excellent +scout. On several occasions I was out with him alone, tracking Russian +movements, reconnoitring their outposts, or observing what changes +they were about to make in the disposition of their military forces +around the town. The facility with which he got from point to point +without being observed was as excellent as the inimitable manner in +which he carried through the examination of the particular business +he had set himself to investigate. He had an acute perception of +military movements which might have an important bearing on the +plan of campaign, and foresight so remarkable that it seemed to me +he had a special faculty which enabled him to divine the intentions +of the Russian officers directing the troops and superintending the +construction of defensive works. Then, in scouting, he found the right +clues quickly and followed them with unerring accuracy and admirable +precision. + +In the afternoon we usually tried to see people who were in a position +to have news, and when we saw them we worked to get the news. Between +four and five o’clock the couriers came in by the west gate, and they +had to be met personally or by a trustworthy Chinaman in our service. + +Last of all we wrote our telegrams and took them to the office at the +Chinese railway station. This apparently simple matter was sometimes +the most difficult part of the day’s work. When the river was hard +frozen and the weather fair, we went on a _piza_, that is, a pair of +sledge runners connected by some rough boards upon which a few reeds +are fastened. The sledge is propelled by a Chinaman who stands with +each foot on one runner and propels the contrivance with a boat hook. +In this way, the two miles, in most favourable circumstances, might be +accomplished in fifteen minutes. Then there was only the discomfort, +the terrible cold and the incessant jolting over the rough ice to be +endured but when the ice was bad, when there were cracks and pools to +be avoided, and the probability of the ice breaking at any moment, then +the journey had its dangers as well as discomforts. It might require +forty minutes, or more, and as happened more than once to myself, the +rider might slip through a crack in the ice and have an unrequired +ducking. The risks were always increased when the crossing was made in +the darkness, as ours were. + +By way of variety one might walk across the ice, or even ride over on +horseback, or send a messenger. But the messenger could always be held +up by a European, and the message be read before it was returned to +him. Another way, if we were in time, was to post our messages across +the river through the Imperial Chinese Post Office. + +When the river broke, great masses of packed ice and large floes +floated up and down stream for weeks. The only possible way to cross +then was by boat; a strong sampan hauled and pushed through the loose +ice by three to half a dozen men--that done in the darkness was as +unpleasant as it was dangerous. It was very slow, often requiring +hours, and with tide and ice both against the boat almost impossible. +The cost of the ferry instead of being the usual few cents amounted to +dollars. Etzel on the night of March 27 had to pay seven dollars to be +ferried across with his message; I was the last correspondent to cross +the ice on a _piza_ and the first to be ferried over the river in a +boat, and the highest charge I had to pay was six dollars for a ferry +after dark. + +With the despatch of the telegram our day’s work was over, and that +of the next began. There was the crossing of the river to be made +again, people to be interviewed, and when the tired correspondent got +to bed, he might be disturbed by the noise of passing artillery or +troops--movements we deemed it a part of our duty to watch--of rifle +fire, even the booming of big guns. One morning I was aroused at two +o’clock by a knocking at my door and the startling information that the +expected bombardment of Newchwang had at last commenced. I was out in +the dark, in the salt marshes, tumbling into mudholes and tiring myself +needlessly until daybreak. It was a false alarm. The Russians mistook +a pilot’s flare on the bar for the enemy, and fired so furiously that +they sunk a helpless Chinese junk with thirty-five hands, killed three +men and wounded seven on another, and succeeded in working the native +population into a state of panic. + +By unflagging energy and unceasing vigilance we were able to keep +ourselves _au courant_ with local changes and passing events in our +immediate neighbourhood. This was insufficient. We wished to be +informed as to the progress of the war. Many rumours reached us of +the propinquity of the Japanese forces, and as the Russians would not +permit us to wander beyond the neighbouring villages we were forced to +rely upon native newsmongers. + +Messrs. Bush Bros. had agents and correspondents throughout Southern +Manchuria, and such news as they received they generously placed at +the disposal of all newspaper representatives. Generally this news +was ahead of that which reached Newchwang by other means, and as +often as any it was correct. But it was insufficient in detail, and +too irregular in appearance to satisfy all needs of impatient news +correspondents. We determined to have our own men investigating, and +our own messengers. I do not know what arrangements Etzel made. My +relations were with two respectable business men in the town, both +Englishmen, and neither acquainted with what the other was doing in +the matter. Both had an intimate knowledge of Chinese methods, one +was the most proficient Anglo-Chinaman in the country, and they, if +any, knew where to get trustworthy Chinese and how to deal with them +advantageously. Both sent out men in different directions. These men +wrote back what they saw on their journey, and their letters were +posted to Newchwang or conveyed by messengers. They were written in +Chinese, and had to be translated on arrival. + +Here are some extracts from the letters of Kongkwang-tsa, who left +Yingkow for the Yalu, on the 27th of the first moon: “I see four +Russian guns at Yuan-Pao mountain; I see many troops of Russians there; +I see guns at An-chu, and troops; and troops at mouth, at Chang-tien, +and 700 at Takushan, and 800 at Talung-kow. There was bobbery; the +merchants of Antung-Hsien district have been pleased that Magistrate +Kao has suppressed rioting. I see twenty li from Hsiu-yen, twenty +Russian carts, with men and material--there they put up a telegraph. I +go to----” + +From another: “Near Fen shui huan I meet blacksmith; he tell me Russian +messenger pass his forge every day. I go Yalu, at Chala cheng; I see +all Russians cross river; I see Japanese spies, see Japanese troops.” + +And this from another correspondent: “I see one or two Japanese +soldiers; Russians see many. Suddenly see many Japanese soldiers; look +again, but none there. Went ----; there Russian soldier cross Yalu +river, come back this side. He no wait. He go thirty in small sampan; +no can; boat lost; Russian man all lost. Russian man take big boat; +make him very full; big boat lost; only one Russian man come this side. +Russian man take another big boat, make too much full; Russian man all +drown. Russian man no can wait.” + +In the hurried crossing of the Yalu after the battle of Pin-yang, more +than three hundred Russians were lost at this ferry. + +The following are of later date (May 2): “The Russians have posted +everywhere placards explaining away the advance northwards of the +Japanese troops who crossed the Yalu, and give accounts of the +successes the Russians have gained in fighting the Japanese army +elsewhere, and saying that soon they will attack and drive back the +Japanese far from these places, for Russia is strong. The Chinese do +not believe these placards, because the Japanese are every day coming +farther and farther into the country.” + +Then I received accounts of the landing of Japanese troops at Takushan; +and at Pitsewo, and acting in conjunction with the force landed at +Kinchow, on the other side of the peninsula, succeeded in cutting the +line, and isolating Port Arthur. Here the forces joined, captured a +train from Port Arthur; stopped another, but allowed it to proceed when +the Red Cross flag was shown, and tried ineffectually to stop it again +by rifle fire when they found they had been deceived, and that it was +the special train used by Admiral Alexeiev. It was known afterwards +that both H.I.H. the Grand Duke Boris and H.E. the Viceroy were in the +train, and narrowly escaped capture. The Japanese have never ceased +blaming themselves for their laxity in allowing this train to pass +them. We got news of the Japanese movements, of the forward rush of the +Takushan army after the battle of Puliantien, but it must be stated +that the cross marching of the Japanese between Takushan and Kinchow +completely baffled the Chinese reporters. They were marching towards +Tashichiao not Kaiping, and keeping to the east of the railway instead +of taking the shorter route to Newchwang. + +This scheme of newsgetting worked excellently for some weeks. The +agents went right on to the Yalu, and fell back as the invasion of +Manchuria progressed, and they reported intelligently and frequently. +On the whole matters went well until the agents got shot, or were taken +prisoner, or wanted to come home, or were recalled. + +In addition to all this, there were Chinese constantly arriving in +Newchwang from Port Arthur, Dalny, and other places where fighting +was going on, and these always had some news to sell--something which +if not worth telegraphing, was worth knowing. The American consulate +was a great centre for news and for newspaper men, both British and +American, but the British consulate was like a shooting man’s fox +coverts, always drawn blank. It was MacCullagh of the _New York Herald_ +who first discovered a new variety of lady missionary from the north +who had a fund of entertaining conversation and plenty of interesting +information, so, quite outside of the usual official channels, we had +numerous sources of news and spent much time in collecting the best. + +The newspaper correspondents themselves were, often without intending +it, the most frequent cause of my troubles. Only once did I call upon +the Russian administrator; it was a small matter of routine business he +had to adjust for me, and he volunteered the information incidentally +that in a few days he thought it would be his duty--he did not qualify +it with “unpleasant”--his duty, to order me out of Newchwang. As a +matter of fact I stopped long enough to see him turned out--by the +Japanese. I thought it advisable to keep quiet for a few days, for I +was not ready just then to pass out of the Russian lines. + +At this critical juncture I had a disturbing message from Dr. Morrison: +“Greener, Yingkow.--Japanese Legation disbelieves Carter’s story and +proximity forces.” The Russian authorities inspected all our telegrams, +and for it to be known to them that what I sent was submitted to the +Japanese at Peking did not improve my position or make it easier for me +to extract news from Russians in authority. + +The next disturbing incident was far more easily settled. One morning +an officer from H.M.S. _Espiègle_ came to me post haste to know what I +meant by a telegram in the _Times_ of February 17, then just received +in Newchwang. I had my horse saddled and rode up the river bank to the +gunboat’s dock, when the following was read to me:-- + + “YINGKAU, _February 16_.* + + “The Civil Administrator of Newchwang with his family is + proceeding to Tientsin. He has been making every effort + to arrest the Russian soldiers guilty of offences against + foreigners, and has assured Mr. Miller, the United States + Consul, and Commanders Barton and Sawyer of the British sloop + _Espiègle_ and the American gunboat _Helena_ against whom + menacing demonstrations have been made, that full reparation + shall be made.” + +“What of it?” I asked. + +“There has been no menacing demonstration, therefore no reparation can +be made--that is all.” + +“Not quite,” I answered. “If you will look you will see an asterisk +after the date, and at the bottom of the column you are informed that +it is a Reuter’s message. You have called the wrong man.” + +It was too much to expect me to be answerable for what was sent to +the paper by the news agencies, but soon afterwards I was called to +book over a paragraph in a message sent from Peking on March 4, and +published in the _Times_ of March 7, as follows:-- + + “All the coal supply at Newchwang has been purchased by the + Russians, including 22,000 tons belonging to the chief British + firm. A contract was signed on the very eve of the war, when + war was assured. Delivery is not yet complete, and has been + taking place daily ever since the war began. The Russians speak + favourably of the assistance thus rendered at a critical time, + when coal was urgently needed for the Manchurian railway, by a + British firm, who, unless the port is blockaded, can presumably + render equally valuable service in the future by importing food + stuffs for the Russian troops.” + +This is with reference to a matter which Dr. Morrison might have stated +differently. In the first place _all_ the coal stocks at Newchwang were +not then purchased: in April the late United States Marshal sold some +large parcels, and there were others. The 22,000 tons of Kaiping dust +formed a portion of a consignment from the Chinese Engineering and +Mining Company. It was in Newchwang, which was ice-bound. That coal, +and all other supplies in store, could have been commandeered by the +Russians after the war began under the martial law they proclaimed. +The Russian authorities would not buy the dust from the British firm +of Bush Bros., who sold it before the war to the Danish East-Asiatic +Company, a Copenhagen firm of shipowners and traders, from whom the +Russians acquired that portion which was being delivered when Dr. +Morrison was at Newchwang. The Russians may have spoken favourably of +the assistance thus rendered by a British firm--which was avowedly, +openly and consistently pro-Japanese throughout--but I never heard +them, though I did hear many abuse the firm very often. The Russian +authorities showed their appreciation by _not buying_ food stuffs +from Messrs. Bush, who had them at a time the Russians wanted them +badly, and Mr. McGlew, a member of the firm and brother-in-law of +its principal, was the only foreign resident the Russian authorities +requested to leave Newchwang. The firm had to dispense with his +services until the Japanese occupation of the treaty port had been +effected. + +The war provoked correspondents into making mistakes, the most careful +and capable were at times at fault, and those who trusted to official +information probably more often than any. Only the agencies can reveal +how many times their distraught correspondents have telegraphed in such +manner as--“Kill dispatch, given officially but untrue.” “Suppress +after ---- last message, official now untalk.” + +Obtaining an exact and truthful account of any occurrence even from +an eye-witness of the event is a matter of great difficulty, as Sir +Walter Raleigh experienced, but the difficulty is exceedingly great +with reference to all things connected with the war, as every informant +is more or less biassed in favour of one of the belligerents. Sift, +and probe, and examine, and compare as carefully as we might, we +were rarely quite satisfied that we had the real unvarnished plain +statement of fact. On the few occasions we did succeed we did not +always get credited even. I know that once I met a man of learning +and position, one of the best informed, most intelligent and highly +respected foreign residents in Vladivostok. He was on his way from +that town to communicate something of importance to his Legation at +Peking. We had long been acquainted, and although, as he explained, +he could not give me all the information he had about Vladivostok yet +he would give me something of general interest respecting the recent +Japanese bombardment of that port, and of the extent of the damages. +Part of that information I cabled home at once--to be informed curtly +from Peking, “You are not justified in wasting _Times’_ money upon wild +reports reaching you from Vladivostok.” + +The newspaper men had no opportunities for lotus eating in the +wilderness of Newchwang, but some of them had not enough of danger +there to satisfy them and must needs seek extra risks by attempting +extraordinary adventures. There was Colonel Emerson, an American, who +with insufficient papers pushed on to the Russian headquarters at +Liaoyang, and there got his marching orders to proceed home by way +of Moscow and report himself to the authorities at Mukden, Harbin +and other places _en route_. He went as far as Mukden, did not report +himself, but got carried through the Russian lines to Hsinmintun by +one of the Chinamen in the employ of Bush Brothers, a man who has +rendered other correspondents signal service but whose identity must +not be revealed as long as any are liable to need his assistance. The +Russians, missing Emerson, concluded that he must have tried to escape +and consequently must be dead, for nobody _could_ pass out of the +Russian lines. So his death was reported in the _Harbinski Viedomosti_, +and the authorities telegraphed in Emerson’s name for his effects to +be forwarded to Mukden. As it happened, Emerson, who had not sent the +telegram, was back again in Newchwang at the time. + +There was another American who determined to go from Newchwang to Port +Arthur in a junk, and told so many people about it that the junk was +stopped; and there was Etzel, who did get away, but only to be shot +before he was out of Chinese waters. That disastrous termination put an +end to similar enterprises, but only for a time. + +In Newchwang we had General Kondoratovich, the youngest man of his +rank in the army. The Commandant of our division was a good type of +officer, intrepid, resourceful, open-hearted and open-handed; the +correspondents just made him tired, but he was always courteous to +them. He was a free liver, absolutely disregardful of public opinion +and capable of minding his own affairs and of guarding Russian +interests. + +Newchwang was also visited by General Linevich, the leader of the +Russian expedition to Peking; by the Commander-in-Chief General +Kuropatkin, who reviewed the local troops numbering about 6,000, and +decided that the port must be evacuated. Newchwang was also visited +by the Grand Duke Boris, who viewed its defences, inspected the port, +and after being bored by the authorities as a matter of duty was fêted +by them as a token of their esteem, and enjoyed himself in his usual +manner. + +On Palm Sunday, March 27, the authorities suddenly announced that the +treaty port of Newchwang was under martial law. All residents must +remain within the gates of the town; the Russian settlement, Niuchatun, +and other villages in the suburbs were out of bounds, and not to be +visited without special permission. The Chinese railway station in +neutral territory could be visited between sunrise and sunset; during +the hours of darkness all river traffic was prohibited. The Chinese, +who, until that day, if they were found after dark without carrying a +lantern were fined, were fined now if they had a lantern, or if the +least glimmer of light showed through their doors, windows, or cracks +in the walls of their compound. + +All the foreign consuls with the exception of the British acquiesced +in the order. The British consul would not do so without instructions +of the British Minister at Peking to whom he had referred the matter, +and who, naturally, never gave instructions. It was a mere verbal +quibble, all British subjects were advised to accept the situation; +the protection of the consuls could indeed be claimed, but as they +had relinquished their power, their consulates were no longer legal +sanctuaries for their own nationals. + +The work of correspondents was made more difficult; and they were +regarded with increased suspicion by the authorities. Colonel Telshin +and Lt.-Col. Dabovsky were appointed censors, and the Chinese Imperial +Railway Telegraph offices were placed in charge of Mr. Pancheka, who +had with him a commissioned officer and a squad of Cossacks. + +It cannot be said that the regulations were severe, or that they +pressed heavily upon the foreign residents. As with all Russian +ordinances there was laxity in enforcing the provisions of the +proclamation. The correspondents found certain liberties curtailed. We +certainly did ride out without permits to Russia-town, the flats by +the forts, and to different villages. Sometimes we were stopped by a +sentinel, but more often than not passed unchallenged. Only once, when +I was re-entering by the south gate from a ride to the fort, did the +guard go so far as to stop me by seizing my bridle. I urged the horse +forward, and the bold man went with her a short way, then he and his +rifle fell to the earth. I went on, expecting a shot to be fired after +me, but hearing only the loud laughter of the guards at their comrade’s +discomfiture. + +The censorship was somewhat of a nuisance. Etzel submitted a test +message which the censor obligingly amended: the revised copy was +presented and passed, but it was not sent, for the message which went +was of quite different import and uncensored. There were also ways of +getting a censor’s stamp and signature on a blank form, or by writing +in or altering the censored message, news of a somewhat different +character could be substituted. But there were so many ways of getting +news out without the authorities knowing of it, that troubling the +censor was quite unnecessary, and done only in order to keep on good +terms with the officials. + +The order against crossing the river was the most irksome restriction. +The bank was patrolled, and the sentinels fired at whatever they saw +moving, and inquired afterwards. When there was good cause to cross +over, a permit could be obtained, and the passenger took the risk; +or even a ferry could be obtained in one of the official launches, +the privileged boats, which were not fired upon. There were no steam +launches or tug-boats in private hands. + +We did not often ask for special permits from the authorities, because +we did not care to be constantly worrying them, and because if the +official happened to be asleep, or obfuscated, there were delays, +and the attendants rather expected that something unusual would be +attempted, and the guards thus made unusually alert. We went up the +river beyond the guard boat, and down it below the fort; sometimes I +was challenged, generally not, and the restrictions were only a subject +to grumble at openly, and ignore in secret. By taking my horse across +the river and working the opposite bank I was never subjected to any +annoyance or question, and I crossed beyond the prescribed limits +whenever I wished. Still, it was not easy to get the Chinese boatmen to +contravene the regulations. Once when it was necessary for me to cross +from Liao-tse to the town in the night, I had to go to the village +opium joint, seize a sampan man, drag him to the water-edge, put him +in the sampan and push it off into the stream myself, then set him to +scull the boat across. Of course he grumbled, and worked hard and in +mortal fear, but no shot was fired that time. At others we were shot +at, and over, but luckily not fired upon. + +Finding by experience that when I answered the sentinel’s challenge +with the usual pass-word “Svoi” (literally, “self-same” = friend) +it invariably led to further questioning and vexatious delay whilst +explaining my business, I asked a Russian official how I could avoid +the annoyance. + +“Oh, say ‘K’chortu’ (to the devil), I always do.” That never failed me. + +We had our little worries day by day. Whenever we needed roubles, they +were at a big premium in Newchwang, when we wanted Mexican dollars +roubles were at a discount, and as Mexicans were not forthcoming we +were loaded up with Pei-yang coins, Kirin currency and small money, +whilst the fiction of the Haikwan tael was rammed down our throats, +and was as hard to swallow as stories of Russian successes on the +field of battle. An American journalist got no war news worth a cent, +but of his experiences he made an article on the “financial pirates +of the east,” which justified the expense his paper incurred by his +expedition. One correspondent thought it was time to learn Russian, and +having got the one word “Good-day” at the end of his tongue, he tried +it upon the first sentry who challenged him. There followed a one-sided +conversation, the sentry becoming choleric and the correspondent +answering “Good-day” calmly to every phrase the other uttered. Another +bought a pair of English riding boots across the river and carried +them home. Wrapping-up paper was not procurable, and the correspondent +with his boots attracted the attention of the police. As he was unable +to explain matters, either in Chinese or Russian, he had difficulty +in continuing his journey homeward. If the police had known how many +pairs of riding boots that correspondent had in his room, they would +undoubtedly have considered themselves justified in detaining him +indefinitely. + +There was one correspondent, representing a journal of world-wide +renown, who whenever he got into a difficulty never gave his name, +but always that of his paper. Riding along the native bund one day, +his pony seized some carrots from the stall of a Chinese market man +and munched them. The correspondent tendered some money, but he was +mobbed by the Chinese and Russians, and the police wanted some other +explanation than _Weekly Post_, which he kept on repeating. As he told +the story: “Sure, Greener, there’s nae body heerd o’ the _Weekly Post_ +in these parts, and I made bould to mintion your peeper,--wi’ nae’ +bitter effect. Then I sae ain o’ those enamelled signs o’ the _Daily +Telegraph’s_; it’s just bent round a forge fire. An’ I went to’t, and +tapped it with me whip, and signed wi’ my hands that I was it. But they +wouldna’ understand! I think maybe they thought I wanted the sign just +as my pony wanted the carrots, an’ I doant nae what might have happened +me had na’ one o’ the coostoms men passed by and exthricated me. Sich +fules! What is’t you say for War Correspondent? Eh? Say it again.” + +Busy bodies amongst the Russian officials hauled down the American flag +from the correspondents’ mess, and wished to remove the British ensign +from their compound. They had to be made re-hoist one and allow both +to remain. Then there were foreign residents who thought Newchwang the +centre of the universe, and believed that through the correspondents +the people of the British Empire could be made to take a real interest +in the protection of their private property in Newchwang. And in this +wise were we kept occupied, and whilst seemingly devoted to these +things, or apparently idling, and waiting, and holding ourselves at the +pleasure of our Russian authorities, we were forced to make time in +which to do our real work unknown and unobserved. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII + +In Neutral Territory + + +There is a portion of the Chinese Empire outside the Great Wall which +was tacitly regarded by both Russians and Japanese as beyond the +legitimate sphere of war. It lies west of the Liao, and extends to the +Mongolian boundary. Its length is about 250 miles, and its greatest +width less than a hundred; the eastern portion comprises much of the +Liao plain, swampy land, with barren stretches and salt-pans in the +south, and well cultivated grain lands in the north. On the west are +the Hai mountains, a chain of rugged rocks with fertile slopes and +excellent corn and grazing ground, where they rise from the plain. + +Nominally, this territory is governed by Chinese authorities; actually +it is domineered by Russian troops foraging for supplies, by Japanese +agents, and by the chiefs of independent mountain villages, whose +inhabitants are usually regarded as robbers, bandits, Redbeards, or +Hunghuses. + +The Imperial Chinese Railway has a line running north from Shanhaikwan +to Hsinmintun, with a branch east from the main line at Kaopantze +to Yingkow. The railway has British subjects superintending the +engineering, traffic, locomotive, and construction departments; but it +has a board of Chinese directors, and is essentially and actually a +Chinese railway run by and for the Chinese. You step into a vestibuled +dining-car on the mail train: you note the automatic couplings, +the bogie waggons, the large grain trucks, and read that all are +constructed in China, at the company’s own workshops. You see Chinese +engine-drivers, station-masters, pointsmen, brakesmen, and telegraph +clerks, and you may be on that train for hours, running smoothly at +forty miles an hour, and be the only European, not only on the train, +but at and about the stations at which it stops. The trains are +punctual, but they do not run at night, for the simple reason that +Chinese passengers will not travel in darkness; so the working day is +from 7 to 7, unless emergency trains are necessary. This railway is +excellently managed, and it is perhaps the only real controlling factor +in the government of the neutral territory. At each station there is a +guard of from ten to forty of the Viceroy Yuan-shi-kai’s soldiers. They +are fine men, in clean, neat uniforms; they carry small-bore Mauser +magazine rifles and sword bayonets; they have plenty of ammunition and +get their pay regularly. A detachment will fall into line and stand to +attention on the arrival and departure of each passenger train. In wet +weather they wear long oilskin coats and sou’westers; when they don +these slickers they invariably leave their weapons at home. At many +stations there is, in addition, a guard of soldiers from the regular +standing army, mostly from General Ma’s force, but they are armed only +with old-fashioned rifles, and are not nearly so smart as the others, +but doubtless are as good fighters. + +The railway running parallel to the Russian west flank, and +communicating with their posts at both Yingkow and Hsinmintun, it could +be of great service to them as a means of communication, and also for +the conveyance of supplies; if it were in the hands of their enemies, +the Russian positions from Yingkow to Kaiyuen would be jeopardized. +They could not control the line absolutely unless they seized it from +the Chinese. Its neutrality was their only safeguard; and if regarded +by them as neutral, then its usefulness was lessened. That the railway +was untouched by either of the belligerents is in a large measure due +to the firm diplomacy of Mr. Cox, the superintendent at Yingkow, who +in difficult circumstances maintained the independence of the railway +corporation and satisfied both the Russians and Japanese that strict +neutrality could be and was always observed. + +Contraband of war could not be conveyed through neutral territory, and +in order that there might not be any mistake as to what was contraband, +the Chinese authorities scheduled almost everything. Hogs’ bristles, I +think, were the only notable exception. The Russian officials did not +object to anything conveyed, so long as it was intended for the Russian +army, but the Japanese objected, and their agents kept a close watch on +everything and everybody going north from Shanhaikwan; all the same the +Russians smuggled with success. + +Then an attempt was made by the Russians to obtain their object by +legitimate means. The Russian doctor in charge of the Red Cross +establishments supposed he was right in believing that supplies for the +Red Cross hospitals were not in any circumstances to be regarded as +contraband of war. The railway authorities confirmed him in the belief. +He wanted 120,000 fire-bricks and a thousand tons of fire-clay. Now, +these bricks and such clay make excellent facings to fortresses, and +were contraband of war. But, if he wanted them? He would not get them. + +Then after dusk one evening some trucks, filled high with bales of +hogs’ bristles, arrived at Yingkow, and they were shunted down to the +wharf. Something about these bales attracted the attention of one of +the English inspectors: he made a closer examination, and discovered +that the hogs’ bristles concealed cases of ammunition. Those trucks +went back before daylight broke and before the consignee knew they had +arrived. + +At Shanhaikwan, when suspected goods had to be examined, or refused, +or confiscated, the work fell invariably to one or other of the young +railway guards, all time-expired, short-service men from the British +army. The Chinese officials will never face a determined European. I +doubt whether they ever will acquire the courage to do so. + +One day a Russian political agent, known to every one on the line, +arrived with a lot of baggage he was taking north on the morrow. Some +of the contents of his luggage had been manufactured in France, its +shipment had been notified by a Japanese agent, and its subsequent +movements followed with fidelity; now, when within a few hours’ journey +of the Russian lines, was it to be stopped by a British stripling? The +great man expostulated, threatened and fumed to no purpose. He went +on without his luggage, complaining to every railway official he met +of the absurdity of seizing his uniforms. He could not appear before +the Viceroy Alexeiev dressed like a British tourist! Everyone promised +to do what they could in order to get that baggage sent forward, and +the diplomat even communicated with Peking, so sad was his plight. In +the course of a few days the decisive answer came; the gentleman could +_not_ have his war balloon. Shortly afterwards a dispirited French +aeronaut took his way south. + +The smugglers of provisions, wines, and delicacies for the Russian +officers travelled to and fro so often that they became known, and were +suspected and stopped. There were many genuine refugees using the line; +they came from Port Arthur and Dalny, and wanted to get back to Russia. +They had always a lot of baggage with them; but as this was going +towards China it did not matter. Some of these parties were personally +conducted by an Orthodox priest. After a time Russian refugees began to +arrive from China; they had come from Port Arthur and Dalny, and were +wanting to get back to Russia by the Tashichiao route. They also were +unkempt, had plenty of baggage, and were often accompanied by a Russian +priest. One day a surprise examination was sprung upon these refugees +bound north, with the result that no owners could be found for heaps of +luggage, all more or less contraband of war. + +As a rule all the Russians at Yingkow were courteous to the British +passing through, and to the few British residents, all of whom were +connected with the railway service. One night a British officer dressed +in _mufti_ came from Shanhaikwan. There were about a dozen at dinner +that evening, and later the officer joined our company, and we talked +of the war and its prospects. There were no Russian officials present, +but one of the guests was a Russian, and so frequently a visitor that I +suspected him, and warned the officer. He returned to Shanhaikwan early +the next morning. Later that day the Russian guards made a thorough +search of the settlement, believing him to be still in hiding amongst +us. During this quite Russian domiciliary visit, one of the soldiers +lingered too long in the bedroom of one of the railway men, who became +impatient, and told him to go. The man would not, so the Briton threw +him and his rifle not only out of the house, but through the fence of +the compound. Shortly afterwards an officer with a guard arrested the +Briton, and took him to Newchwang, where an interpreter was found. They +brought the Briton before the administrator, and endeavoured to impress +upon him the enormity of his offence: to touch a soldier was to touch +the Tsar. What had he to say? The old soldier thought it time to plead +guilty. + +“I can only say I’m sorry I killed him; I did not intend that.” + +“Killed him? You haven’t killed him; he is there! Look!” + +“I don’t seem to have hurt him. Ask him, please, if I hurt him?” + +The soldier was asked: if he had been hurt, he would not have owned to +it, and he laughed at the suggestion, and denied it emphatically. + +“Then why am I here?” asked the Briton. + +“Oh! go away, all of you--don’t bother me with such little matters.” + +The incident closed, and never after that was there any trouble between +British and Russians on the Yingkow side. + +Out in the east, when top-dog, the Briton is bad, but the Russian much +worse, as the Chinese are well aware. Sometimes I would ride out alone +through villages in this neutral territory, and as I galloped towards +the group of trees by the temple, I would see in the distance women, +children, and men hurrying into their compounds and barring the gates. +The village streets and the cultivated land surrounding the village +would be deserted by the time I arrived. Not a living soul would be +seen--only the black pigs routing in the mud, and the half-wild village +dogs walking along the mud walls and barking loudly. If I rode straight +through, and, after going a little way, looked back, I saw the people +coming out and staring after me. If I pulled up on the lee side of +one of their wretched mud dwellings, took out my pipe and filled it, +then smoked, some bold man would put out his head and say, “Yingwa,” +whereon a crowd of the inquisitive would gather rapidly and gaze at me +wonderingly. There is no fear of the English; the Russians are beheld +with terror by these simple villagers, who have lost much through their +depredations. + +The first time I stayed in a Chinese inn up in this country I was +surprised at the consideration shown to Englishmen. The innkeeper +sent one of his men to conduct me to the place I wished to visit, +and men with lanterns to bring me back safely. They fed me well, +pressed me to take cocoa--the only English food he possessed--gave me +cigars, provided me with a private room--a luxury in small country +inns--arranged with a carter to convey me on the next stage of my +journey, and absolutely refused to accept any payment. I was, he +said, the first Englishman to visit his inn, and that was honour. His +servants also refused to accept gratuities--for the same reason. + +That was north, a country possessing great agricultural wealth. The +district is but a score miles from the Imperial cattle reserve, and the +supply is so great as to appear illimitable. Naturally, the Russians +have been drawing upon it for their increased needs. But they have lost +ground in this territory, as they have where the Japanese have attacked +them. Amongst my notes of February, I have: “Three hundred Cossacks +from Liaoyang crossed the Liao plain, and rode to the mountains. +They visited I-chow and Kuan-ning, then by way of Tung-na-ku and +Hsiao-hei-shan went to Lao-ta-tsu, where a post is established.” This +town was in the southern district much nearer established Chinese +authority than is Hsinmintun. At the end of April the Cossacks had +commenced to denude the country of cattle, going out in troops of +fifty, each accompanied by a Chinese interpreter. Each troop considered +it an unlucky day when a bullock apiece had not been captured. The +Russians also requisitioned cattle from the Tartar generals, and if +sufficient were not forthcoming, at once renewed their demand for all +the Chinese troops in the Fengtien province to be disarmed. + +The Chinese of these parts were simply bullied by the Russians into +parting with everything they possessed, and their Chinese officials +were dispossessed of the little authority which had been allowed to +remain. The same harsh rule was applied in even greater force in the +north, and the Tartar general at Kirin is supposed either to have +died of broken heart, or to have committed suicide in order to avoid +dishonour. + +Another note of mine of much later date shows a different state of +affairs in this neutral territory. In August thirty Cossacks were seen +near Hsiao, riding two on each pony; two miles behind a force of about +three hundred bandits were in hot pursuit. + +To obtain further meat supplies the Russians purchased at Kulan Fair +and Ha-lao, on the Mongolian frontier. In neutral territory they seldom +paid for their supplies, merely gave a receipt for the beasts they took +away, and sometimes tied that to the horns of the cattle driven into +the Russian lines. The extent of the enormous traffic may be judged +from the fact, that as many as a thousand head of cattle have been +delivered in Mukden in one day from the Hsinmintun road alone. + +The villagers were powerless to protect their property, so bought the +aid of the hill men, all of whom are more or less engaged in horse and +cattle dealing. Hence after the raids, there were counter raids and +border warfare. The hill men number between fifty and eighty thousand, +and from them soldiers are recruited. Their leaders are all known to +the Chinese government, at least by name; some have been and some +still are in government service, acting as independent police for the +protection of the frontier and for the purpose of preventing cattle +raids. + +The conditions were bad before the war began; they have since grown +increasingly worse. Russian outposts were attacked, and had to be +abandoned, and with the exception of the road between Hsinmintun and +Mukden, which the Russians must keep open to get through supplies from +China, it is doubtful if there are now any Russian soldiers stationed +in neutral territory. The hill men grew bolder as the Japanese +successes followed each other, and in the summer they agreed upon +common action and scoured the country, driving the Russians before them +and killing all whom they could capture. + +At first they had their own leaders, two of whom I met, but latterly +they have been organized and commanded by Japanese, who wear Chinese +dress, and have queues fastened inside their caps. The hill men are now +an irregular force of raiders, quite free from Chinese control, and are +being used to annoy the Russians, and where possible to break up the +line, hinder railway communications, and hamper the Russians in getting +through food supplies from Mongolia. + +They are all well armed, mostly with modern German magazine rifles. +They lead a wild, free life, preying on those villagers who will not +employ them, upon well-to-do native travellers and traders, and most +of all upon the Russians, for a Hunghus is as proud of having slain a +Russian soldier as an American Indian was of a Sioux scalp. + +For Chinamen they may be considered brave, that is to say, when they +are superior in numbers, about five to one,--they will attack openly +Russians conveying cattle, and they are sufficiently daring to make +night attacks on villages known to be harbouring Chinese who favour +their foes. In no circumstances would they make such attacks as the +Japanese have made at Port Arthur, Tashichiao and Liaoyang. + +The Russian political agent to Mongolia, a Siberian named Gromov, +whom I met in Harbin and at Port Arthur, has been trying through his +Mongolian acquaintances to win over some of these Chinese hill men of +the north to the Russian side, but apparently without any success. +The bandits attacked Tehling, got away with some stores, and set fire +to more, but in my opinion their finest recorded exploit is their +successful attack on the Russian gunboat _Sivouch_, which, in order +to escape the Japanese, went up the Liao to Estahbien on high spring +tides. The _Sivouch_, an old vessel of 943 tons register, steamed down +to Liao bar when H.M.S. _Espiègle_ arrived from Chenwantao to render +assistance to British residents, and, according to the Chinese version +current, drove the British warship away. The Hunghuses attacked by +night, firing upon her at short range from the high _kowliang_ growing +on the banks, and from behind the many embankments made in that +district to keep flood-water off the land. Each night the attack became +more serious; the rifle bullets pierced the ship’s sides, and she was +then blown up and sunk by her crew, who escaped by way of old Newchwang +to Liaoyang. + +When the Japanese, three days later, sent their gunboat up the river to +engage her, they found only a newspaper correspondent in possession, +and with him a number of Chinese soldiers intended for her protection. +The Japanese arrested the correspondent, and gave him a passage on +their vessel down the river, but not before he had managed to acquire +and secrete the gilded Imperial Eagle from her bows as a souvenir of +his excursion. + +The homes of these hill men are up in the mountain fastnesses, to which +there are only rough paths up which their sturdy Mongolian ponies will +scramble at a fair pace. Many of their leaders ride on donkeys, and +Wang, one of the smartest, when last I met him, was riding a fine dark +brown jackass, which, he informed me, he would not exchange for any +pony in the country. In Manchuria and North China the richest men ride +mules, and ordinarily a good saddle mule is worth more money than a +pony of equal quality. + +The Hunghus towns and villages are surrounded with a low wall, have +gates, and small forts with jingals at frequent intervals, commanding +all the approaches. It is one of the ordinances of China that even +every village must have its surrounding wall. Though this fence may be +of mud and only a few feet high, without gates, and used as a promenade +in muddy weather, it nevertheless exists. In some of the villages on +the plain the walls also have forts; these forts have cannon about as +large and very much of the shape of an old blunderbus barrel. And there +is always a diminutive flag over the fort, whose walls and moat, or +trench, there is not a correspondent’s waler could not jump easily, +and a clever horse would jump both in and out of the fort, as an Irish +horse jumps a stone wall. The forts are just such toys as enterprising +boys make on the sea-beach for their amusement, and of no greater +military importance. + +The strength of the Hunghuses lies in their bravery; they do not fear +their own countrymen; of foreigners they have a wholesome dread. + +The Russians were so uneducated they knew not what to do, nor what to +want. Ordinarily you could pass through their lines with ease. When it +was difficult, or the correspondent too lazy, a Chinaman was employed. +One I sent into the fort to see what was being done there, to find out +how many guns were in position and what they were. He was an educated +man, but passed in as a coolie, and as a coolie was detained until he +had done a day’s work with the others. + +There was a spy who wished to get plans of the fort and of the +fortifications around it. He stayed in a Chinese village near by, went +in and out and about; hid when necessary in the hollows where Chinese +coffins have fallen in on the corpses, and when hard pressed he came +back to Yingkow. The authorities, aided by their English secretary, +were after him there, but it did not suit the correspondents to have +one who had posed as of their profession to be caught thus red-handed. +He was hidden among Chinese in a riverside village, and as the train +was searched for him every morning, he had to get underneath one of the +cars before dawn, and hang on to the gear there until the train reached +the next station. + +This was an exceptional case. Ordinarily the correspondent and +the Chinese helpers were equal to every occasion. For a monetary +consideration commensurate with the risk they ran, they would take the +correspondent almost anywhere. He got into a covered Peking cart, and +left the rest to his men. The cart would dawdle along when nearing a +Russian picket, until a number of native carts joined the procession. +At the post there would be a crowd; if you kept your cover down, other +Chinese carts with native passengers did so; whilst they were being +examined your driver contrived to get into the line of those passed as +correct. At most you wanted only two or three carts. Those in advance +acted as scouts, their drivers warning your carter what was happening +ahead. Success in spying depends not so much in ability to get out of +difficult situations as in having the good sense to avoid them. + +For most of the mistakes the correspondents made they were themselves +to blame. The credulity with which they absorbed rumour was equalled +only by the avidity with which they sought news. Some might consider +their colleagues to be their worst enemies. One would ask another what +he thought of the serious position created by General Ma bringing +40,000 Chinese soldiers outside the Great Wall of China. He questioned +to get the speaker’s idea of the extent of the seriousness, not daring +to own that he had not received the news, or questioning the fact +itself. After a general talk all round, some one of the crowd was as +likely as not to wire off as news what was only an assumed state of +affairs. In this way the Japanese were reported to have torpedoed a +pilot boat, to have captured half South Manchuria before they left +Korea, and to have achieved numerous impossibilities. + +The Russian officials were not guiltless. The cabling of a little false +news afforded them an excuse for being rid of a correspondent when his +presence was not desired. Trap after trap was set, and he was indeed +wary or inactive who escaped them all. + +There was one item of somewhat sensational interest most adroitly +launched. An officer at Yingkow heard from two army officers who had +arrived from Liaoyang that an American newspaper correspondent, who had +gone there without having his papers in order, had sought refuge with a +countrywoman of his resident there, and that for harbouring him she had +been flogged by the order of the commander-in-chief. The alleged victim +was a Miss Alice Clery, who had been for some years in the Orient, and +was one of the few persons of American nationality who were heart and +soul with the Russians in their struggle against the Japanese. At Port +Arthur, in order to be with them, she had volunteered for Red Cross +work, and through the influence of friends on the Viceroy’s staff had +been found quarters at Liaoyang. That much was true, and it was also a +fact that the correspondent had made her acquaintance. The remainder +of the story was open to question. The manner in which it was started +was quite clever. In course of general conversation with a British +trader in Yingkow, a hint was dropped by an army officer that British +and American correspondents, and those who helped them, had not much +favour at the hands of General Kuropatkin. The man mentioned the fact +to a resident, who told me jocosely what I might expect. Thereupon I +interviewed the officer, who, most reluctantly, informed me of what +his brother officers had told him. He believed them. It was a possible +story. He did not, and could not, vouch for the facts, as he was not +at Liaoyang at the time, but he knew this, that, and the other which +corroborated everything he had been told. I went to the censor and +asked him to be good enough to straighten out the story, if I had the +details wrong. He had heard the officers tell the same story, heard +that the woman received twenty-five lashes, and had no reason to doubt +the statement at all. He deplored the occurrence, but it was not for +him to question any action of the commander-in-chief. + +Here was a story which an American journalist could turn into a rousing +article--and it was vouched for sufficiently. + +It lacked probability. Russian officers would not be guilty of such +barbarity. Sooner or later such an occurrence would be known, for +there were American military attachés and newspaper correspondents at +Liaoyang, and when it was known, the political consequences would be +such that any officer guilty of an act of that kind would have trouble. +For every offence, short of crime, which a foreigner of either sex +may commit the Russians have one penalty--the offender is banished +from Russian territory. It is a short and effective way out of many +difficulties, one unlikely to lead to a diplomatic incident or cause +future trouble. This report needed more evidence than hearsay to +substantiate an event so improbable, and the correspondents again saved +themselves. + +Etzel had repeatedly suggested to me that by getting a junk we might +reach Kaiping or Port Adams or Port Arthur, and find out what the +Japanese were doing. It was a proposal I negatived. The risks were +greater than the results appeared to promise. He was very keen on the +scheme, and ultimately made the attempt in the company of the _Daily +Mail_ representative. A few days before he embarked he accompanied me +as far as Kaopantze, in the neutral territory, where he was getting +together the necessaries for his voyage. The matter was kept quite +secret. Instead of going to Messrs. Bush Bros., or Bandinel & Co., +and having a junk and crew known on the river, or even obtaining the +protection of their house flag, he chartered through an Englishman +a small, light, fast-sailing junk of the type known locally as “sea +swallows”; it also resembles unfortunately some of the piratical +craft with which the waterways are infested. At the last moment he +was implored not to go, and almost persuaded. He seemed to have a +presentiment of approaching catastrophe. One of his friends bidding +him good-bye said he never expected to see him alive again, so he woke +up that friend between three and four the next morning to reassure +him of his mistake. Then he started--taciturn, glum and oppressed with +foreboding. + +At first all went well, but long before the “sea swallow” was out of +Chinese waters the strange craft was sighted by soldier guards on the +watch for pirates, smugglers and blockade runners. These guards bore +down on the vessel and in Oriental fashion fired first and inquired +afterwards. They were informed that there were foreigners on board, +and they hastened away. But the deed had been done. Etzel, whilst +performing his duty, had been killed accidentally in a volley fired +from behind by men with whom he had no quarrel, by men who would have +risked their lives to save his. + + + + +CHAPTER IX + +Consuls, Correspondents and Others + + +Every British subject who attempts any business in China is handicapped +by the apathy of British consuls to individual interests. Owing to +their training they seem to live in a different atmosphere to that +inhabited by the ordinary residents in the treaty ports, are shut off +from the ideals of the people of the settlement in which they live, +have aspirations of quite a dissimilar character, and are absolutely +out of touch with the more enterprising of their own nationals. + +For them, the individual, unless he be an offender, does not exist. +They serve some abstract creation of their own imagination, to which +they give the name of Crown, or British empire; their objects in life +appear to be the possession of a mastery over the Chinese language, +and some practice in diplomatic pursuits. They are always gentlemen, +usually men of brains, and occasionally men possessing some force of +character. But they belong to a well-defined high social caste; they +are sinologues, and so full of Chinese, that not only their sympathies, +but their proclivities even, are tinged with the tone pervading the +Celestial empire. + +There are no consulates in China possessing the aloofness which +characterizes the British; all Consuls but the British consider +the needs of the individual out in China; they guard the interests +of their nationals, and do all they possibly can to push ahead +their enterprises, and so help the individual to become wealthy +and influential, and thus valuable to the country to which he owes +allegiance. The American Consulates are in marked contrast to the +British, because the American representatives are first of all American +citizens, men who have a knowledge of the world and its ways, who look +upon commerce and business as things deserving interest, attention, +and development. American Consuls have not even a nodding acquaintance +with the Chinese language, and know next to nothing of Chinese customs, +laws, literature, or ideals; but they do know quite well what the +American citizens need, and they do their utmost to secure for their +nationals all they are justified in obtaining. No business is too small +for their attention, no enterprise too great or too daring for their +consideration. It is because of the aid they are to business men and to +commerce that American trade has advanced so rapidly in the markets +of China. People are anxious to be in American businesses, or to have +Americans in business with them, because of the assistance the American +consular service extends to those of their nationals who are engaged +in lawful commerce, and the American Consul no less heartily than the +British penalizes those of his compatriots who abuse the people of the +country in which they live. I was told that in one treaty port, in +so short a time as two months, more than fifty British subjects had +applied to the American Consul for advice or assistance, or to inquire +in what manner they could become American citizens, or acquire the +right to the protection and support of the American flag. + +The reason for the preference is appreciated at once by those who have +had experience of both. If you call on the American Consul, there is +no one to bar your way; you walk straight through into the office and +sit down; if you speak English, no other passport or introduction is +required, and you start right in and talk to a man who does understand +your position, does know what you want to do, for he knows men, +and the world, and life, and has not been reared in a cold storage +establishment grappling all his days with Mandarin Chinese and fine +print. And being a man, he is interested in you and in what you say. +Then he says: “I can’t advise you, because you are a British subject; +but if you were an American citizen, I should tell you to do what you +want to do, and you would get through, because, if any Chinese official +wanted to stop you, I should see he didn’t.” + +If you call upon a big British Consul on business, it is as well to +be sure that you have all your identification papers on your person, +for you are liable to want them before you reach an inner door. At the +Consulate you are confronted by an array of stalwart Chinese in gaudy +uniforms, and flaunting the red cockade of official employ. There are +corridors and passages, and boards with printed notices thereon; and +doors painted “Private,” and “Judge’s Entrance,” with other legends +forbidding your progress; there is a real British constable, and men +in khaki, and a waiting-room like that of a club doctor’s surgery. You +wait. The place suggests in turn a petty sessions court, a railway +station waiting-room, and the vestry of a Nonconformist Chapel. You +expect to see horse-hair wigs, and horse-hair furniture, and wonder +which is the way to the cells, and whether the Consul has the “Black +Cap,” and if so, where that is kept. After the usual formalities you +may see the Consul; as likely as not he will seem old and careworn, +and look as though it were Sunday and he was not where he ought to be, +but you had caught him. He will fidget with a monocle and shuffle +papers, and gaze round at the plainest of plain official furniture +as though searching for the logograms which his eyes love. And you +will see that his hours of sunshine have been spent under an umbrella +poring over books, and his evenings in gazing at the dust a few feet in +front of a bicycle wheel. And the man will be stiff, and frigid, and +metaphorically covered with the dust of ages, but only metaphorically, +for from the way of him you know that he washes in cold water many +times a day. You know that he goes to bed early, and to most things +has a conscientious objection, and to all enterprise is a passive +resister. You will bore the consul--and he will bore you, for he knows +not your world, nor is he acquainted with the age you live in. He +awes you. It may be 120° F. outside in the sun, but this office and +its occupant produce a soul-chill; you get up and steal silently away +before something breaks, and you emerge into the sunlight with the +same feeling you have when you get out of your cold bath after having +remained in it half an hour too long. When you are really outside +and hastening away, you turn to see if the motto under the British +coat-of-arms over the doorway does not read “_Non possumus_,” and you +wonder what the Consul does besides sentencing British subjects to +deportation, and why they are deported, and how, and when, and whether +it is done in public like a Chinese execution. And if you can help it, +you do not go to that dreadful place again ever. + +It is a deplorable state of things in any British settlement to have +British residents dislike meeting their Consul, to be uneasy in his +presence, dissatisfied with his work, and, for practical business +purposes, regardless of his existence. Every one out East knows that +the British consular service needs remodelling, modernizing, and +vitalizing with a new spirit--the spirit with which the British nation +of to-day is imbued. It is useless blaming the system, or the men, or +attempting to tinker with the existing service. In the State as in +factories to retain and attempt to work with worn-out tools is false +economy, and gives an advantage to better equipped competitors. We +advise our manufacturers to throw their old-fashioned machinery on +to the scrap heap, and start in with new machines and new methods, +as being the only sensible way in which to attain success. So with +the Chinese consular service, we cannot expect these men to adapt +themselves to new conditions, to cut out their high faluting with +international high diplomacy, and come down to brass tacks. + +Fortunately for British newspaper correspondents, Consul-General +Miller, the United States representative at Newchwang, was of the +right type, and drew no fine distinctions between British subjects and +American citizens. War correspondents of both nationalities seemed +equally welcome, and both stayed in his house. His exertions on their +behalf were so strenuous and constant that had he made any marked +difference because of nationality alone, those correspondents who were +British subjects might as well have left Newchwang. Only one of the +many correspondents he worked for so hard succeeded in exhausting his +patience. This was an American, a man of tireless energy and unlimited +push, who was first on one side, then on the other, and consequently +continuously in hot water, and needing his Consul’s interference. Said +the Consul one day: “You will not follow my advice, you do what you +know you ought not to attempt; so henceforth I wash my hands of you +entirely; I do not know you, and I will not interfere again on your +behalf.” And the journalist answered, “Consul, you cannot be rid of +your responsibilities so easily. If I am in any difficulty here with +either the Russian or the Japanese authorities, I shall be brought +to your consulate, and as an American citizen I shall claim your +protection, and you will refuse it at your peril.” And he got into +trouble again, and was taken to the consulate, and the Consul helped +him. Would a British Consul have done so for one of his own nationals +in similar circumstances? + +The doyen of the consular corps at Newchwang was the British Consul, +Mr. H. E. Fulford, C.M.G., and the difference between British and +American consular methods is afforded by the _Fawan_ incident. Early +in the war the _Chicago Daily News_ chartered a British steamer, the +_Fawan_, as a press dispatch boat, and she cruised in the Yellow Sea. +In April she approached the Liao river, and, as required then by the +regulations of the port of Newchwang, lay to, off the outer bar, for +inspection by the Russian authorities. After being twenty-six hours at +anchor there, the Russian launch came off, boarded her, and finding +that she was a press boat, informed the correspondents that Newchwang +being then under martial law their boat could not proceed up the +river. But the Russians ascertained that there were two Japanese on +board, engaged in the capacity of cabin boys. Thereupon they declared +that they seized the boat, and ordered her captain to follow them up +the river. The captain wished to take a pilot, but this request was +not granted, the officer in command of the launch stating that the +launch would pilot the _Fawan_. Soon the Russian launch ran on to a +sandbank and remained fast; the _Fawan_ also ran ashore, but got off +again quickly, and continued her voyage up stream. She landed the two +correspondents, Mr. Washburn and Mr. Little, and they proceeded to the +British Consul to place particulars of their case before him, as the +boat was under the British flag, and, though complying with the port +regulations, had been arrested, and they feared that the same fortune +would be theirs, and they had been informed that the cabin boys might +be treated as spies, and possibly shot. + +The British Consul listened to the facts, and stated that he could not +do anything in the matter. It was true that the _Fawan_ was a British +ship flying the British flag; it was true that Great Britain had a +treaty of alliance with Japan, but he thought the correspondents ought +not to have brought the _Fawan_ where they did; and he thought that, +as they stated, the Russians would arrest them, and possibly send them +home by way of Moscow; that they would confiscate the _Fawan_, and +might treat the two cabin boys as spies. He thought the Russians would +be within their rights if they did as the correspondents feared they +might do; and if they did do so, he could not interfere. + +The correspondents went next to the American consulate. Mr. Miller +obtained release for the correspondents from arrest, the _Fawan_ was +set free, the correspondents were on board her when she left Newchwang, +and the two Japanese were allowed to proceed to their own country by +the usual route. + +Shortly after this incident closed Mr. Fulford was promoted to the post +of Acting Consul-General at Tientsin. It is usual in North China, when +any resident leaves a settlement, for the Chinese and others to let off +many crackers, and to gather at the point of departure to wish him a +safe and prosperous journey. This is more particularly the case when a +resident leaves a locality on promotion to higher office. At Yingkow I +have several times seen the railway platform crowded when a European +has been going simply on leave, or for a change of air. On the occasion +of Mr. Fulford’s departure the only persons present to wish him “Good +luck and God speed” were a clerk from his office and myself. I was +astonished at this lack of courtesy, but soon I was to meet the Consul +again. + +At this time there were about twenty correspondents at Newchwang, and +naturally each of us who had any item of news was jealous of it, and +guarded the secret carefully until some hours after it had been cabled +away. Both Etzel and myself were aware of a leakage somewhere, but we +were unable to discover in what way news we believed to be ours only +had proved to be commonly known elsewhere. We adopted every precaution, +had the privacy of the telegraph room respected as far as we were +able, and Etzel went to two relay stations to investigate conditions +there; messages were forwarded from different places, and the usual +means adopted to have exclusive news got through to its destination at +the earliest possible moment. I have already stated that any Chinese +coolie taking a message could be made to show it to a European who +offered a sufficient bribe or threatened bobbery, but this does not +indicate the general lack of secretiveness amongst the Europeans +resident in North China. It is a common practice to send round an +“express,” or open letter, by a Chinese carrier, who shows it to any +and every European who is minded to read its contents. This possibly +has something to do with the general publicity given to all matters in +China. It does not account for some of the practices of the Europeans +themselves. For instance, in Chifu ship-masters who had undertaken to +deliver messages at a given address offered to sell the news these +messages contained to news correspondents stationed in that port; +men entrusted with messages to wire from within the Great Wall would +open them in the presence of correspondents and read aloud the news +the other correspondent was dispatching. The whole business was beset +with difficulties, and neither belligerent would permit code or cipher +messages to be dispatched. + +Early in June I had occasion to visit Tientsin, and on the afternoon +of my arrival I met Mr. Archibald, of _Collier’s Weekly_, who told me +that he had just seen in the telegraph office a notice directing copies +of all cables to be sent to a resident in Tientsin. Whatever may be +the law and usage in China, I had always regarded the contents of a +telegram once in the office for transmission as secret. It seemed to +me that the case was equivalent to the conveyance of animals or goods; +the owner was responsible for their safe keeping until delivery had +been made to the carriers, when his liability ceased, and that of the +carriers commenced. This Chinese method of dealing with messages was +new to me; Dr. Morrison had never mentioned its existence. + +Subsequently we two correspondents were joined in Tientsin by Mr. +Richard Little, representing the _Chicago Daily News_, and together we +went to the head office of the Imperial Chinese Railway Telegraphs, +where we saw in the instrument-room the notice directing that a copy +of telegrams from Yingkow and other places, intended for the Eastern +Telegraph Company was to be sent to Mr. Fenton, of the _Tientsin +Press_. The notice was signed by Mr. N. F. Huang, who is the director +of telegraphs, and it is a striking instance of the laxity of Chinese +Railway Telegraph administration. + +[Illustration: FACSIMILE OF AN ORDER IN THE CHINESE TELEGRAPH OFFICE AT +TIENTSIN.] + +At the date the notice was signed there were in Yingkow L. L. Etzel, +of the _Daily Telegraph_; W. O. Greener, the _Times_; F. MacCullagh, +_New York Herald_; Dr. G. E. Morrison, the _Times_; Lieut.-Col. C. +Norris-Newman, the _Daily Mail_, besides Reuter’s representative and +three correspondents of Continental newspapers. During the three +months and upwards it had been posted over the receiving clerk’s desk +representatives of all the great newspapers in England and America had +visited Yingkow, and the number of cables dispatched from there and +“other places” must have amounted to hundreds, for the transmission of +which thousands of dollars had been accepted. + +We acquired that notice before we left the offices, and after it had +been photographed I took it to the British consulate, and showed it +to Mr. H. E. Fulford, H.B.M.’s Acting Consul-General at Tientsin. +I explained to him where I had seen the notice, and reminded him +that when he was at Newchwang there were upwards of a dozen special +correspondents dispatching messages from Yingkow. + +He asked me what I wished him to do. + +I told him that I should like him to advise me what to do, as it +was a serious matter for correspondents. He answered testily that +he could not advise me. I then asked him to be good enough to make +a note of the document. This he said he did not want to do, and the +notice he returned to me without any comment upon the affair, but with +expressions of annoyance at my appearance. In his words, I “looked as +though I owned the consulate,” and not wishing to dispute proprietary +rights with the man in possession, I withdrew. It was the first time +I had been in Tientsin; I knew that this matter was one which would +be viewed by all special correspondents as affecting their interests +vitally, and it was clear that the British Consul was disinclined to +interfere actively in the business, or advise me how to proceed against +the powerful and influential Chinese corporation, with which H. E., the +Viceroy Yuan-shi-kai himself, is directly connected. + +At the same time it was clear to us three correspondents that the +Chinese authorities must be impressed, to a greater extent than they +had shown, with our view of the inviolability of telegrams entrusted +to their care. In this we thought that the local representative of the +cable company might be able to render us some assistance. + +Mr. Fenton, in addition to being the representative of Reuter’s agency, +was the director of the Tientsin Press, a company owning a daily +newspaper, the _Peking and Tientsin Times_. The local manager of the +Eastern Cable Company, the assistant-superintendent of the Chinese +Imperial Telegraphs, and the assistant-editor of the _Peking and +Tientsin Times_, all messed with Mr. Fenton--practically they all lived +together--as they had a perfect right to do, whatever correspondents +might think, or wish to have otherwise. + +We three correspondents were equal to the occasion. On three different +dates we returned to the north. The local manager of the Cable Company +was transferred to Chifu, and the assistant-superintendent of the +Imperial Telegraphs to Peking. The _Peking and Tientsin Times_, from +being indubitably pro-Russian, showed signs of wavering, and at once +the _China Review_, a new daily paper, was started to voice Russian +opinion in Tientsin. + +I have been told that the Russian authorities are claiming a heavy +indemnity from the Imperial Railway Telegraphs; and if any one can +obtain an indemnity, the Russians of all people are most likely to +succeed. + +As correspondent of the _China Times_, a daily newspaper published +in Tientsin, I was able to get news of the capture of Newchwang +into Tientsin before the Japanese authorities received any official +notification of the event, and in reporting the subsequent movements of +the Japanese in the north-east, the _China Times_ was so far in advance +of other announcements that I was able to satisfy myself that there +was no leakage of news in the telegraph offices at Tientsin. + +The British residents in the Far East are very British, have all the +old-fashioned British insular prejudices, and amongst these they +cherish dearly the dislike of unknown acquaintances. The etiquette of +the settlement is an extension of the etiquette of railway travelling +in Great Britain. The first passenger to occupy a seat in a compartment +resents the intrusion of a stranger; and if two strangers are going a +long journey, half the distance will probably be covered before they +speak to each other; then possibly they get so interested in each other +that both regret they did not start the acquaintance earlier. That is +the China coast. The new-comer, a stranger, a sort of interloper, must +be watched, and taught that there was some one in the country before +he arrived. In the course of time, perhaps not long before he leaves +the country and its residents for ever, he is one of them. He is an old +timer, a Shanghai-lander himself. He forgets then the icy chilliness +of his reception, and becomes as the others. How often you hear your +fellow-passenger on the railway say, “We do not want any one else in +here!” as he assumes his most formidable aspect, and frowns through +the window, glaring at the would-be passengers seeking for seats. And +sometimes people will even give a tip to the railway servants, so that +they themselves “shall not be disturbed.” And the China coast men do +not want new settlers--except the officials Government imposes; they +do not want to be disturbed; do not want Americans, or Germans, or +any other settlers, not even British, and they have a law, long since +abolished in England, by which the British Consul can exile, or banish, +or deport any British subject from the settlement. It is the hoary +penalty of the ancients; it is the practice of Russia, and its survival +amongst British people in their own settlement is an anomaly. + +The British residents tell you they are there for business, and not +for their health; they are intent on making money, and in making +money there are methods practised in the Far East which would not be +tolerated in Great Britain; but neither would banishment, nor hundreds +of things accepted as correct in China. Their love for the home country +is purely sentimental; it does not enter into business matters. I was +talking trade with a big importing commission merchant one day, a +respected British resident, and I asked him why, as a Briton, he did +not sell, or try to sell, more British manufactures, and so help the +people at home, who are struggling against poverty because they cannot +get work. His reason I had never heard adduced by any one. “I should +like to handle more British manufactured goods, and so would we all, +but we cannot prevail upon British manufacturers to make goods of such +bad quality as Germans and others make. We are commission merchants; +we want as many transactions as we can get. We are not going to sell +English stuff goods, because they will not wear out soon enough; nor +English-made goods, because they do not break. If English manufacturers +will put in rotten material, and make flimsy articles, so that very +soon after the buyers use them they are finished, and the buyers want +more, then we will purchase English goods, but not until they do! We +buy German, Belgian, and even American products in preference.” + +Perhaps those experts who are so constantly advising the British +manufacturer to produce goods the foreign buyer wants, will tell him +now not to attempt good work, but give shoddy and Brummagem goods, and +thus increase British exports, and make trade flourish. + +The foreign resident renders less to Great Britain than he takes from +her. He contributes nothing in the way of taxes; he expects to have a +British gunboat, or the British fleet, to protect his property whenever +it is threatened, and the use of British subsidized steamers for the +regular conveyance of his mails and himself, and bring him foreign-made +goods, and take home tea, which competes with British produce, and a +lot of other things we do not find necessary either to our comfort or +our existence. + +The foreign residents, even of British nationality, take the Russian +side in this war; they believe in a white race; they have a decided +bias against the “yellow man”; they do not and cannot understand the +Japanese victories. + +In April the German Consul-General went to Newchwang to advise his +nationals on their attitude during the war. He was asked as to the +protection of the property the German subjects there possessed, and +if it would be possible to obtain compensation for damages sustained +during the war. He answered that if the damage to German property +resulted from Japanese action, then he thought compensation would be +obtained, because Japan, being the weaker Power, could be coerced into +indemnifying German subjects for such losses as they might sustain. But +if the damage was due to Russian action, then in his opinion it would +be a much more difficult matter to obtain any compensation. After his +departure the British flag over various properties was lowered, and the +German ensign hoisted in its place. + +In neutral territory one had opportunities for the study of human +character, of observing the policies of both belligerents, gauging the +temperament of the Chinese, and noting the peculiarities of the foreign +residents. Taken altogether, the newspaper correspondents themselves +were more interesting from the point of view of the student than were +the men of any one class. For the newspaper men had more individuality, +wider experience, and deeper sympathies. There was more to them than +to men of any other category. It is said, playfully perhaps, that the +_Times_ men form a distinct class; that in no possible circumstance can +one be quite an ordinary individual or ever act as one. However this +may be, the men themselves do not much resemble each other, and afford +strong contrasts. Dr. Morrison, essentially the schoolmaster, never +forgetful of the dignity of his position and faithful to commonest +conventions; Captain L. James, dashing, adroit, robust, so intent on +his work that he forgets self; but Kand. J. Hoeck possesses a spirit +cast in a different mould. Few persons could carry his learning without +losing their individuality, but it merely enhances his characteristics. +Kand. J. Hoeck is the only correspondent I met who could perceive +clearly and instantly the result of every occurrence; who could look +beyond the war to its effects upon Russians, Japanese, Chinese, +foreign residents and upon the inhabitants of Europe and America. He +perceived the stirring events of the great struggle; from them he +could appraise the ultimate issue. And Kand. Hoeck, of all the men, +was most likely not only to be right, but to champion the cause of +right through thick and thin as long as he lived, however unpopular +and derided that cause might be. A man to whom conventions were idle +as the wind that blows, a man with whom human nature is the only thing +that counts. Personal predilections, tastes, preferences, theories, +all went down before Kand. Hoeck’s reasoning like corks on a pool +table. He discounted individual idiosyncrasies and seized the tendency +of the aggregate of a class, a race, a group of nations and not +one--individual, race, or group of nationalities--but he would be ready +to uplift, to urge onward to better things, to higher and more humane +civilizations--a man to whom the world will yet listen attentively. +By the side of Kand. Hoeck other men appeared superficial, they faded +into insignificance, their very _raison d’être_ seemed trivial in the +extreme. + +Of these others, the Americans were the more interesting: as a class +more frank, more generous, men of greater nature and deeper soul; +and they individually varied as much as the primary colours in the +spectrum. There was one, a typical journalist, experienced, clever, +adept and pushful. He came to us accompanied by a telegraph operator +with an instrument and gear for tapping the wires, and a scheme for +the exclusive use of the telegraph lines of North China by newspaper +correspondents. He met a man, the offspring of a Chinese mother and +British father, who clung to his mother’s nationality, and held with +success a responsible position under the Russian administration--a +man of great ability and some erudition, learned in the lore of the +Chinese ancients, and modern Western philosophies. The American +journalist seemed to have been astounded by the antiquity of China, +the remoteness of its civilization, the wondrous perfection of its +scheme of corporate social life. He unburdened himself to the official, +taking him for a full-blooded Chinaman of unusual cleverness and much +learning. He filled that man so full of hot air that he did not know +to which world he rightly belonged, so great became his own idea of +his own importance. The journalist went away, and the man talked to +Etzel as he had talked to the other journalist. Now Etzel was as good +a friend as ever breathed, and loved everything that lived, but he +had an American’s conventional ideas with reference to the proper +place of yellow-skinned men in the scheme of creation, and whether +Chinaman, or half-Chinaman he did not rank this man so highly as the +other journalist had done. The man took offence; he persisted in +pressing upon Etzel the other journalist’s reasoned-out contention of +the superiority of the Chinese; he refused to be assuaged by a friendly +invitation to partake of the rough-and-ready supper they were eating +in the Club; he even became quarrelsome, put his hand into the fold of +his waistcoat; and Etzel, thinking he was trying to find his revolver, +as he had threatened to do, just put out one hand towards that man’s +face, sent him sprawling backwards and senseless on to the floor by the +blow, and with the other hand held out his plate for more sausage. Ten +minutes later that still unconscious man was borne to his room by the +Chinese boys and a friendly newspaper man. + +The foreign resident in China is more prone to deteriorate, to become +celestialized, than he is to uplift his Chinese associates to his +manner of living, his way of thinking, his standard of civilization. +And this doubtless is more common in North China, where the residents +do and must speak the language of the country, than it is in the +south, where English-speaking Chinese are far more numerous. +Probably among no alien race does the Englishman so rapidly lose his +essential characteristics as he does in China. In appearance he is +the Englishman still, well clothed, spotlessly clean, groomed to +perfection, affable, courteous, thorough, but _au fond_ tainted with +oriental tendencies. The merchant, owing to closer intercourse and +more frequent exchange of thoughts on matters of common interest, +is more quickly and more thoroughly impregnated than is even the +missionary--with the possible exception of those missionaries who adopt +Chinese clothes and the Chinese manner of living. The intercourse is +deleterious to the foreigner’s character. His children, if educated in +China, are British in appearance and name--in all that makes the man, +in all that differentiates the born Briton from men of other races, +the China-raised resident is wanting. An impressionable personality +perceives the difference immediately; he is face to face with men the +like of whom he has never met. It is said that some are so thoroughly +changed that a person of the opposite sex will shudder at their +touch, just as one would from contact with a Chinaman. In time this +sensibility is lessened; it is never caused by Englishmen not raised in +China, nor by all who are, for it is possible to avoid this absorption +of Chinese ideals, adoption of Chinese manners and the way of looking +at all things from the Chinaman’s point of view; but it appears to +be difficult to continue doing so when one lives constantly amongst +the Chinese. This in my opinion is the real “yellow peril” Europe will +have to fear when she is actually in close contact with masses of the +pure-bred yellow-skinned race--the people who do not, will not, cannot +change. + + + + +CHAPTER X + +The Battle of Tashichiao + + +In this war a battle usually signifies a number of engagements in +different localities carried out simultaneously, and often being +continued for several consecutive days. It is somewhat difficult for +any but military experts to understand the value of each particular +movement, and not easy to give an account of them all in a way which +will be readily comprehensible. Tashichiao, preceding Liaoyang and +Sakhé, was of the same character as those more famous encounters; I +saw the fighting on the west of the front, whilst the movement which +decided the real issue took place at another time on the extreme east. + +To understand the battle it is necessary to know the position of the +belligerents. + +The Japanese were attempting to turn the Russian army of occupation +out of Manchuria by forcing them north along the line of the Eastern +Chinese Railway between Harbin and Port Arthur. The line between Mukden +and the Kwan-tung peninsula, runs over the flat plain on the west +of the chain of rocky mountains, some 4,000 feet high. West of the +railway is the sea and the river Liao and its tributaries, the Hun-ho, +Sha-ho and Tai-tsu. At the end of June the Japanese had a strong force +investing Port Arthur, they had established themselves in the northern +portion of the Kwan-tung peninsula and after the battle of Telissu the +Russians evacuated all the “neutral zone,” intended as a buffer for +Port Arthur, and were just north of that boundary, which extends from +Kaiping on the west, up the Tuntai Valley and down the Ta-yang-ho to +its port on the Yellow Sea. + +The Japanese first army under General Kuroki was following the old +main road from the Yalu River at Antung, to Liaoyang, with a depôt at +Feng-huang-cheng, from which a road to the north-east leads east of +Motienling to the Liao Valley, then west to Liaoyang and north-west to +Mukden. This first army was already holding the pass on the north road +and the Motienling Pass. + +The Takushan army followed the road to Haicheng, and at Hsiu-yen sent +a force west to keep in touch with the second army under General Oku +whose headquarters were at Kaiping. + +The Japanese plan of campaign was by frontal attacks to drive the +Russians back north along the railway, and, by flank attacks through +the hill passes to the north of wherever the frontal attack was made, +induce the Russians to withdraw from opposing the frontal attack. + +General Kuropatkin had fortified Liaoyang and all the approaches +thereto from the north-east, east, and south. On the south-west he had +the Russian defences at Newchwang. + +Tashichiao junction, where the branch line from Newchwang joins the +main line, is a station nearly midway between Haicheng and Kaiping, +each being about twenty miles distant, and the town a few miles +east in the mountains, and Newchwang sixteen miles west. If the +Newchwang-Tashichiao railway were continued eastward for one hundred +miles it would reach Feng-huang-cheng, and almost parallel with that +supposed line there is a cart road to Haicheng from the east. + +At the end of June, General Kuropatkin, having then about 200,000 men +free for the operations, determined upon an offensive movement south. + +At that time the Japanese were awaiting more men for the second army +before advancing further north, and the Takushan army was driving the +Russians back towards Tashichiao. + +On June 27, the Japanese first army occupied one Feng-shui-ling, east +of Motienling, and the Takushan army another Feng-shui-ling in the +Tapien-ling pass, thirty miles west of Motienling. + +[Illustration: THE BATTLE OF TASHICHIAO.] + +The advance of General Kuroki’s force north of Motienling threatening +both Mukden and Liaoyang, the Russians attacked it on July 4; there was +a hand-to-hand fight in which the Japanese were the chief sufferers, +but eventually they maintained their position and two days later had +advanced their outposts to Hsien-chang, further to the north-east. + +On July 9, the second army, reinforced by troops landed at a “certain +place” in Liaotung Bay seized the town of Kaiping. + +The following day the Russians attacked the Takushan army at Hsien-cha, +and Hsui-tsai-Kiao, but were repulsed. + +On July 17, General Keller led the Russians against General Kuroki’s +advanced force on Motienling, but was repulsed. The Japanese advanced +north and west and occupied Hsi-ho-yen at the junction of the roads +to Mukden and Liaoyang, and some sixty miles from the latter--towards +which General Keller retreated. + +The success of a general Japanese advance depended largely upon +the possibility of concerted action, and much responsibility was +thrust upon the central force, known as the Takushan army, which had +constantly to maintain communication with both the first and second +armies, and operate almost exclusively in the hilly district which the +Chinese know as the “land of the thousand peaks.” The Takushan army +consisted of the Himeji, or Tenth Division, under the leadership of +Lieut.-Gen. Baron Kawamura. On July 22, a detachment of this force, +having pushed on towards Haicheng, surprised and surrounded a Russian +force guarding the Ta-tung-ling pass. This Russian force was composed +of a battalion of the 17th Siberian Rifles, with details. At dusk the +Japanese charged the position, carried it, and the Russians fell back +north towards Ma-shan. The Japanese declare that on this occasion +the Russians exhibited a Japanese flag before the engagement. They +responded by displaying their flag, and to this the Russians replied by +opening fire. + +It was only a trifling engagement; the Russian losses were about a +score, and the Japanese had only nine killed, but it was important +because permitting the Takushan force to occupy Pan-ling, and thus +threaten Haicheng from the south-east. + +It was now incumbent on the Takushan army to make good their position. +Advancing slowly they found the Russians had extensive defences on the +hills to the north of Hung-yao-ling and a line of guns in position +from that point through Chang-san-ku to San-chiao-shan, with three +battalions of infantry east of Ma-shan, or To-mu-cheng, and south of +the village of that name. The Russian forces defending the head of the +Ta-tung-ling pass were commanded by Lieut.-Gen. Alexeiev, of the Fifth +Infantry Division, and in addition to twenty-one field guns he had +several machine guns, some cavalry, and two divisions of infantry. + +The Motienling and the Ta-tung-ling passes were both being held by +strong forces to protect the flank of Kuropatkin’s army during its +intended advance south towards Port Arthur. At the same time both +passes were being attacked by General Kuroki’s army and the Takushan +army, as part of a flank attack to weaken the frontal defence opposing +the second army’s proposed advance north. During the last week in July +heavy reinforcements were sent to the Takushan army, enabling it to +make a dangerous and successful attack. + +Haicheng is a quaint Chinese town upon a plain at the foot of the +Thousand Peaks. It has long possessed fortifications and was ably +defended by a force under General Sun Sing during the China-Japanese +war, from whom it was captured by General Katsura who wintered his army +there. It was thought that the Russian commander-in-chief would make +it his stronghold, instead of Liaoyang, but he was content to improve +and greatly strengthen the then existing fortifications and regard the +position as a middle line of defence to Liaoyang. + +The outer line was nearly thirty miles south, on a range of hills +extending east and west near Tashichiao. The following positions +were strongly fortified: Taipin, and Chung-sin, west of the railway; +Tashichien and Chia-to-pu, east of it, and the ridge beginning west +with Taiushan, and ending with Taipingling, twenty-five miles east +of the railway. The east central peak of Ching-shing-shan was the +main position, protected with terraced entrenchments provided with +shell-proof roof, and looped for rifle fire. This position was further +protected by land mines--the fougasses used so successfully at Port +Arthur--with wire entanglements, abbatis and other obstructions. The +cannon were masked, and placed so as to command all approaches. This +formidable outer line of defence had been admirably planned, and +divided so that each battery covered a defined range, and the whole +protected every zone of possible offensive movements from the south, in +which direction the Russian outposts then extended over twenty miles, +that is to say reaching as far as the Tuntai Valley and the “neutral +zone.” + +The military operations of the second army to dislodge the Russians +from this strongly defended position were of a somewhat complicated +character. + +On July 23 the main force left its line of positions, the right wing +marched east as far as Liu-chia-ku--east of which the Takushan army +had driven the Russians north--then turned north. The left wing marched +north to the east of the railway line and was opposed by various bodies +of Russian troops composed of horse artillery, cavalry and infantry. At +night the Japanese forces deployed and prepared for a general attack, +which was commenced before daybreak. Pushing on rapidly the right wing +occupied positions south of Taipingling, the main body was on the +height of Shan-hsi-tu opposite the Russian centre at Ching-shing-shan. +The left wing first occupied Wutai heights, just east of the line, +until the right wing took the offensive, late in the forenoon, when it +moved west, got its artillery into position near Taipin Hill and sent +its cavalry west of the railway, and itself rested on Chuchiatun on +the line. That day, July 24, there was a heavy artillery duel, chiefly +between the Japanese west wing on Taipin, and the Russian guns on +Wangmatai. + +The Japanese main army was slow in getting its guns into position, and +the infantry advance was checked. The Russian guns commanded every +point of vantage the attacking army strived to obtain; the Japanese +guns were exposed to the Russian fire, and although their position was +changed repeatedly, and with the utmost difficulty always, owing to +the rough character of the ground in the ravines, they failed both to +secure a position of comparative safety and to silence the Russian +guns. + +The Japanese right wing, exposed though it was to the Russian fire, yet +made an attempt to advance on Taipingling. It rushed into the Russian +position, but withdrew before an overwhelming counter attack. + +The Russian supposed advance on July 23 was really a concentration +for defence against the advance of the second Japanese army, which at +sundown on July 24 occupied practically the same positions as it had +done the previous evening, with the exception of the left wing which +had extended west of the railway. + +Having that Sunday delivered a counter attack which had forced the +Japanese infantry to retire behind the hills to the south, the Russians +believed they had gained a victory, or, at least had held their ground +successfully. + +For two or three hours after sunset the Russians fired occasionally for +purposes of reconnaissance, to which the Japanese artillery made no +answer. + +At ten o’clock that night some movements of the Japanese were +observable from Taipingling, and shortly afterwards the outer defences +of that position were attacked by an overwhelming force of Japanese +infantry. The attack was successful; the Russians fell back to the +next line, which the Japanese also attacked and carried before three +o’clock the next morning. A portion of the Japanese centre then +advanced and occupied positions near Shan-shi-tsu, and there remained +only the centre position at Ching-shing-shan--adjoining Shan-shi-tsu +on the ridge--to be attacked at daylight. As soon as it was light +the Japanese artillery on Wutai-shan mountain in the rear fired a +few rounds without provoking the Russian artillery to answer. It was +then discovered that the Russian forces had moved. The right wing +and main body of the Japanese army then occupied Ching-shing-shan +without encountering any resistance, and the left wing advanced along +the railway to Chiao-pu-tu. The cavalry operated to the west of the +line, and later in the day reached Niuchatun. The Japanese occupied +Tashichiao at noon. + +The surprising feature of the battle was the total collapse of the +formidable Russian defence on the occupation of the outworks of the +position on the extreme east. + +The Japanese infantry cannot have been in those trenches earlier than +ten o’clock; it was five hours later before they stormed and carried +the position, yet long previous to that it had been decided to abandon +Ching-shing-shan, Tashichiao, and all the positions to the west of +the line, including Newchwang and the port of Yingkow. At the two +last-named places the Russians were advised at midnight, and were +all away before dawn. Of course, it may be that the occupation of +Taipingling by the Japanese commanded the whole line of the Tashichiao +defences. As it was, the Russians did not need to fight many rear +actions to cover their very hurried, but orderly, retreat, otherwise +the abandonment of so strong a position as Ching-shing-shan would have +been most blameworthy. + +The Russians for the most part went north towards Haicheng by the main +road, the last of the fugitives passing Tashichiao about eleven o’clock +in the forenoon. + +Many preparations had been made at Ching-shing-shan to fit the position +for a vigorous and prolonged defence, as it was almost a perfect +position, giving the defenders every advantage. By abandoning it, the +Russians relinquished Newchwang and whatever advantages they derived +from the possession of the port of Yingkow through which to import +supplies. + +The Russian forces included Russian troops, the 1st, 2nd, 9th Siberian +rifles, the Siberian reserve, and the Primorski dragoons; the artillery +amounted to more than 100 guns, nearly all of which were safely removed +by the Russians, whose retreat was in no sense a disorganized rout. The +Russian casualties during the two days’ fighting amounted to nearly +2,000; the Japanese to more than half that number. + +[Illustration: THE RUSSIAN RETREAT.] + +On the following day the Japanese made a reconnaissance north, +and found that the Russians had two batteries in position at +Chin-shan-ling, some twelve miles north of Tashichiao. A forward move +from Tashichiao was not made by them until August 1, when the second +column went north to Nan-chien-shan without being opposed; the first +column, taking the route to the east, worked north from Taipingling +by way of Lian-chia-pu-tzu, which is near Ma-shan, and made a frontal +attack on the enemy; the third column followed the railway line, +keeping to the west, the Russians retiring before this advance; the +fourth column was farther west, going in the direction of Old Newchwang. + +The Japanese, on discovering some of the enemy, adopted somewhat +unusual tactics. The middle columns retired about five miles; their +artillery took up positions to the east of Tung-chi-ku and Wen-chi-ku, +one on each side of the railway. The first, fourth, and fifth columns +advanced. The Russians continued to attack the centre, and brought into +use two field batteries, and in the afternoon got another one into +action at Hsai-chi-ho, opposite the fourth column, but attacking the +third column. The third column therefore divided and made a flanking +movement from the west in connection with the fourth column, whilst the +fifth column on the extreme east also pressed on. + +The Russians opposed the Japanese with six squadrons of cavalry and +some companies of mounted infantry. As these, as well as the two +batteries which first opened fire, were all but surrounded by the +Japanese, their losses were heavy. The Russian forces, nearly one +division in all, escaped by going round to the south of Tan-wan-shan +and falling back upon Haicheng. On August 2 the Japanese occupied the +road between Old Newchwang and Haicheng. These operations were all made +on the open plain, the hills upon which the batteries were posted being +little more than round-topped knolls. + +In these, and other engagements with Russian cavalry, the Japanese use +with most effect a manœuvre first practised by German horsemen at the +battle of Renty in 1544. The Japanese cavalry ride towards the Cossack +lancers as though intending to charge; when they are within thirty +yards they halt suddenly, and use their revolvers with deadly effect on +the approaching line of lancers, sometimes not five yards distant. The +officers state that this is the only way in which the Japanese cavalry +has been able to succeed against the Cossacks; in all other tactics +which they have used they have been worsted badly. + +The Japanese, for the most part, have been operating in hilly country, +and know better than the Russians how to occupy a ravine with advantage +to themselves. The Russians on more than one occasion have sent +squads of cavalry up these narrow defiles, only to be annihilated by +the Japanese infantry. Certain detachments of the Independent Tenth +Division, a portion of the Takushan army, are stated to be adepts in +trapping small bodies of Russian troops, and to have accomplished some +brilliant feats, on a small scale, during their advance through the +Ta-tung-ling pass. + +Before the end of July Baron Kawamura had sufficient forces at his +disposal to warrant an attack on the Russian force, consisting of +about seven batteries and three battalions of infantry, in strongly +entrenched positions on hills commanding the pass near To-mu-cheng. The +tactics were those ordinarily employed by the Japanese: the main body +of the army made a frontal attack on the formidable defensive works +the Russians had constructed during the summer months on the heights. +The left wing made a simultaneous attack on the outlying positions to +the west, and deposed the Russians on the hill, a thousand feet high, +before eight o’clock. + +The Russians brought up reinforcements of artillery, which the left +wing, further strengthened, repulsed by heavy gun fire before three +in the afternoon. The main body deposed the Russians from the first +position by eleven in the morning, but could not proceed farther until +the heavy cannonading from the Russian positions to the west slackened. + +The Russians, again reinforced, assumed the offensive during the +afternoon, but were repulsed with great loss. The night was passed by +both armies facing each other at close range. Meanwhile, the successes +of the left wing compelled the Russians to withdraw under cover of the +darkness, and fall back to Haicheng. This strongly fortified position, +the second line of defence to the main position at Liaoyang, was now +quite untenable, for the Takushan army had its guns already in position +on the heights above the town, and an open road through the pass. +General Oku, with the second army, was also pressing the Russian forces +covering the retreat of the Russian main army from Tashichiao, so no +attempt was made to defend either Haicheng or Anshantien, to the north +of it, and the Russians hurriedly took up their strongest defensive +position at Liaoyang. + +The prompt and successful operations of the Takushan army hastened the +Russian retreat, and caused them to abandon large quantities of stores +and railway material. The Takushan army in the attacks on the Russian +positions near To-mucheng lost 8 officers and 168 men, and had 24 +officers and 642 men wounded. Some 700 Russian bodies were buried, and +the total casualties must have exceeded 2,000 of all ranks. Six guns +were abandoned, with supplies of ammunition, provisions, and clothing. + +The Japanese officers state that the Russian defence at Taipingling +was determined and courageous, and that of all the battles to that +date, the end of July, the battle of Tashichiao was the most bitterly +contested and hardly fought. The Japanese casualties during the two +days’ fighting exceeded 1,000, and those of the Russians were double +that number. In addition, some two to three hundred Chinese bandits had +been killed in the neighbourhood of Tashichiao, and in the subsequent +operations the Japanese losses were not less than 12 officers and 150 +men killed, and over 850 wounded. + +At Telissu the Japanese derived an immense advantage from the +superiority of their artillery, their shells exploding over the Russian +trenches, blowing the infantrymen to ribands and annihilating whole +companies. At Tashichiao the Russian artillery fire was the more +effective; the Japanese guns could not be placed in tenable positions, +and the battle had to be won by hand-to-hand conflict in the darkness. +The result was the same in so far as the superiority of the Japanese +army as a fighting force is proven by its victories, but these +victories are not entirely satisfactory, as they fail to show that the +strategy of the Japanese is superior to that of the Russians, or prove +that the tactics employed will enable the Japanese to win through in +every battle of a long campaign. + + + + +CHAPTER XI + +The Japanese as Conquerors + + +Possibly the partial military evacuations of Newchwang were of the +nature of rehearsals for the real event which took place in the small +hours of the morning of July 25, after the heavy firing throughout +the day. I saw the Censor at Yingkow as late as ten o’clock on Sunday +night; he had no news, and was amusing himself with his fiddle. +About two hours later, when the Japanese had rushed the trenches at +Taipingling, twenty-five miles away, there came a telephone warning +for all Russian Government employees to hurry away, as the evacuation +of Newchwang had been ordered. By dawn there was scarcely a Russian +soldier left in the town, only four of the military police. + +I was early astir, but the Press Censor had fled; he had taken with him +his fiddle, and some one else’s easy chair, and so many things that in +their quarters there was nothing left for the Chinese to steal. Then +I went to the telegraph office at Yingkow, but the Russian official +notices remained posted, and the clerks would not accept uncensored +messages for transmission. I sent the news down by train, for this +day there were no scrutineers in Russian employ, no Russian postman +accompanied the mail. + +Soon the military refugees began to come in from over the water. They +arrived weaponless Russian soldiers, but they tore off their shoulder +straps, pulled their tunics up loose to fall and hide their belts, +donned straw sailor hats or tweed caps, and were hardly distinguishable +from the many sutlers and camp followers with which the station had +been thronged for months past. + +Before eight o’clock, right away to the east, over the river above the +Russian settlement at Yingkow, two miles in a bee line, a cloud of +smoke arose and drifted south. Russia-town was burning. The Russians +had left beyond recall, and Russian rule in the treaty port of +Newchwang ended thus ingloriously. + +We did not know that the Russian authorities had instructed the Chinese +coolies to take from the buildings everything there was, that a +complete and habitable settlement might not fall into the hands of the +enemy. A visit there in the forenoon showed that the instructions were +being filled to the letter. A mob of rough Chinese, numbering perhaps a +thousand, were demolishing the buildings for the value of the wood and +other materials of which they were constructed. This rabble struggled +and fought for plunder; if there was not enough to satisfy their greed +there, they would need but little inducement to rush the foreign +settlement for the loot it contained. + +There is no civic life at Newchwang. Mr. Bandinel, who had foreseen +this period of anarchy, and had appealed to his fellow residents to be +prepared for it, and have a programme and an organization ready for +the emergency, had not been supported. It was daylight; early morning, +and the Japanese forces would arrive before danger reached the town or +threatened the residents in the foreign settlement. You cannot bring +into being in an instant a self-governing, orderly municipality. In +Newchwang the sense of common control needed to be created, and the +material at hand did not promise success. The character of the foreign +residents was demonstrated by incidents in the change of rulers. + +By mid-day the Russian flag had disappeared in Newchwang. In its place +on all Government buildings flew the tricolour of France, elsewhere +were the national colours of almost every European country, and the +stars and stripes of the United States of America. It may as well +be stated that many of these flags were flown without sufficient +authority, and, unfortunately, the British flag is such a well +recognized commercial asset that the right to fly it was to all +intents and purposes purchased by people who had no moral claim to its +protection. It must not be thought that the British Consul sold the +right, allowed it as a privilege, or granted it as a favour. The people +who wished to have it transferred their property, on terms, to persons +registered as British subjects. Other flags were similarly procured. +The Japanese and the Russian alone were not flown on that day. It is +true there were exceptions. Before mid-day the Russian Administrator +was flying a new consular flag of the Russian empire; in the afternoon +over his residence the tricolour of France braved the breeze, and +before his gates Japanese scouts planted their war-flags. + +Noon passed before any inquietude was felt. After tiffin people began +to crowd the square before the Administration buildings, and ask each +other when the Japanese were coming. The Chinese crowded their house +tops and gazed over the open country to the south, expecting to see +there some sign of the conquering army. + +At last five scouts of the west wing of the army, who had been trying +to get in touch with the Russian pickets by following the branch +railway line from Tashichiao, reached the settlement from Niuchatun. +They found the town ungarrisoned. That they did not expect; they rode +in expecting sooner or later to find Russian soldiers, and they were +prepared for them. This burden of a Russianless town was not entirely +to their liking, but they were equal to the occasion. They knew the +town, went through the by-paths of the settlement, and discovered and +held up promptly two of the Russian military police. A third, behind +the wall of a compound, tore off his shoulder straps, threw away his +cap, and tried to pass as a civilian, but he surrendered to these five +men--only five men, and they captured and held the town. + +They spake neither English, Chinese, nor Russian--they were scouts, and +they went carefully hither and thither seeking. I have in memory now +one of these, a man not five feet two inches high, mobbed by a crowd of +Chinese and foreign residents curious to see him, and he disregarding +every one and mounting a boundary stone in order to see over their +heads. + +After five o’clock four Japanese scouts rode into the square. They were +mounted on sorry tired horses, all mud spattered and rough. The men +wore uniforms stained and torn by campaigning, one had tied the sole of +his boot to the uppers with a straw band, but they were soldiers, and +knew it. + +The people regarded them with interest, but without any display of +emotion. They were not welcomed, nor was their intrusion resented. +Then arrived four more, later another four, with a non-commissioned +officer. To him came the chiefs of the Chinese guilds with greetings. +The foreign residents held aloof for the expected army, the officers, +and the General. + +Soon the scouts, evidently having met at this rendezvous for +directions, went on with their work; four only remained on the parade +ground before the Administration buildings and the residences of the +leading foreign families. It was on this spot that, a short while +previous, British ladies had provided free teas and free refreshments +for the Russian troops arriving from outlying camps, and for recruits +after doing their drill-ground exercises. No one had anything to offer +these tired, battle-worn men; they tendered not even so much as a light +for a cigarette, or a drink of water to the thirsting beasts the men +rode. The Chinese looked on with as much indifference as the foreigners +showed. Hours passed; it began to get dark, and the expected army was +no nearer the town. The officials and residents became anxious. They +questioned the scouts, they sought about for an interpreter. What did +the scouts know? When would the troops arrive? Who was going to protect +property in the town? + +There you have the foreign resident in China in his entirety. For the +men who had won battle after battle, for men who came straight into +their midst after two days’ continuous fighting, for the race with whom +Britons have an alliance, no word of good cheer, no ready hospitality, +no neighbourliness at all. To the foreign resident the Japanese are +yellow men--a race apart. They might be useful in guarding the white +men’s property, but to treat these men after war as Russian soldiers +were treated in peace time was not thought of even. Japan has not yet +bridged the gulf by war. Among the bulk of the foreign residents of +Newchwang Japan has still to win her way--the war will be finished long +before so little is accomplished. + +The Consuls and the general public loitered near the Administration +building. As it grew dark they drove the Chinese away from the Russian +barracks fronting the parade ground, who again and again made futile +attempts to steal doors, windows, and fittings from the deserted +buildings. + +It seemed that the Japanese army would never come. Mr. Bush was not +the type of man who waits for things to happen. Prevailing with one of +the scouts to accompany him, he rode out by the south gate and through +Niuchatun to where the nearest detachment of the Japanese forces was +believed to be bivouacking. There he explained to the commanding +officer that the property of the town was in danger, and induced him +to send fifty men at once to police the streets. It was past midnight +when they arrived. The Chinese, although they had been prevented from +injuring the deserted buildings near foreigners’ residences, had +completely gutted the Russian post office, jail, and other deserted +premises; had pulled out door and window frames and even torn up the +wooden floors and carried away the flag poles! + +When the Japanese were in the town the Russian Administrator, who that +morning only had flown the special consular flag of Russia, hauled it +down before their eyes and hoisted the tricolour of France. The men +regarded the incident without betraying the least feeling. They stood +at the gates of his house with pistols ready, and patiently waiting the +advent of a person in authority. When a Japanese officer did arrive, +he was only a lieutenant; the Russian Administrator would not see him. +The lieutenant did not insist, nor did he complain of the French flag, +but he ordered the gilt eagle, the symbol of the dominion of the Tsar +of all the Russias, which is upon every Government building in Russia, +to be taken down forthwith. A Chinaman removed it from the pinnacle +above the Administration building. Next, word was conveyed to the late +Governor that he must leave the town. He was conveyed in privacy across +the river by the pilot launch, and a private car was placed at his +disposal by the railway officials. Every consideration was shown to +him that the attention and foresight of the new authorities prompted as +due to his official position. + +The Japanese appear to possess a talent for organization which amounts +almost to genius. In a few days the visitor would have believed that +they had been in military occupation of the treaty port for months. + +Their officials came as though at the call of some conjuror, and +fell into their work at once, work to which some of them were well +accustomed, as they were merely reinstated in their former positions. +The Yokohama Specie Bank reopened; the Japanese special war notes were +redeemed; there was a censor appointed, and he could always be found. +The Russian undesirables were requested to remove from the town, and +did so. Drinking saloons closed because there were no customers, and +the shipping in the port increased. The Japanese transports arrived +with troops, railway material and rolling stock. Japanese schooners +laden with provisions and stores thronged the river. Everywhere +were administrative officials and military guards, intent upon +their work, neglecting nothing and doing everything intelligently. +Again the streets were lighted, lanterns were seen flitting through +the thoroughfares at night. The Chinese merchants brought back +their families, and the town entered upon a new era of activity and +prosperity. + +The Chinese made some “squeeze”; the first morning after the Japanese +invasion I walked along the Chinese Bund and found nine-tenths of +the frontagers busy with their fences, always moving them nearer the +water’s edge and stealing a few feet from the roadway. Some more boldly +fenced in long and broad stretches of footway; roads were closed, short +cuts and passages were sealed and taken into the adjoining compounds; +the individual was enriching himself at the expense of the public. + +Japanese stores reopened; many new ones sprang into existence. There +was a general expansion of business and a much needed tidying up of +public property. Within a week the Russian occupation was no more than +a memory; there were no signs remaining of its existence, and the +evidence of the war was confined to the few empty cases on the Bund of +the mines lifted from the river bed. The Russian lettering disappeared +from the signs and public notices--the Chinese covered up theirs +under white paper the very day of the Russian evacuation--and than +the Chinese none seemed more pleased to be under the new regime, none +showed so unmistakably that public confidence was restored. + +The Chinaman does not regard the Japanese as being good business +people. He thinks they are good soldiers. He knows they get the best +guns, and the best ships, and with these drive the Russians back. As to +the future, the Chinaman believes the trade of Manchuria will belong to +him. + +A large number of small Japanese merchants started in business in +Newchwang, and after a very few days it was found that the small +capital they had possessed was already in the hands of the Chinese. +At present the Japanese are using as interpreters a large number of +Mahomedans, some of Tung-fu-hsian’s men, and others from Shantung, +who have Japanese women in their harems. These Mahomedan Chinese +are doing all the business for the Japanese with the natives of the +Fengtien province, and they are making large profits, and will do +better as the Japanese army extends farther north. The Chinese have no +fear of Japanese business competition; when it is a matter of buying +and selling, the Chinaman is sure of being able to hold his own. He +knows the Japanese will not take bribes, but he has found out that the +Japanese like to find money in their pockets without knowing how it got +there, and John Chinaman is going to show Mr. Jap how to do business in +Manchuria; and make money whilst teaching him the lesson. + + + + +CHAPTER XII + +Contrasts and Comparisons + + +At Newchwang there were all the elements that tend to characterize +the Russian military rule. It has been stated repeatedly that the +Russians at Newchwang were guilty of barbarities, that they abominably +ill-treated Japanese refugees, insulted the foreign lady residents, +made themselves feared by their outrageous conduct, and required the +constraint a European joint occupation of the port would impose. The +facts do not support the irresponsible reports of those journalists to +whom the conditions of Russian life were new. Foreign ladies were not +habitually insulted by the Russians, nor were the residents, European +or Chinese, ill-treated or outraged. The only cases I saw of wrongdoing +were petty pilferings by Russian soldiers from Chinese pedlars, and +common and unmitigated cruelty to animals. + +The Russian officers and the Russian troops from the British standpoint +of to-day were licentious, dissipated and immoral, as well as rough to +occasional brutality. They drank freely, lived as well as their means +permitted, and enjoyed themselves as far as circumstances allowed. When +they left they took with them their women, their drink, their dirt, +their noise--and the goodwill of the bulk of the foreign residents. + +Judged by the standard of to-day they lack seriousness, refinement +and education. They eat and drink too much and are coarse and sensual +in their appetites. Compared with our British forefathers, even with +those who fought in the Napoleonic wars, they are not so rude, nor +is their life so bad as when it is contrasted with our armies of the +present generation--and, as soldiers, they lack most ardour for their +profession and the courage that comes from an intelligent conception of +duty. + +There came to Newchwang two naval officers whom I knew well. Each was +typical of a class of officer common in the Russian navy, both had +about the same rank in the service. Big Vassy was one of the tallest +and heaviest men in the fleet, a gigantic child; boisterous, frank, +liberal and careless of his reputation. He was an incorrigible shirker. +Many times he was punished for neglect of duty, usually he managed to +escape the penalty. He received ten days’ confinement to barracks and +the first day he prevailed upon his guard to allow him to go into the +town to get a bath, promising to return within three hours, but in a +small place like Port Arthur the tenth day came before they found him. +He would bully and cajole, and get his own way. He was so prolific with +promises, and so entirely the jolly good fellow all round, who loved +wine, woman and song too well, that his superior officers tolerated +him, and looked aside when his shortcomings were before them. He had +command of a ship, but had no more intention of risking his life in +this war than had Admiral Alexeiev or the Tsar himself. + +One night I was sitting in the Central Hotel, then the rendezvous of +Russian officers, when big Vassy unexpectedly burst into the room; he +did not stop to open the door, he just put his fist against the panel +and sent the flimsy fastenings far and wide. He thrust his sword and +revolver into my hands. + +“Where is she? Where is Tatianne?” + +“Tatianne who? Where have you sprung from? What is the matter with you?” + +“Where is Tatianne? Tatianne Ivanovna, you know her? Where is she? +Where is she? She came from Port Arthur five days ago, you have seen +her, where is she?” + +“Well, she isn’t here. Sit down. What will you have? Boy!” + +“Nothing. Tell me, where is she?” + +“She was staying with your friends, up at the other end of the +settlement. I don’t know where she is now.” + +“But you must. Take me to her! Come! Come quickly!” He dragged me to +the door; resistance was useless. + +“I’ll take you there in a minute. How did you get here?” + +“Yes, take me. Come! Come quickly, come!” + +“All right--all right! How did you get here?” + +“By my feets! I walk from Tashichiao, thirty versts. I sent her a +dispatch, a telegram. She has not had it. Come, come quickly! Is it +far?” + +“Ten minutes’ walk. How is Port Arthur getting along?” + +“To blazes with Port Arthur! Where is she? Where is Tatianne? Are you +sure she is there? She said she would go to China. Where is she? You +know.” + +We went out into the darkness, crushed through the thin frozen surface +into the thick mud of the Bund, groped our way through dark alleys into +the settlement, and at last on to the curbed footpath--there he ran on +ahead of me. + +“Come!” + +“What about Port Arthur?” + +“More bombardment--much, much noise, damage nothing. Is it far?” + +“How long did the bombardment last?” + +“Oh, where is she? Two days--the Novy Gorod is hit many times. Come!” + +One could not go quickly enough for that impetuous man, taking giant +strides, and holding to his rapid course by instinct. Little by little +I dragged some information out of him. + +“And _your_ ship, Vassy?” + +“I have no ship. I go to Vladivostok to take command. If Tatianne will +come I go to-morrow. If she will not, I go to China too!” + +“Vassy!” I remonstrated. + +He grunted. For a few seconds he strode on ahead rapidly, then he +groaned and turned to me suddenly. “What a fool a woman can make of a +man!” Then he laughed, a short, nervous little laugh, and again walked +on even more quickly than before. A rudimentary truth had been absorbed +by his primitive brain. We reached the door. Tatianne was there. That +was the last I saw of her and of Vassy. Both went straightway to +Vladivostok on the morrow. + +Big Vassy had his qualities, but they were not such as fitted him for +any navy. If Russia had a house of peers, Vassy and his like would find +there a fitting apotheosis. + +But the Russian navy has also Boris Kouzmin-Korovaiev. Boris is a +true Slav; he is strong as a lion, lithe as a cat, tenacious as a +bull-terrier, and brave as a Jap. Boris would not last long as the +superintendent of a nonconformist Sunday School. He is not a short +sport, in fact he drinks like a fish, or a Pole. For long days together +Boris will be intoxicated, but not incompetent. He has brains and can +use them. All he needs is opportunity. He had an occasion at Port +Arthur, and was mentioned in the Viceroy’s dispatches. You cannot +quarrel with Boris; act squarely and Boris will never quarrel with +you--he is Russian, too. And, of men like Boris the Russian navy has +many, but not enough. It has also brave commanders like Captain Essen +of the _Novik_, Viren of the _Diana_, and Zalyesski of the _Askold_. +In Newchwang we had the men who, on the _Lieutenant Barukhov_, ran the +blockade out of Port Arthur, and returned there without a hurt. + +After the Japanese had occupied Newchwang, they searched for a number +of Chinese, who had acted as interpreters for the Russians, and in +other ways assisted them. These interpreters, who had been left behind +by the Russians when they evacuated, hid in Yingkow, and went about in +fear of their lives. Some escaped by train. One day at Kaopantze one +of the men was recognized by some one on the station. The Hunghuses, +under their Japanese leader, promptly seized the man, dragged him off +the train, out of the station, placed him against a wall and shot +him. The next day another interpreter was on the train; he, too, was +found and seized, but the seizure was noticed by one of the inspectors, +who interfered--the man had his ticket, and could travel on unless +the police seized him. The Hunghus leader demurred, and produced a +revolver, which the inspector promptly gripped and at the same time +called in Chinese to the sergeant of the twenty soldiers marshalled on +the platform to bring his men up to assist him. The man gave the order, +but they marched straight away from, instead of towards, the scene +of the struggle, and the non-commissioned officer promptly followed +them himself. But neither the Hunghuses, nor their Japanese leader, +dared attack the Briton: the train was started, and the life of the +interpreter was saved. A few days later a Japanese officer went from +Yingkow to interview the leader of the gang, and after his visit they +made no further trouble. + +It must not be supposed that with war between Japan and Russia in +progress the soldiers of the two Powers keep the peace when they are +thrown together, as in the legation guards at Peking. There is a great +deal of animosity, and it is frequently shown by the men; ordinarily +their officers agree as to hours of leave, and the two are kept apart. +The Japanese also show animus against the French and Germans, and +when they can resent the overbearing manner of these European troops +they do so. In July some French soldiers caused some disturbance in +the Japanese town at Shanhaikwan. This gave the Japanese gendarme an +opportunity. In the fight which ensued he was wounded, but three of the +French soldiers were killed, and others were badly injured. + +In neutral territory we were, of course, hearing constantly from +eye-witnesses of the course of the war at Port Arthur, and of the +progress made by the Japanese army. With reference to the besieged in +the great fortress the news was always dispiriting; now it was Sidorski +who had been killed by a shell; then little Victor had lost his life at +the Yalu; Mamontoy was wounded--thus were we reminded of the actuality +of war. And the Japanese would tell of the progress being made with +their mines; of the slowness with which they were driving parallels up +to the Russian positions; of their wish that all women, children and +civilians would leave the town, and of their intention to treat all +found there as combatants when the great assault took place. + +There can be no doubt that this will be so. For months past every +civilian in the fortress has been compelled to take his turn in the +trenches; every man able to bear arms has borne them, with the possible +exception of the Red Cross surgeons. + +The Japanese were not nearly so communicative as the Russians, and +could not be surprised into making admissions. I said to a Russian +naval officer once: + +“Captain, why are you putting out mines on the high seas?” + +“We are not putting out mines on the high seas; we put them only +twenty-five miles from the coast, except perhaps at Kerr Bay they +extend farther. Who says we put them on the high seas?” + +But the Japanese will talk, if you will do something for them. There +was one, a man of modern ideas, who did not see the usefulness, from +the military point of view, of the soldier sacrificing his life rather +than turning back, and even seeking death in battle as the greatest +good. He wished me to write an article in a local paper, which he +would have translated and quoted in all Japanese papers, showing that +sometimes it was wiser to surrender, and thereby incommode the enemy, +than to die. The article appeared; it had the usual references to +Dai Nippon, and all about Yamato Domashi in its most idealistic and +refined aspects. It satisfied him in every particular but one. I wrote +that it might be wiser to surrender or flee than to die; that could +not be so; it was so glorious to die for one’s country! The very man +who appreciated the logic of the argument was unable to overcome the +sentiment which animates the Japanese soldier. + +The Japanese informed me in August, after the battle of Tashichiao, +that in no circumstances would they press on beyond Liaoyang this +campaign unless the Russians fell back to Harbin--even then their +forces were to remain south of Mukden until next spring, when the great +campaign will begin--and finish. + +The Japanese have adopted not only many Western methods but Western +ideals. They have not the Chinaman’s power to influence men of the +Caucasian race. The Japanese, notwithstanding their Western ways, are +not of us, and never will be. They are fighting for a cause we know +and feel to be right; they will talk by the hour of sources of food +supply they have had taken from them, of the market closed to them, and +prove that they are fighting for existence--before the injuries Russia +has caused them weaken them so much that they could not fight with any +chance of success. They are fighting in the Western manner generally, +that Western people may judge them by Western standards. But there are +occasions when the difference is shown, when Japanese disregard of +death hurls them as it were impulsively to attack where attack means +certain death, absolute annihilation. With their weapons ready in +their hands they follow unhesitatingly the little Sun-flags--follow +in silence, so impassively they seem scarcely to be human beings but +creatures obeying some primitive instinct--they go to their death +by fire, unreasoning, unthinking, as migrating lemmings go without +swerving into the ocean which drowns all. + +Ordinarily they are rational to a fault. They have reasoned out +everything, have made ready for every eventuality. A crushing defeat +at any one point would cause them to change the plan of campaign, not +to abandon the war, and their organization is such that a complete +change of front could be accomplished without the least disorder, +alarm, or loss. They have still as many soldiers waiting to come to +Manchuria as they have already brought there; money they will raise +at need. They issued notes not having currency of the country, the +notes are convertible into cash at the Japanese banks. The war will be +paid for largely by the goods now being manufactured by Japanese, all +working overtime, and these goods will be sold in the markets of four +continents. For Japan alone benefited by the great commercial congress +at Philadelphia; its Government took up the idea of the Commercial +Museum and having a perfect organization worked it profitably, thus +gaining a share of the world’s commerce. There is no flaw anywhere. +The Japanese troops may not pursue fleeing Russians so quickly that +the enemy are kept on the run. That might mean a risk, moreover, after +days of continuous fighting to win a position, is it not enough for +the moment to have it, then prepare for winning the next? When all is +ready, the attack will be made, and the position won. There is nothing +left to chance. Major-General Fukushima, the strategist of the campaign +and director of General Oku’s movements, is a stolid, plodding, +indefatigable student of Moltke’s _Art of War_, and military text +books. He will not depart from the rule, he will win the prize working +according to the rules of the game. In appearance and bearing he +suggests a fourth form boy who is the school prodigy and is conscious +of his position. + +The Japanese Army has its inconsistencies; for instance, officers will +cover even their sword-scabbards with khaki lest the sun glint should +betray them, but all the scouts I saw wore breeches of cardinal red +with a broad stripe of yellow or green in which they were as glaringly +conspicuous as if they had been in the uniform of our own 11th Hussars. + +The Japanese have a just cause; they fight bravely: their organization +is nearly perfect; their reforms are thorough and excellent--one cannot +but admire them; they deserve to win, and they will win, and the world +will be the better for their victory. It is because of this we wish +them to win. In spite of their race and their paganism, and though +their civilization may be but a thin veneer, we require them to win +because they are fighting in the cause of freedom, fighting for the +rights of man irrespective of creed or colour, fighting for western +ideals of justice, fighting for the good of humanity. + +We are more in sympathy with the Russians because they are nearer +kin. They have their faults, but in spite of their faults, or perhaps +because of their weaknesses, we love them, man for man, even more than +we admire their opponents. The Japanese are bravest of the brave; an +officer will rush in and kill sixteen of the enemy with his sword. All +fight like classic heroes, but they still sit down on their shins, +and we wonder what sort of men they are after all. The Russians we +understand. We admire General Stoessel not a whit the less when we +know, that with all his bravery and bluster, he is married to a homely +sharp-tongued little _hausfraü_ whom he must obey implicitly--were she +a veritable shrew the man would still have our esteem. “Go home--Port +Arthur is no place for women!” commands the General. “A wife’s place is +by her husband--Tollya, I shall stay!” says the commandant’s wife. + +Then there is H.E. the Viceroy, Admiral Alexeiev, raised to a dizzy +height of power and living up to his position. For him no more +hilarious nights, wild gambles, boisterous exploits; no more storming +and raving on the quarter decks of ships where work has been left +undone, but a monotonous round of high society functions and wearisome +entertainments, broken by an occasional holiday in an obscure treaty +port of China. Admiral Alexeiev made the common mistake of supposing +dignity to be a virtue, whereas it is only a grace. The Japanese +official promoted to higher rank knows that the post will need a +greater expenditure of energy, and he does what is required and +expected of him. The Russian may be an inveterate liar, a drunkard +leading a dissolute life, may know that he is the slave of besetting +sins, but never forgets that he is a man. He will not pay to virtue +the tribute of hypocrisy she extorts from vice. He is an open and +only a superficial sinner, appraising himself higher than do those +who observe him, surrounding himself with temptations and indulging +unashamed. The Japanese will run no risks, that drink shop may cause +harm--it is straightway closed. Those people may tempt heroes from the +business of war to the pleasures of peace--they are sent beyond the +military lines. The Japanese are pagans who have adopted the ethical +code of the West; there is nothing in their conduct to which the most +strait-laced puritan could take exception; missionaries bow to them, +for even missionaries do not need to shut their eyes to the behaviour +of these conquerors. They are as correct as the rule of three, and have +its limitations. + +Some Russian officials, with tears in their eyes, asked me why it was +the British hated them so intensely. There, in Newchwang, they had done +everything they could think of to appease the English residents. They +gave them business, the Government spent money freely, they themselves +entertained lavishly; they offered always the hand of friendship, but +it was not clasped. And Newchwang was but typical of other ports, +everywhere it was the same, what more could Russians do? + +The difference is just this: in the game of life Russia disregards all +the rules Western civilization has decreed to be right. In politics, +in commerce, in law, in the big things and the little things of life +Russia is a law to herself. The Japanese, on the contrary, have +accepted the Western standard of ethics, and in their international +relations attempt to conform to Western conventions. + +An English lady, who spoke Russian, had occasion to visit the station, +and on her way asked for a lift in one of the army waggons going from +Newchwang to Russia-town. The favour was immediately granted. When +she was seated the driver gazed at her earnestly, and asked what she +might be. She answered that she was English. “Ah, I knew you were not +of us, you are so clean.” She smiled. The soldier continued, with a +jerk backward of his head towards the settlement, “It is funny what +a lot of clean people one sees there--never saw so many in my life!” +Then, somewhat regretfully. “We have not the means to be clean, lady!” +The Russians, unfortunately for them, have not the means to be many +other things we count good. The soldiers, before the campaign was +three months old, were in tatters. I remember one; he wore purple +(half tanned) high boots, regulation breeches, a shirt or tunic made +out of an old gunny sack, a straw sailor hat without a ribbon, and the +broken brim drooping to his ear; he had a bayonet without a scabbard +and a rifle with a thong of rawhide for a sling. I saw him fall to +attention and present arms as the Grand Duke Boris went along the Bund +at Newchwang. An unkempt, dirty, uncared for unit in the army; a thing +too common to call for comment or to receive consideration. + + + + +CHAPTER XIII + +The Attack on Port Arthur + + +Russia’s great naval base in the Far East was intended to be an +impregnable fortress assuring freedom from molestation to a Russian +fleet taking the offensive and requiring a harbour at which to coal and +repair. The Viceroy’s policy seems to have been determined upon the +assumption that Port Arthur afforded an absolutely safe retreat for the +Russian fleet, even though the railway were cut and land communication +destroyed. + +The plan of campaign, providing Japan attacked in force--Russia never +intended to make war--was for the land forces to retire north until +sufficiently reinforced to make a successful advance at the best +season; the garrison left at Port Arthur to hold the fortress from +attacks on the land side, and shelter the fleet from the enemy’s +vessels should they approach the port. The Russian fleet was intended +to manœuvre within the limits protected by the guns of the forts, to +entice the attacking ships to approach, then destroy them one after +the other; to make sudden, unexpected raids on the enemy’s transports, +convoys, and, where there was a prospect of success, also on the +opposing fleet. As the enemy’s fleet became weakened by losses through +such engagements, and repeated assaults on the fortress, the Russian +fleet would with increasing boldness take the offensive. + +The Russians were confident that the fortress, well supplied with +ammunition and provisions, could hold out successfully until, at the +right season, Russia could take the offensive, and relieve the pressure +upon Port Arthur, and raise the siege if the place were really invested +by the enemy. + +The scheme of defence broke down in three ways. First, the opening +attack of the Japanese so crippled the Russian fleet, that it never +ventured to take the offensive, and could render only limited direct +assistance in defending the fortress when the forts were attacked from +the sea. Secondly, the key to the defences of the peninsula was passed +on to the Japanese by the inability of the Russian forces to hold the +isthmus--a position was lost which could not be retrieved without the +co-operation of a fleet. Thirdly, the Russian reinforcements were not +obtained soon enough to give the Russians the required superiority to +enable their forces to take the offensive at the most favourable season. + +From the first Port Arthur had to protect the whole of the fleet; to +resist the attacks of an undivided fleet of the enemy; and later to +repulse attacks on the land side made simultaneously. Not once did +the Russian fleet forsake the shelter of the forts, until it made a +dash to escape to neutral ports; it made no attempt by going forth to +draw away part of the enemy’s attacking fleet, even for a time--made +no attempt to ruin or weaken the strength of that attacking fleet by +counter attacks, which, though they might have entailed heavy losses +of Russian ships, would yet have caused the Japanese victory to have +been too dearly bought. The fleet co-operated in the defence, it is +true, and showed to greater advantage in coast defence, for which it +was not primarily intended, than it did in such work, as maintaining +communications, which it had been expected to perform. + +The torpedo attack of February 8 was disastrous, but it might have been +made much more effective than it was. To the enemy’s fleet, bombarding +the port on February 9, the Russian fleet made some slight show of +resistance; in fact the _Novik_ seemed ready to attack all the Japanese +without assistance, and, but for her speed--twenty-seven knots,--she +would certainly have been cut off and captured or sunk. That engagement +showed to the Japanese the strength of the Russian fleet at Port +Arthur, and confirmed their belief that they had put two battleships +and a cruiser out of action. + +So far as can be learned, the firing from the forts that day in no way +injured the Japanese vessels. + +The chief forts defending the entrance to the harbour are those +immediately to the north, on the mountain known as Golden Hill. +These comprise three distinct batteries: the Golden Hill fort on the +summit; the electric battery on the summit of the rocky crags above +the entrance to the fort, and the Middle Batteries, which connect the +two forts, making a practically unbroken line of guns from end to end +of the hill, and at three different elevations. The guns on Wieyuen +fort and Tiger’s Tail, to the south, are neither so large nor so well +manned as the best batteries in the fortress. The fort on Liaotishan, +at the extremity of the peninsula and White Wolf Hill to the north of +it, complete the chief of the sea batteries, the batteries capable of +attacking if the enemy’s fleet should attempt to reach the harbour. + +After the first attack it was the object of the Port Admiral to get +the damaged vessels into a sheltered position behind the Tiger’s Tail, +then to repair them as soon as the docks were available. The commandant +of the fortress had to strengthen the garrisons in the forts on the +land side, and put an army of defence into the field to the north of +the town lest an attempt should be made to land a force at Dalny, +Talienwan, Kinchow, or Port Adams. + +The enemy’s fleet left the harbour without appreciable molestation for +a fortnight. Within that time the injured ships, except the _Retvizan_, +had been towed to safe moorings; the land forces had been stationed +wherever it was thought a landing might be attempted, and the fort +garrisons were increased. Better than that--the numbness and paralyzing +effect of the unexpected bombardment had passed away from the naval, +military and civil population. + +The enemy’s fleet showed in the offing from time to time, but probably +merely in order to draw the fire from the forts. At night lights would +be seen to seaward and fired upon. Sometimes these lights disappeared +after they had been shot at, and Russians believed they had sunk ships +of the enemy. Some time later torpedo-boat destroyers, when scouting, +ascertained that these lights were dummies on rafts and triangles, +drifting in and across the entrance with the tide. It was a clever ruse +to draw the fire from the forts, and also to accustom the Russians to +harmless lights being shown at the entrance to the harbour. + +The Viceroy and his naval, military and diplomatic corps left Port +Arthur for fresh headquarters at Mukden on Sunday, February 21. General +Stoessel was then in supreme command of the fortress and of the army +in the Kwan-tung peninsula; Admiral Stark in command of the fleet; +Admiral Grevy in charge of the port, harbour, dockyards and naval +departments. + +During the night of February 23-24, the approach of the enemy was +signalled from Liaotishan, and at about half-past three the forts +opened fire. One of the approaching vessels, an old transport, the +_Tenshin Maru_, was sunk by shots from Golden Hill, and went down +in deep water about three miles to the south-west of the harbour +entrance. Thereupon the other vessels steered out, and, exhibited by +the search-lights from Golden Hill were followed by a heavy cannonade, +and were repeatedly struck. One, the _Bushu Maru_, ran aground and +was made a wreck by the Russian shells, and apparently blew to pieces +from the explosion of boilers, or of her magazine. The third vessel +came in towards the entrance, but was sunk outside by shots from the +grounded _Retvizan_, whose turret guns were used continuously. Two +other vessels, the _Hokoku_ and the _Jinsin_, came further into the +channel, but were sunk by the Russian shells from the _Retvizan_ and +forts, or by their crews. Both went down in the entrance to the harbour +outside the guardship and the _Retvizan_. Some bodies were washed +ashore the next morning, but the crews seemed to have escaped in the +torpedo boats which accompanied the flotilla of fire ships with which +the Japanese had intended to block the navigable channel to the harbour. + +The expedition failed. The steamers did not sink in the channel, and +there was a fair way still open for the egress of the Russian fleet. + +Later that day the town sustained a heavy bombardment directed upon the +harbour. The _Retvizan_ was struck, and some damage was done to the +town and forts, but the loss of life was slight. + +The next night Japanese torpedo boats were seen approaching the +entrance, and were fired upon. Two were struck and appeared to sink, +the others went seaward, escaping in the darkness; a thick dull +atmosphere, presaging a snowstorm, covered harbour, hills and sea. + +That morning two torpedo boats returned to harbour; a third was cut off +by the Japanese, and headed south, rounding Liaotishan and reaching +Pigeon Bay, where she was sunk by the enemy. + +The following day General Stoessel ordered all British and American +residents to leave Port Arthur at once. Several did so and were caught +in a terrible blizzard which raged all over South Manchuria for +thirty-six hours. + +The next week there was a respite from active warfare; the town again +recovered from the excitement, shock and disorder occasioned by the +heavy bombardment. At the end of the week the railway line was blocked +by a military train which had left the rails. The town people believed +that land communication had been destroyed by the Japanese, but the +arrival of the usual daily train on Sunday restored public confidence. + +The next week Admiral Makaroff arrived and took over the command +from Admiral Stark. There was feverish activity in the naval yards, +and the smaller cruisers finished their repairs and were again fit +for action. From day to day there was firing, and some of the shells +wrought considerable havoc in both the old and the new towns, but the +casualties were few and the dilapidations so local that there was +nothing approaching panic. The civilians were becoming used to the +bursting of shells, and no longer started at the roar of cannon upon +the forts. + +The _Retvizan_ was successfully refloated. The presence of Admiral +Makaroff and the Grand Dukes Cyril and Boris buoyed up the hopes of the +garrisons and even of the navy and the townspeople. It was believed +that soon something would be done to turn the tables upon the enemy, +and admit of the Russian fleet assuming the offensive. In the meantime +General Stoessel improved his defences on the land side; he sent out +agents to get in stores of provisions, and arrange for continual +supplies from the Chinese treaty ports, and showed that he possessed +much foresight, and would be prepared for any and every kind of attack. + +The Japanese, foiled in their attempt to block the harbour, were +constantly annoying us by frequently reconnoitring. On March 10 the +search-lights revealed the approach of a torpedo-boat flotilla. The +batteries opened fire, and the Russian torpedo-boat flotilla put out +to sea. The enemy retreated, the Russian boats returned to port at +daylight with the news that the Japanese fleet was approaching; the +torpedo-boat destroyer _Steregushchi_ was sunk by this oncoming fleet. +At eight o’clock the fleet, consisting of fourteen ships, opened +fire on the harbour and the fortress from behind Liaotishan, and did +considerable damage to the New Town as well as to the shipping. + +On Sunday, March 12, there was another engagement, during which the +_Diana_ was struck twice by the shells from the enemy’s fleet. + +From this date the Russian fleet remained continuously under steam, and +lay most of the time in the outer roadstead. Admiral Alexeiev visited +the port, and, satisfied with the defences and the order prevailing, +returned to Mukden. The nights were clear, and in the bright moonlight +there was immunity from attack. + +At the beginning of April the desultory bombardments recommenced, the +fire being directed towards the harbour and the Golden Hill forts. The +approach of the enemy on moonless nights was foiled by the incessant +vigilance of the sentinels and the prompt and effective use made of the +search-lights from the batteries. + +The Yalu was now open; the ice had broken on the Liao; it was time for +a forward movement on the part of the Japanese. There were now chances +for the Russian fleet to attack the transports of the enemy if they +attempted to land troops either east or west of the Kwan-tung peninsula. + +On April 11, Admiral Togo’s fleet again attacked the fortress. About +midnight the next day torpedo-boat destroyers and a transport, the +_Koryo_, managed to reach the entrance to the harbour, and lie in +security close under the cliff of Golden Hill whilst they put down +mines, unobserved from the batteries, although the search-lights swept +the approaches without a moment’s intermission. In the early morning +one of the Russian fleet’s scouts coming to harbour from Liaotishan was +fired upon and sunk by the enemy’s fleet; a second one escaped, but was +chased right into port by the Japanese squadron. Having ascertained +the strength of this squadron, Admiral Makaroff put to sea to give +the enemy battle. The _Bayan_ led; she was followed by the _Novik_, +_Askold_, and _Diana_, the three lightest and swiftest of the Russian +cruisers. Then followed the _Poltava_, the _Pobieda_, and the flag-ship +_Petropavlovsk_. + +The Japanese squadron made a demonstration of force, fired with little +effect, and retired, hotly pursued by the Russian squadron. The +direction taken was towards the south-east. + +This squadron doubtless communicated by wireless telegraphy with +Admiral Togo, who thereupon attempted to get his ships between the +Russian squadron and the harbour. In this he was frustrated, as the +Russians observed his approach and at once returned to port, the +_Petropavlovsk_ leading, and followed by the Japanese squadron they had +been chasing. + +The weather was misty and fine rain was falling. + +It appears that the Japanese had watched the route by which the Russian +ships entered and left the port, avoiding the obstacles the Japanese +had sunk, and their own mines put down to protect the entrance. In the +fairway the Japanese placed mines taken from the _Koryo_, and this was +not observed owing to the thick weather which had prevailed. + +The _Petrovpavlovsk_ struck one of the Japanese mines. She appeared to +rise, then fell heavily, with a list so great that she seemed on her +beam ends, and all at once she sank from view. + +This was the worst disaster Port Arthur had sustained. With the +_Petropavlovsk_ Admiral Makaroff went down. The commander and the +greater portion of the officers and men were lost, in all 791 men, +including the painter V. V. Vereshchagin, the poet Sessuchin, and +several Russian war correspondents. The Grand Dukes Cyril and Boris +were among the saved, the former being rescued from the water in an +insensible condition and suffering from concussion, the result of the +explosion beneath the battleship. + +The Japanese followed up their advantage. The _Boyarin_ was attacked +and sunk whilst attempting to reach the port from Dalny. The bad +weather alone prevented them from making further immediate attacks on +the port. + +The Viceroy, Admiral Alexeiev, resumed chief command of the fleet, +but his presence did not inspire the confidence the coming of Admiral +Makaroff had produced. For some reason neither officers nor men had the +same trust in the Viceroy. It was known that General Kuropatkin was in +supreme and independent command, that Admiral Makaroff also was free +from the Viceroy’s interference. He was regarded as merely a stop-gap, +much as, _faute de mieux_, Admiral Stark had assumed full responsible +command pending the arrival of Admiral Makaroff. + +Three submarine boats were believed to be on their way to the port. +One arrived. The new propeller for the _Tesarevich_ was also received, +and some torpedo boats in sections. Hope was buoyed by the rumour that +either Rojdestvensky or Admiral Skrydloff would be sent to Port Arthur +to command what remained of the fleet. + +General Stoessel became increasingly active in making preparations +for the defence of the fortress his special care. The defence of the +approaches, the holding of the Kwan-tung peninsula, the ports of +Dalny and Talienwan, the junction of Nangalin, and the railway as far +as beyond the isthmus from Port Arthur to Kinchow, in the neutral +territory, also devolved upon him as commander-in-chief of the army in +the peninsula. He disposed his forces to best advantage, concentrating +them upon the protection of the railway communications, and assigned +to General Fuchs, of the Siberian Rifles, with a force consisting of +nearly 10,000 men, the duty of safeguarding this land route. + +The fort commands were of less immediate importance. The General +insisted upon European non-combatants leaving not only the fortress, +but the Kwan-tung peninsula. The contractors were urged to go beyond +its limits and be energetic in getting supplies sent to the port, to +Louisa Bay and other landing-places. Some were appointed to supply the +Russian main army north of Kinchow. Those remaining were all informed +that they must bear arms at need, and would be called upon to do manual +labour on the fortifications. The Chinese remaining were all treated as +coolies and they worked like slaves in making the trenches and adding +to the defences of the hill forts. The work on the forts not completed +was prosecuted energetically by night and day where screened from the +observation of the enemy at sea. Soldiers, sailors, marines all worked +hard, in regular shifts; the soldiers having in addition to do sentry +duty in the intervals. + +During the past three months Port Arthur had withstood successfully +nine distinct bombardments. The forts were all intact, the +fortifications had suffered but little, and the damages were quickly +repaired. The towns were not destroyed, and were habitable. The +conditions were not insufferable. There was constant communication by +telegraph with St. Petersburg. Some news of the outer world reached +the town; the _Novy Krai_ appeared, somewhat irregularly owing to the +scarcity of labour, and the restaurants were open. + +At this time there were over a thousand European civilians in the +fortress, and of them nearly half were women. Ever since the first +bombardment, from Port Arthur, Dalny, Talienwan, and the railway +settlements, there had been a more or less involuntary exodus of +traders, Russian workmen, settlers with their wives and families, the +idle and vicious hangers on to an army of occupation, adventurers and +adventuresses of every nationality, and those Chinese who were able +to escape also departed. The Europeans went by railway to Liaoyang, +Mukden, Harbin, or Russia; some thousands in the aggregate went to the +treaty ports of China by steamer or junk. The British steamer, _Foxton +Hall_, abandoned by its commander, was taken by the only remaining +pilot, a Russian who had been wounded during the first bombardment, +to Chifu with as many refugees as could find accommodation. General +Stoessel was anxious to be rid of all but his soldiers, though many +who were sent away would have benefited by some months of hard labour +on the fortifications. As a result there were no non-belligerents +to exhaust the supply of provisions. The inhabitants constituted a +garrison of formidable strength, who now attended to the business of +war. + +At the end of April the Russian forces were driven out of Korea; at the +beginning of May the Japanese crossed the Yalu. + +Then the Japanese plan of campaign developed with rapidity. The first +army under General Kuroki, reinforced from transports arriving at the +Yalu, marched north from Antung. + +On May 5, the Japanese commenced to land a second army under General +Oku, at Pitsewo, between the Yalu and the Kwan-tung peninsula. This +army marched west and threatened the railway to Port Arthur. The +Viceroy, Admiral Alexeiev, left hurriedly before noon on May 5, having +with him the Grand Duke Boris, and some members of his staff. The fleet +was left under the command of Admiral Vitgert, and the commander of the +_Novik_, Captain Essen, raised in rank, until the arrival of Admiral +Skrydlov; the command passed afterward to Prince Ukhtomsky of the +_Peresviet_. + +Owing to the propinquity of the Japanese, a car of wounded was attached +to the Viceroy’s train, and a Red Cross flag was shown when the train +was stopped by the enemy’s infantry near Puliantien. Two days later the +line of communication was cut. + +There was a force of more than 30,000 men on the Kwan-tung peninsula, +and these, co-operating with General Kuropatkin’s army operating from +the north, managed to restore the railway communication temporarily. A +typhoon interfered with the disembarkation of Japanese troops from the +transports at Pitsewo; and if vigorous action had then been taken to +oppose the invaders, the situation might have been retrieved. + +The Russian force at Kaiping, co-operating with the railway guards, +drove the Japanese from the line and repaired the permanent way. A +train load of ammunition arrived at Mukden after the line had been +cut; it was sent to Vaffienten, whence Lieut.-Colonel Spiridonov +undertook to convey it to Kinchow. Everything was in readiness to blow +up the train if by any chance the Japanese attacked in such force as +again to take temporary possession of the line. The 4th Siberian Rifles +provided an escort, and the well-armed train ran the gauntlet of the +enemy’s rifle fire for hours. At Kinchow it was handed over to Colonel +Yokov, belonging to the Kwan-tung force, and brought safely to Port +Arthur. That same night the Japanese advanced towards Kinchow, and next +day a force was landed from thirty transports at Port Adams on the west +shore of the Liaotung peninsula. + +Supported by fire from their fleet, the Japanese succeeded in effecting +the establishment of their second army across the railway line, and +occupying the isthmus from shore to shore. They were attacked again +and again from both north and south, but the attempts to dislodge them +were unsuccessful. On June 24, they fought the battle of Nanshan, +winning the position though suffering heavy losses. They won by +their usual tactics, a heavy flank attack made simultaneously with +a frontal attack--the latter usually consisting of two distinct and +separate attacks made at the same time from different points, the +whole constituting a combination the Russians have never resisted with +ultimate success. In the engagement the flanking party had to advance +along the seashore; men of both armies waded out into the water and +fought each other there. The Japanese at last swam round the extremity +of the Russian right wing, drove it in towards the centre, and then +completed the turning movement which proved successful and forced the +Russian army to retire upon its temporary base at Kaiping. + +Before advancing further the Japanese established themselves +securely in their advantageous position across the isthmus. With +trenches and fortifications they rendered themselves safe from any +attack which General Stoessel might make with the 30,000 men at his +disposal. Towards the north they presented a much more formidable +front. So strong was their position, that no number of men General +Kuropatkin could command at any time might be deployed so as to attack +simultaneously. The isthmus, like a mountain pass, could be held for an +indefinite period by a comparatively small force, and without a fleet +no flank attack could be made upon their position. + +The Liaotung peninsula, tapering southward, may be likened to a +tun-dish of which the isthmus is the funnel, and midway in that funnel +the Japanese position could be attacked by an army presenting a front +no wider than their own lines, a position in which not more men could +be employed to attack simultaneously than they, at any time, were able +to provide for its defence--a position against which the whole of the +military forces of Russia may be hurled in quick succession yet not be +able to take by storm. As long as it is supported by the Japanese fleet +on east and west, it is absolutely impregnable. + +It cut off Port Arthur from Manchuria effectually and permanently. + +[Illustration: THE FORTRESS OF PORT ARTHUR.] + + + + +CHAPTER XIV + +The Defence of Port Arthur + + +Having established themselves firmly in Kwan-tung by the end of May, +the Japanese once more assumed the offensive. + +The first army under General Kuroki advanced rapidly towards Liaoyang, +making flanking movements eastward, and at Motienling Pass threatening +not only the Russian position at Liaoyang but opening a route for a +flanking movement further north upon Mukden. + +The second army, under General Oku, advanced on Kaiping, thence north +upon Tashichiao, to new and old Newchwang and Haicheng. + +The Takushan army, co-operating with General Oku’s force, advanced from +its landing point west of Antung to Haicheng, forming the connecting +link between the first and second armies. + +The third army under General Nogi, landed at Dalny, swept through the +Kwan-tung peninsula southward, and attacked Port Arthur. Every mile +of this ground was savagely contested, the Russians being driven +from position to position, and gradually retiring upon the outer +defences of the fortress. Altogether some two months were passed in +opposing the Japanese advance. For days together the town would be +continuously bombarded from the sea. As General Nogi advanced he was +aided by a terrific bombardment of the coast from Dalny to Takushan, +just outside the north-east forts of Port Arthur. The main weight of +this advance was borne by General Fuchs and his Siberian division. +The Russians repulsed an attempted landing at Kerr Bay, where General +Nadin was severely wounded. The naval authorities were busy in clearing +the navigable channel so that the repaired battleships might leave +the harbour for the outer roadstead, and the torpedo-boat flotilla +was occupied every day, being repeatedly driven in by the Japanese +squadron blockading the port. From the Liaotishan forts at the southern +extremity of the peninsula the Japanese vessels were cannonaded +whenever within range, and there, and elsewhere, new batteries were +established to command the coast immediately under the great forts. +The fortifications on the Metre Range, High Hill and the heights +outside the line of the land forts, were hurried to completion, and +temporary forts were improvised in many situations, this work being +directed by General Kondratiev, who had with him all the artillery +officers who could be spared from the batteries, which were manned by +the minimum number of hands compatible with efficiency. A completely +covered shell-proof trench connected all the forts of each group on the +hills, and trenches and entanglements were provided for the outworks +protecting the forts. By the exercise of ceaseless vigilance and making +a determined opposition to every change of position the Japanese +attempted, General Fuchs delayed the close investment of the fortress +until July had passed. In these contests the Japanese lost heavily, +lost far more heavily than the Russians, who almost invariably acted +entirely on the defensive, resisting with stubbornness and allowing +themselves to be driven out of a position when their commanders knew +that by falling back upon the next defence they would be in a better +position to injure the enemy still more. The Japanese advance was slow, +but none the less sure; they sacrificed life without stint to obtain +possession of any subsidiary position they deemed of importance. The +Russians husbanded their resources as well as they were able. + +The attacks on the Russian positions, on the town, the harbour and the +forts, were incessant, and the havoc wrought was terrible. The town +became untenable; the inhabitants had to seek shelter in cellars, in +specially excavated shell-proof caves, under the face of the gravel +pit, in the stone quarries; but safest of all were the refuges in the +great forts. + +The source of the town water supply was controlled by the Japanese, +but the great freshwater lake behind Golden Hill and the many wells +furnished sufficient for all needs. But life was intolerable. The +furious bombardments rained shells everywhere. The hospitals were full; +men scarcely able to walk were sent into the forts and the trenches. +The medical stores became exhausted, and that wonderful explosive +Shimose, burst shells into rugged splinters which made the ugliest +of wounds and mutilated the human form beyond recognition. Men were +blown to ribands. Others were stripped of flesh, and skin and limbs; +the victims were mutilated, sickening spectacles; they uttered piteous +cries and harrowing moans. Shocking remnants of living sentient men +struggled helplessly to rid themselves of torn, mangled, and peeled +limbs, or twitched and sprawled helplessly, attempting to hold together +all that remained of their poor, bleeding, lacerated bodies. Shapeless +and discoloured human flesh strewed the ground; it became impossible +either to gather or bury many of the dead. + +Until the Russians were really hemmed in the fortress itself there +seemed to be opportunities for escape. Day by day junks arrived with +fresh provisions; they brought news, they would carry away whoever +thought the risk of running the blockade to be less than that of the +bombardment. + +These junks, and an occasional steamer, would clear from Chifu for +Newchwang or _vice versa_. Their course required them to round +Liaotishan. When they reached that point, if there were no Japanese +vessels between them and the coast they ran into Pigeon Bay or Louisa +Bay, or some other creek near the spot, discharged their cargoes, and +as soon afterwards as opportunity served, continued their voyage. If +Japanese vessels were in sight, they held to their course past the +promontory, and, if intercepted and boarded, produced for the benefit +of the Japanese papers which proved the ostensible trade they followed. + +The great firm of Kunst & Albers had enormous shipments afloat for +their depôts at Vladivostok, Port Arthur and the Amur when war began. +These cargoes were delivered at their branch establishment at Kiaochow +(Tsintau), which suddenly assumed vast importance. The staff there +was strengthened, particularly in the shipping department. The stores +arriving were reshipped quickly by coasting steamers and junks. Under +the German, the Norwegian and the Chinese flags they reached ultimately +that port where prices ruled highest. In July access to the creeks +became more difficult; early in July Louisa Bay was not safe, and a +month later Pigeon Bay could not be approached from the land side +without great risk, and junks had then to sail up the eastern coast +to the entrance of Port Arthur itself, a point usually under close +scrutiny. + +The entrance to the port was cleared; the torpedo-boat flotilla made +reconnoitring excursions from time to time. In the middle of June the +_Lt. Barukhov_, one of the Elbing torpedo-boat destroyers captured from +the Chinese in 1900, made a trip to Newchwang and back, escaping the +blockading steamers with ease. She was sunk in Pigeon Bay in July when +reconnoitring. + +The fleet was of so little use to the defence, and so coveted by the +Japanese, that it was determined in July to make a sortie at the first +favourable opportunity; disperse on meeting the enemy, and by taking +every which way then, baffle pursuit and so most would have a good +chance of making a neutral port before being overtaken. + +Before this final sortie was attempted the navigable channel was +cleared of the Russian mines, the approaches were protected with new +defences--mines, booms, chains and sunken craft. The torpedo-boat +flotilla reconnoitred daily. When all was ready, the sortie was made. +There was a running fight, and four of the ships reached neutral +ports. The _Novik_, in attempting to reach Vladivostok, was attacked +by Admiral Kamimura’s squadron and was beached by Captain Essen near +Korsakov port on Saghalien island. With this sortie on August 10, the +supposed value of the Russian navy at Port Arthur disappeared from +the list of the forces available for the defence of Manchuria. The +_Poltava_, _Peresviet_ and _Sevastopol_ returned to port damaged, and +the last was further injured by a mine whilst manœuvring on August 23. + +The result of the battle of Tashichiao, and of General Kuropatkin’s +attempt to advance southward, was known about three days after the +evacuation of Newchwang. At the time General Alexeiev was losing the +battle of Ma-shan and General Kuropatkin’s army had to retreat on +Liaoyang without attempting to hold the fortified position at Haicheng, +General Stoessel decided to abandon the campaign in the Kwan-tung +peninsula and withdraw all his forces into the fortress of Port Arthur. + +The Japanese investing force thereupon established a line of batteries +across the peninsula on the north of the Sui-shi valley, from Hao-sui +bay, south of the Dalny peninsula on the east, by way of Sui-shi-tung +and Ho-shi-tung to Louisa Bay on the west. + +It was evident to General Stoessel that General Nogi would attempt to +carry the fortress by a frontal attack, and that in all probability +he would follow the same route as had been taken ten years before, +when Marshal Oyama had captured the fortress from the Chinese. On +that occasion General Nogi, who was now commanding the attack, had led +the central division of General Yamaji’s force, which had forced its +way into the line of forts by the gap through which the Dalny high +road passes. As on that occasion, the central attack was made almost +simultaneously with a flanking attack on the north-eastern side--more +directly towards Golden Hill, and a simultaneous flanking attack from +the north by the gap through which the railway now runs. Consequently +the troops defending were most strongly disposed to resist attacks by +those routes. + +Surely enough the Japanese attempted to repeat the success of 1894 by +identical tactics; but before these could be commenced the Russian +forces at the extremities of the line would have to be displaced, as +otherwise they would attack the advancing column on both the flanks. +The Russian eastern position was Takushan, where a stout resistance was +made. This point was held by four guns and three thousand infantry. The +Japanese shelled the position from upwards of 3,000 yards with siege +guns, and later with four howitzer batteries. On August 9 the defending +force abandoned the position after inflicting severe losses on the +Japanese. Casualties: Japanese, 1,400 men out of action; Russians, 900. +The Russians were next called upon to defend the heights commanding +Louisa Bay, and abandoned the hills on the south-east after several +engagements spread over some days. + +On August 17 General Stoessel received a demand from Major Yamoka +asking for the surrender of the fortress. The demand was refused. + +The Russians had made every preparation for attack, and were confident +that each attempt would be repulsed, guarded as the positions were with +the guns of the forts, machine guns, masked forts, the great trench +with its hidden batteries commanding every section of its whole length, +the wire entanglements, mines and numerous obstructions. If these did +not render the fortress impregnable, they gave its defenders such an +immense superiority of position that it seemed no number of men the +attacking force could bring against it in succession would be able to +overwhelm the many defences which had been constructed. + +It appears that General Nogi intended to make a direct attack on the +Panlung forts behind Takushan simultaneously with one on Kikwan fort, +which, if carried, would leave the town at the mercy of the invaders +and isolate every other fort of the inner ring of defence. + +The general bombardment commenced on August 19, and was directed mainly +upon the Panlung and Kikwan forts, but the only real damage done was +the ignition of the powder magazine in Kikwan on the following day, +when the defenders took to the covered way connecting the forts, and +withdrew to the south Kikwan fort. + +At the same dates the forts south-east of Louisa Bay were again shelled +from concealed batteries on the flats near the seashore. + +By night the Japanese infantry attempted to storm the position, but +were stopped by the wire entanglements, which they did their utmost +to cut, even to bite through, and at last rendered ineffective by +attaching lines to the poles and pulling the whole obstruction away +bodily and rolling it aside. Metre Hill was stormed and captured on +August 20, and was then shelled unceasingly for days by the Russians, +who maintained also a constant machine-gun and rifle fire in the hope +that the position would be rendered untenable. About the same time +the Japanese seized Sui-shi-ying, also a position a quarter of a mile +nearer to Wolf Mountain, but from this they were driven by machine-gun +fire from the Metre Hill batteries. + +On August 21 the bombardment of the Kikwan forts became hotter and +hotter, and late in the day two infantry regiments, who had with them +scaling ladders, carried the outer defences of the Kikwan fort by storm +and occupied the fort by morning. + +The adjoining fort, East Panlung, was one of the most fiercely +contested of all the siege. It had been admirably strengthened. The +besiegers were forced to attack in close formation; the entanglements +and obstructions concentrating them to points upon which machine-gun +fire converged, and decimated the attacking companies, whose survivors +were so few when they reached the parapet that the defenders had little +difficulty in repulsing them. The Japanese were as determined to win +the position as the Russians were to hold it. Lieut. Kitagawa was +fortunate enough among the besiegers to reach the fort and to plant +the flag on its wall. He was followed by a few desperate men, who +swarmed over the breastwork, and were supported by new arrivals. In +the hand-to-hand conflict inside the fort the Japanese were winners, +There was a desperate and long-continued struggle, fought out with +rifles, bayonets, swords, grenades, and even stones--whichever weapon +or missile came first to hand. The Russians late in the afternoon took +to the covered way and fell back by it, still fighting ferociously, +to Wantai Hill fort, for that far did the victorious besiegers pursue +them towards the town. During the night the Russians made several +ineffectual attempts to recapture the position. + +The Japanese held also the North Kikwan fort, but from that they +were driven out in a close encounter on the following day, after the +position had been mercilessly shelled for hours. + +The attack had proceeded almost without intermission for four days, and +the besiegers had secured only a dangerous footing on the Kikwan fort +as the result of a most strenuous and determined attack by all ranks. + +At this one vantage point the Japanese began to mass troops, +distracting the attention of the Russians from the manœuvre by a +demonstration in force against the Tung-yen redoubts. + +The Russians during the night made an attempt to retake the lost +positions. A sortie from Wantai Hill was made an hour before midnight +on August 23; the Russians drove the Japanese back on Panlung, thence +down the hill to a position near the railway, where a knoll afforded +them cover until reinforcements arrived. At one in the morning the +Russians withdrew to the forts before the Japanese, and by the covered +way to the south fort, which they held against the Japanese, who, +however remained in possession of the outer works of the Panlung +fortifications. + +An attack was delivered at the same time on Etseshan, but the Russians +with their search-lights so exposed to fire the progress made by the +Japanese that the attack was pushed on in half-hearted fashion only, +and ere dawn broke it was definitely abandoned. + +For six days and nights there had been fighting almost without a +moment’s intermission. Notwithstanding the tremendous efforts made, +the attack was ineffective. Everywhere the invaders had been repulsed. +Even at sea the _Retvizan_ from the entrance to the harbour, with some +torpedo-boat destroyers, had driven away some Japanese gunboats and +destroyers firing at the south-eastern forts at the time the general +attack had been planned to take place. The Japanese fleet did not take +any great part in these assaults. + +During the fighting much rain fell. The night was made lighter than day +by the numerous brilliant search-lights from the Russian positions. +The Japanese were everywhere delayed by obstructions, and hampered +by the light thrown upon their attempts during the night to cut wire +entanglements or remove them. A strong electric current was passing +through the wires of the entanglements, and thus it was injury or death +to whomsoever tried to cut them: yet there were seen occasionally +Japanese lying on their backs and with their teeth attempting to nip +through the dead wires of these murderous traps. Under the search-light +the men shammed to be dead or wounded: when this was understood the +Russians failed to respect the Red Cross flag. + +Undaunted by death, recking nothing of the fate of those who +had preceded them in the same endeavour, the Japanese advanced +relentlessly, unceasingly, as those impelled by instinct. There were +no bugles, no drums, no music, no hurrahs, no cries of “Banzai,” but +in absolute silence the besiegers went on, now in the glare of the +brilliant, blinding electric light, then a little time in its shadow or +suddenly exposed by floating lights from rockets and star shells--and +in the end all failed. + +An eye-witness writes of the attack on Etseshan: “I watched the assault +of a ghostly mass of moving figures, through which continual lanes were +made by our guns, admitting glimpses of the scenes behind. These gaps +were closed up as if by magic, and the mass surged onward, while our +men, forsaking the trenches sought the shelter of the forts. On they +came until close to us. The mines exploded and the earth opened. Bodies +were hurled into the air, and then sank again to earth. Hands clutched +rifles, and in the moonlight bayonets looked like fireworks shooting +upwards and descending point downwards into the body of a man--but in +silence.” + +A correspondent with the Japanese forces states that the mines seemed +to be but little used, and were found to be ineffective. The losses of +the Japanese he estimates at 14,000, in addition to 8,000 incapacitated +through illness, and 16,000 suffering from beri-beri. The losses were +made good from men of the second reserve landed at Dalny, and the work +of the besiegers never slackened. + +The attack having been repulsed, General Stoessel determined upon a +sortie in force, to drive the Japanese from the positions they had +established in the Sui-shi valley. + +During the six days’ fighting and the lull that followed, the Russian +gunners and scouts had managed to locate the positions of different +masked batteries, and these positions were subjected to a heavy +fire. A general advance was made at early dawn on August 27, during +a thunderstorm, but it was repulsed, and then General Stoessel +attempted to accomplish piecemeal what he had wished to win at a single +engagement. + +There was almost incessant shelling of the Panlung positions held by +the Japanese. Sniping was practised day and night, and night after +night sorties were made from Kikwan, Wantai and Erhlung to retake the +forts, but they were repulsed, the Japanese losing on an average a +hundred men as the result of each assault. By September 8 the Panlung +forts were no longer tenable, and were relinquished. + +On August 27 two Japanese guns were silenced by firing from Kuransky +battery. + +Pushing on towards a successful counter attack, General Stoessel +had scouting parties sent into the Sui-shi valley; in the course of +these reconnoitring expeditions some men of the 26th Rifles reached +Sui-shi-ling and encountered the Japanese guard. Returning they +attacked one of the Japanese trenches, the occupants decamping and +leaving their weapons in the trench. The Russians followed them for +some distance without being opposed, and ultimately returned to the +redoubts. Other pioneers found the Japanese trenches deserted, and +scouting parties went far afield, for the besiegers appeared to have +withdrawn from immediate proximity to the Russian fortifications. +The Japanese retreated still further north, on their positions being +shelled on August 28, but at five o’clock on the following day returned +to the attack by opening fire on the redoubts from Fort 3 to Fort 13, +and shelling Small Eagle’s Nest (Etse-shan) with shrapnel and five-inch +shells. + +That evening Lieut. Ivashenko led a detachment of the 26th Siberian +Rifles and some of the Kwan-tung Marines (3rd company of Port Arthur +Marine Guards) from Rock Ridge towards the Japanese redoubt, and +occupied the trenches about 9.30 in the evening. The Japanese opened +fire from machine guns and met the men’s bayonets with rifle fire, but +retreated into the redoubts, a position so small a force could not +attempt to storm. + +The night of August 30 passed quietly, the outposts of both sides +keeping within their former respective lines. At ten o’clock on the +following morning it was observed that a party of Japanese cavalry in +file was approaching a village just back of Angle Hill (Antszshan), and +that ten wagons, escorted by fifteen troopers, were making for the same +place. Fire was immediately opened on them and successfully scattered +the train. + +About twelve o’clock midnight, August 30, the search-lights revealed +a Japanese torpedo-boat near White Wolf Bay, not far from one of the +sunken steamers. She fired on the search-light, but was driven off +by fire from Tiger Tail coast forts and shots from the guardship and +fortress, apparently suffering some damage. + +Although the Japanese seemed to be paralyzed by the non-success of +their persistent attack, they maintained a constant fire on the Russian +positions, and on the town. On August 29 a shell falling in China +Town caused a fire which spread with alarming rapidity. The town fire +brigade were successful in confining the outbreak to some stores of +butter and matches. The volume of dense smoke which arose from the +conflagration spurred the Japanese gunners to renewed effort, with the +result that much damage was done in the town and the fire brigade also +suffered. + +Port Arthur was at this time in ruins. The houses and stores in the +Old Town were demolished or uninhabitable. The townsmen, as well as +the troops, lived in the bomb-proof trenches, or in caves, some of +which suffered at times, for there seemed to be no spot absolutely safe +from the rain of shell. Most of the fighting was done in the trenches +outside the line of forts, and even civilians were requisitioned to +take their turn, but these had ten days off duty after a term at the +front. The soldiers got little rest, and all prayed that soon the guns +of Kuropatkin’s army might be heard as he approached to raise the siege +and relieve the fortress. + +With September General Nogi put aside for a time direct assaults +and frontal attacks. The engineers were set to work with a view to +undermining a coveted position and by sapping and blasting create a +breach which could not be repaired, a breach by which the Japanese +could effect an entry more easily. + +The approach by parallels had been proposed in June, and was abandoned +only when it was discovered that the material was hard and unsuited to +mining. The progress was very slow even after a fair start had been +made. + +The artillery duel was maintained, the Japanese bringing up many +reinforcements of every arm. On September 3 the Etseshan battery was +silenced by ten-inch shells, and the breastwork brought down by the +fire. + +The Japanese, before reaching the line of forts, had still to capture +the Tung-yen Redoubt before Erhlung-shan, and the works on Métre hills +before Antszshan and Etseshan, also lunettes near the railway to the +south of Sui-shi. + +It was not until September 20 that the attack on these positions became +possible. + +The tactics employed were the same throughout. First, there was a +general artillery fire upon the redoubts and the forts behind them, +all along the line in fact. This heavy bombardment raged from early +dawn until past mid-day. Then it was concentrated upon the advanced +positions it was intended to assault. + +Saps were run to within fifty yards of the lunettes. From these covered +ways two regiments, well provided with hand grenades, suddenly rushed +on the position. A hard fight ensued, but the attacks were repulsed +from all three lunettes assaulted. The next morning, by using scaling +ladders, the Japanese got into the lunettes, drove the Russians from +them into their trenches, and pursued them. In this way the three +lunettes under Kikwan and Antszshan were taken. On the 19th and 20th +the Japanese from their trenches also assaulted Tung-yen, which was +held by two companies, having three field pieces and a number of +machine guns. There was a deep moat around the position, and batteries +placed to command all approaches should the redoubt be stormed. A +breach was made by artillery, and the little garrison dismayed by +constant shrapnel fire. It was then attacked simultaneously on opposite +sides, but both attacks were repulsed. After further cannonading +the Japanese made another attack on the position; they reached the +enclosure, used bombs and hand grenades with great effect in their +hand-to-hand encounter, but when the Russians gave way they took their +guns with them, and inflicted very heavy loss on the besieging force. +Nevertheless the position had been gained, at the cost of a thousand +lives perhaps, yet gained to the besiegers, and lost to the defenders, +who thereby risked being driven within their line of forts. + +The next position the besiegers had to secure was the low plateau +at the foot of the forts, known as Métre Hills, between Wolf Hill, +Antszshan, Etseshan, and Louisa Bay. This position was protected by +wire entanglements, trenches, sandbag protecting screens, and a roof +of bullet-proof steel plates over important coigns of vantage. Railway +metals were also utilized to keep the earthworks solid, and the +armament included field guns, machine guns, and two heavy howitzers. +The position was taken after being subjected to long-continued +bombardment. First 180 Métre Hill, the main position, was made quite +untenable by shell fire; on the morning of September 21 the attack was +directed to 80 Métre Hill, which was captured by infantry that same +afternoon, the shrapnel fire being continued even after the infantry +were over the earthworks. 203 Métre Hill was attacked by one regiment +from a sap at the same date, but these men were killed in crossing +open ground extending about 300 yards. Another attack by two forces +acting conjointly was repulsed at dawn the next morning, with very +heavy loss. At noon a corner of the position was entered and secured. +It was shelled from all the batteries commanding the position; from +Antszshan to Liaotishan. Attacks were made afresh on the two succeeding +days, and the Russians then not only repulsed these, but continued to +hold the plateau, with the exception of 180 Métre Hill. The Japanese +sacrificed 2,400 men to obtain that one position, and lost over 1,000 +in establishing themselves in the Tung-yen redoubt. + +At the end of September the Japanese, after two months of unremitting +assault, had failed completely to break through the line of forts. The +Russians not only repulsed the besiegers with great loss, but were able +to make some successful counter attacks. + +Mr. Norregaard, _Daily Mail_ representative with General Nogi’s army, +states that the fighting is of a most determined character. Quarter +is rarely sought or given. “Both sides use hand grenades filled +with gun-cotton, and with a fuse that burns for fifteen seconds. +These grenades were often picked up and re-thrown. They proved +very effective. Latterly, also, they have been fired from light +bamboo-hooped wooden mortars, whose range varies from 50 to 200 yards +with a regulated charge. Both Russians and Japanese frequently throw +stones at each other. It is generally impossible to cut the wire +entanglements.” + +The position of the besieged did not improve. A correspondent wrote in +October: “Our principal forts are uninjured, but the houses in the town +are badly damaged. Most of them are in ruins, and the harbour works are +in a sad plight. Some of our ships have been injured by falling shells, +and it is impossible with our scant resources to repair them. We have +not a single bottle of anæsthetics. The food is of the coarsest, and +even that is beginning to be scarce, while there is much disease.” + +The month of October brought no relief to the garrison, no change in +the tactics of the besiegers. For a short time the attention of the +gunners was given to the town, the fleet, and the harbour. In this +bombardment the _Peresviet_ and the _Pobieda_ were hit five times. + +Then the besieged attempted a counter attack, directing themselves +particularly to the sappers mining under the Russian trenches, and to +the Japanese siege line at the foot of the hill forts. The Japanese +repulsed the attack, and retained their positions. On the 11th they +captured the railway bridge at the foot of Kikwan fort, but nearer +the town. On the two following days the harbour was shelled, and two +vessels were set on fire. On the 16th, after a desperate battle, the +Japanese captured the centre fort on Erhlung-shan, the most important +of the positions secured to that date. + +On October 24 the Russians countermined the Japanese traverse under +Kikwan, and blew it up with dynamite. The same day there was again a +large fire in Russia-town. + +The progress of the besiegers is slow, but now apparently more sure. +General Nogi reports: “The right column and a part of the central +column occupied at sunset of October 30 crest counterscarp of +Sungshu-shan, Erhlung-shan, Tung Kikwan-shan north forts, and destroyed +some of their flankers and outer trenches. Another part of the central +column, despite the enemy’s fierce fire, assailed and carried Fort P, +situated between Panlung-shan and Tung Kikwan-shan north forts. + +“Russians delivered repeated counter assaults against this fort, and we +lost it at 10.30 p.m.; but General Ichinohé successfully re-occupied it +at 11 p.m. The General captured three field guns, two machine guns, +three Fish torpedoes, and many other trophies, and found forty Russians +dead. The left column captured in the same day Kobuyma Fort, situated +in the north-east of Tung Kikwan-shan. + +“On October 31 we attacked the harbour and the shipyard with large +calibre and naval guns, hitting the _Gilyak_ several times, and sinking +two steamers. + +“On November 1 two steamers in the western harbour, of about 3,500 tons +each, and on November 2 another steamer of about 3,000 tons, were sunk. +Violent explosions, probably of powder magazines, heard twice in the +north end of the city. + +“We commenced at noon, November 3, a heavy bombardment with naval guns +against the shipyard and other places in the east of the harbour, where +fire broke out at a quarter-past twelve p.m., raging till four the +next morning. On the same day our bombardment with large calibre guns +inflicted considerable damage on Fort 4.” + +The saps were driven nearer to 203 Métre Hill, and at the end of +November another, and this time successful, attempt was made to carry +the position by storm. The position, and others, were shelled heavily +from dawn until mid-day on November 30. A strong storming party then +rushed to the south-eastern corner, but was repulsed. The cannonading +was resumed; later in the day a second party essayed to reach the +fortifications, but was repulsed; another charge had no better success. +At five in the afternoon a fourth party made a hasty charge, reached +the breastworks, and fighting ferociously won; some men reached within +a hundred feet of the summit. It was seven o’clock before these could +be reinforced to an extent which enabled them to carry the position, +which they occupied at eight o’clock that evening. The Japanese losses +were very heavy, and the Russians left many dead in the fort. The +position has been shelled repeatedly since the end of November, but it +would seem that the Japanese cannot now be driven from the Métre range +of hills by gun fire, nor is it likely that the Russians can afford +to lose the men which all attempts to regain the fortress by direct +assault would entail. + +At the end of November, therefore, the Russians hold still intact the +fortress of Port Arthur; some of the outworks of the forts on the north +and west are in the hands of the besiegers, but it is not proved that +they can hold these positions, as from the forts immediately behind +them they can doubtless be fired upon in such a way that it will be +impossible for the besiegers to use guns from any of these positions. +If this be so, they have gained, by sacrificing nearly 20,000 men, +only a stepping-stone which may be of use to them in reaching the line +of forts by assaults, nothing more. + +In any event, it would appear that Port Arthur will be won little by +little; it will be captured piecemeal at an enormous sacrifice of life, +but that it will be captured no one has any doubt. General Stoessel is +unlikely to surrender until he is stormed in his stronghold on Golden +Hill or on Liaotishan. His losses have been heavy, but not so great +as those of the besiegers, and in the struggle to come he will have +advantages the outer defences did not place at his disposal, so that +the Japanese losses may be even more appalling than the figures yet +published indicate. But the siege cannot continue indefinitely. One of +the latest messages received from within the fortress states: “There +will come a time when there will be no bearing the inconveniences of +the siege, due to sickness, scarcity of food, and cramped quarters; +no enduring the unceasing hell of bursting shells--shattering houses, +killing unfortunate friends, and tearing huge holes in the ground--to +say nothing of the miasma arising from a thousand corpses rotting on +the hills and in the ravines round the forts. Lately the bombardments +have increased in fury, and the fiery messengers of hate and +destruction greet us every minute.” + + + + +CHAPTER XV + +Japan’s Requirements and China’s Future + + +The official reasons for the war between Russia and Japan are known, +but there are matters which lie deeper than the ostensible excuses +made for the serious step Japan has taken. All know that Russia has +curtailed Japan’s fisheries; that she has the control in south-western +Manchuria of all the supplies of beancake upon which the Japanese +depend entirely for the intensive cultivation of the poor and shallow +soil which covers their islands; and they know that Russia, by her +policy in reference to Korea, intended to control the supplies of both +timber and rice so necessary to the welfare of the Japanese. What +people wish to know is how far Japan is prepared to carry the war into +the enemy’s country if she continues to be successful, and what are now +the conditions upon which she will accept peace. + +I have endeavoured to find out from the Japanese themselves what is +the minimum gain which will content them. I have asked Russians, +too, but the only reply they have made is that Japan must be utterly +vanquished--many of them still believe that she will be--must +relinquish everything she has gained temporarily, and be taught a +lesson of humiliation she will never forget. They do not descend to +particulars when asked how this is to be accomplished. The position, +therefore, must be taken from the Japanese point of view, as that is +the only one profitable for examination in detail now. + +In the first place, Japan was determined not to be bluffed by Russia: +her first stroke was intended to make that known to her adversary. +Next, she intended to drive the Russians out of Korea: that she +promptly effected. Then her object was to destroy the Russian fleet, +and deprive Russia of a naval base in the Far East, so that for many +years to come Japan may enjoy peace so far as Russia is concerned. This +is in process of execution, and will be effected before Japan stays her +hand. Thus far we are upon firm ground. + +It is doubtful whether Japan intends to turn Russia out of the three +provinces which comprise Manchuria, or even means to attempt so much. + +Japan would like the Russian forces to retreat upon Harbin quickly. If +that were done, she believes that with the forces now at her command +she could attack and capture Harbin--which has only improvised +defensive works--and so bring about a further withdrawal, compelling +the Russian Commander-in-Chief to decide whether he will attempt to +hold the railway between Harbin and Vladivostok, or abandon the eastern +line and fall back towards Khailar and Siberia. It will be a serious +situation. With the Japanese at Harbin, the Russian retreat westward +may be cut off by a river force proceeding up the Nonni to the railway +crossing south of Tsitsikar. The abandonment of the eastern line will +mean the fall of Vladivostok, and leave the Ussuri province and all the +Russian settlements on the Amur at the mercy of the Japanese army. + +There cannot be any doubt that Japan will try her utmost to reach and +occupy Harbin. Very possibly she will attempt to occupy that position +permanently, since it is the junction of the railways from Port Arthur +and Vladivostok, and is also valuable because the Sungari, the most +important tributary of the Amur, gives communication to many of the +Russian settlements in Northern Manchuria and Eastern Siberia. + +If Russia wills it so, and is prepared to accept conditions, it seems +possible that the actual Japanese invasion will terminate at Harbin, +and that Japan will establish herself there, and hold a large force +in readiness for emergencies, possibly for a further advance at some +future time. The potentialities of such a military situation will be +enormous. Assuming that Japan will halt at the second crossing of the +Sungari river, she will be in possession of the Fengtien and Kirin +provinces, the two most densely populated territories of Manchuria, +the richest in mineral and agricultural wealth, and the better part +of the Chinese Empire occupied by Russia since the Boxer rising. She +will command absolutely the railway approach to Port Arthur, Dalny, +Vladivostok, and the Ussuri lines. Japan’s ambition extends somewhat +further. The territory west of Harbin between the Sungari River and +Tsitsikar is a high plain, well suited to grazing but of no immediate +agricultural value. It has no attractions for the Japanese The land +to the east of Harbin is better from the agriculturist’s point of +view. The Ussuri Province of Eastern Siberia is a fertile, fairly +settled and partly cultivated territory rich in promise. It is well +wooded, possesses large timber, and has coal, iron, silver, and other +valuable mineral deposits. The deep inlets of its shores, from Possiet +northwards to the Amur river, are like Norwegian fiords, and the seas +teem with fish and that marine vegetable life from which much of the +food supply of Japan and Northern China is drawn. The coast fisheries +are of the first importance to the welfare of both Japan and Korea. +Japan wishes, and will attempt to obtain, the freedom of these waters. +In order to prevent Russia from reimposing the taxes she has levied +on the fisheries and restricting the rights of Korean and Japanese +fishermen, or excluding them from earning their livelihood on the +littoral of the Primorski province, Japan will dominate the Ussuri +Province, if not annex it, or restore it to the Chinese empire from +which it was taken a generation ago. + +Japan is unlikely to seek any territorial aggrandisement beyond the +frontier of Korea; but she does wish to attain and maintain a position +which will allow her to dictate absolutely in what manner the two +southern provinces of Manchuria and the Ussuri province of Siberia +shall be occupied and exploited. If she has a strong military force at +Harbin she will be able to effect this end. It is, I believe, a part +of Japan’s policy. It means that Japan will control the sea board from +the southernmost point of Korea to the mouth of the Amur, if not still +farther north to the sea of Okhotsk and Kamtschatka. Japan views as +rightly within her sphere of influence all the territory eastward of +the Liao river, the southern branch of the Eastern Chinese Railway, and +eastward of the Sungari from Harbin, the northern boundary being the +River Amur. In this territory Japan hopes to see Russia’s influence +wane and ultimately vanish. It is to that end she is working. + +Japan may have to be content with very much less. Russia will give +most grudgingly ever so little, and only the force of very adverse +circumstances would compel her to grant so much. Possibly Japan must be +satisfied with a dominion which does not extend far north of Mukden, +but certainly will reach to the Liao. + +Beyond Korea, therefore, certain portions of Manchuria will be won from +the Russians by the Japanese. It may be assumed that the territory +extends to the Amur, or the Sungari, or the Liao, or any other point. +What are the intentions of Japan with regard to such territory? + +As conqueror she may, presumably, annex and occupy it absolutely. +For several reasons she has no intention of occupying Manchuria +permanently. She intends that the territory she wins back from Russia +shall revert to China, upon conditions. + +The first condition is that the provinces ceded shall not again be +invaded by Russia; that there shall not again be any possibility of +Russia threatening Korea and Japan. Russia must not have an ice-free +port, not a naval base, not a dock, or repairing yard, nor must she be +allowed to occupy any fortified post which from its position may be +regarded as dangerous to Korea or Japan. + +Port Arthur will be dismantled; the earthworks will be demolished; +the dockyard cleared, and the place reduced to an unimportant railway +terminus and fishing village, with some commerce coastwise in small +native craft. The fame and the value of Port Arthur are wholly +artificial. It is not the proper situation for the terminus of the +trans-continental railway; as a naval base it is useful only to Russia, +or some other European power having a forward policy in the Far East. +It will sink again to the obscurity from which Russia raised it--not +until then will it be handed over again to China. + +Of Dalny even the expenditure of much government money has been unable +to make a success. The site was ill chosen; the place has no trade, +serves no real purpose, and by the Russians was termed “Lishni,” the +“unwanted.” Dalny is dead. + +The Eastern Chinese Railway, of which Port Arthur was the military and +Dalny the commercial terminus, will continue to serve both places so +long as there is any traffic, and local traffic there always will be. +It may increase, but it will do so slowly unless nursed by some such +artificial methods as Russia employed. The Eastern Chinese Railway +will be joined to the Imperial Chinese Railways by a line of about +forty miles over a flat country between Mukden and Hsinmintun. That +is the direction most of the trans-continental and local traffic will +take; it will give through railway communication between Europe and +Peking. + +The railway between Port Arthur and Harbin may be acquired directly +from Russia by the Chinese Government. It is much more likely to +be taken by the Japanese and sold to either the Chinese Railways +Administration, or to a syndicate of British and American capitalists. +The line runs through a rich country, and already there is sufficient +traffic obtainable to pay not only the expenses of working but a +fair interest on the actual heavy cost of construction. In fact, +the Harbin-Dalny section is the most profitable of all the Siberian +railways and its prospects are excellent. Should it be acquired either +by the Chinese, or by a foreign syndicate, it will be doubtless +converted to the standard gauge of the Chinese railways, and be worked +by a similar staff. Already the Japanese are reducing the gauge over +the sections in their possession. + +The fate of that section of the Eastern Chinese Railway between Harbin +and Pogranichnaya cannot be foreseen. If the Japanese establish +themselves at Harbin, it may be disposed of in the same manner as +the southern section, or the Russian authorities may have running +powers over it, or it may be allowed to remain wholly in the hands +of Russia--since it connects with the Ussuri railway which has one +terminus at Vladivostok, and the other at Khabarovsk on the River Amur. +For obvious reasons, I think Japan will endeavour to obtain and keep +control of this eastern section, and of the Ussuri railway. Should +she do this the Russian terminus of the Trans-Siberian Railway will +be Harbin, unless the northern, original route be continued and the +line prolonged eastward from Stretensk on the Shilka. Russia will be +asked to relinquish the Island of Saghalien--taken from Japan when she +was a weak power--the Aleutian, Prybilov, and other sealing islands +of the north Pacific. These Japan wishes to have absolutely, valuing +them higher than a foothold upon the mainland of Siberia. Japan would +also like to occupy permanently the port, harbour, and works at +Vladivostok, which she considers to be of greater value to her than +is Port Arthur. In short, Japan wishes to possess, or dominate, every +place which Russia might eventually utilize as a naval base. More than +this, Japan is determined to be the naval power of the East Pacific, +and should Russia ever possess a fighting navy, Japan intends to make +it impossible for that navy to have any permanent establishment in +the Far East. It is for this reason, the blocking of Russia from +approaches to ice-free water and the eastern seas, that Japan may find +it necessary to hold Harbin and dominate the lower reaches of the Amur, +and the Ussuri province. + +Another point upon which Japan will insist is the opening up of +Manchuria to foreign trade. She will require of China, as a condition +precedent to handing over the territory, that at every place along the +railway lines and rivers at which Russia has, or had, settlements, +foreigners shall be free to reside and to carry on their calling, as in +the treaty ports. This has already been made known to China. As usual +the Chinese authorities demur to concede this, but Japan remains firm; +she will insist, and if necessary she will defy China, occupying and +administering the country, and dare China to turn her out by force of +arms. + +This attitude of Japan is undoubtedly correct. By it she proves to the +powers that she has been fighting Russia on their behalf, and probably +she believes that she will have their moral support in obtaining her +end. But moral support may prove insufficient. Already the Chinese know +that Russia is not the great invincible military power they believed +her to be. They think that they are capable of doing what Japan has +done, and the northern viceroys talk of fighting Japan in preference +to having only a limited authority granted them in Manchuria. Their +attitude must be taken into account when the conditions of peace are +ripe for decision. + +The next point profitable to consider is the intention of Japan +with reference to the immediate exploitation or development of +those portions of China she is winning back from Russia. As already +stated, Port Arthur is to be dismantled. No foreigners will in any +circumstances be allowed to stay there until after the conclusion of +the war. The same rule will apply to Dalny and Talienwan, for the whole +of the Kuan-tung peninsula is required by Japan as a naval and military +base. After the war, if it ends in favour of Japan, it is improbable +than any European firm will desire to become established there, other +places offering greater inducements. + +For sufficient reasons, which need not be set forth in detail, the +Japanese will object to any Russians remaining longer on Manchurian +territory in their military occupation. They will object also to +persons of French, German, and Scandinavian nationality. Both +French and German subjects in the Far East, and especially those in +Manchuria, Siberia, and the quondam treaty port of Newchwang, have +shown themselves sympathisers with Russia, if not actual partisans in +the war. The Scandinavians, chiefly through the Danish East-Asiatic +Company, are still more closely identified with Russians, and the +Japanese even go so far as to say that the Danish and the Russian +flags are for all practical purposes identical. Throughout the Far +East Denmark is represented by the Russian Consuls; some of the Danish +East-Asiatic Company’s steamers were owned in their entirety and +absolutely by Russians, a fact the Japanese do not overlook, and will +not forget. + +Manchuria therefore will be open first to persons of British and +American nationality. If they are quick to establish themselves there, +other nationals will be subject to the same adverse conditions as +British subjects endured under Russian rule and occupation. + +Another point upon which Japan has decided is the future rule of +Manchuria. Japan does not intend that the three provinces shall revert +to the cruel despotism that obtained there under Chinese sovereignty. +Japan has proved in Formosa that brigands, outlaws, and the savage +natives the Chinese exploited, have become industrious law-abiding +peasants under the just administration of equitable laws. + +The Hunghuses and outlaws of Manchuria are more likely than the +Formosan natives to appreciate a liberal government, and laws +administered with justice. All nations should support Japan in her +endeavour to free the enslaved Manchurian peasant. The Chinese coolie +is capable of being made into a law-abiding, sober, industrious, frugal +labourer, and if the experiment succeeds in Manchuria it may lead to +a reform in the government of the eighteen provinces of China Proper. +Possibly the moral, social, and physical welfare of the people count +for less than the correct division of the territorial spoils of war +among the conquerors; but this issue is fraught with such gigantic +potentialities, that it is to be hoped Japan will obtain her end, +and be the means of freeing the Chinese peoples from the tyranny of +a corrupt mandarin rule. The real opening up of Manchuria to foreign +settlement and trade will effect more than centuries of missionary +effort to the enlightenment of the people and the amelioration of +their lot. This opportunity must on no account be missed, whatever the +opinion of the Chinese Court may be on the subject. + +The spoils of war which will go to the victors will include government, +freehold and leasehold estate; fortresses, dockyards, armaments and +munitions of war. The Chinese Eastern Railway may be regarded as +government property, and such rights as Russia legally possesses in it +will pass to the Japanese. There will be a war indemnity, but in the +Far East it is believed that whichever side wins, the war indemnity, +whatever its amount, will have to be paid by China. Should the Japanese +prove ultimate conquerors the war indemnity levied upon Russia will be +collected of China on account of the territory returned to the dominion +of the Chinese Emperor. Should Russia win, Japan will be unable to pay +a heavy indemnity, and China will be required to reimburse Russia for +the expense to which she will have been put in repelling the Japanese +invasion of Chinese territory. China’s protests will be futile in +either event. + +The material gain Japan expects to win by the war may be summarized as +follows:-- + +(_a_) Saghalien and the sealing islands to become Japanese territory. + +(_b_) The port and harbour of Vladivostok to be occupied by Japan +indefinitely. + +(_c_) Port Arthur to be dismantled and made over to China on conditions. + +(_d_) The rights of Russia in the Chinese Eastern Railway and in the +territory leased from China by Russia. + +(_e_) The opening of Manchuria to Japanese trade and exploitation. + +(_f_) The opening of the Amur and its tributaries to international +navigation. + +(_g_) A war indemnity of unknown amount, to be paid by China. + +These requirements are for the most part immaterial to European Powers. +The supporters of Japanese policy may expect to share in the privileges +Japan secures for her own people as traders in Manchuria, and in the +right of way in Siberian waters. + +They will be neither gainers nor losers by the transference of +Saghalien, and the Russian islands in the Pacific, nor by the change in +the ownership of Vladivostok. Whilst some nationals will be losers by +the dismantling of Port Arthur and the disappearance from the Pacific +of the Russian naval stations, in all probability the world will be +distinctly the gainer, if, as is proposed, Manchuria and “Japanese +Siberia,” are opened to free commerce. + +The empire of China expects to benefit largely if Japan wins, but if +this benefit is to be paid for by the Chinese people in extra taxes +levied in order that Japan may be paid out her share in the reconquered +Manchuria, then the Chinese people will have good reason to curse a war +which has added to their burdens and in no other way ameliorated their +condition. + +China is as corrupt as her empire is vast; even the Japanese with whom +I have conversed on the subject declared that the task of regenerating +China was too great for them to attempt; the Chinese were hopelessly +incorrigible. + +The bulk of the Chinese, though bound by tradition and the slaves of +their environment, are sensible, law-abiding people, whose greatest +need is a good government. It is not that there is one law for the rich +and another for the poor--there are laws for any and every class--but +there is justice for no one, only the foreigner. + +I will take an instance. A rich corporation had a difference with a +rich contractor as to the quality of certain material supplied. In +England it would have been a case for a civil court, but in order to +obtain the return of their money they put the man in the _yamen_, and +being rich, paid the expected cumshaws, and in the course of time the +sum they demanded was extorted from the contractor. By that time the +_yamen_ officials had discovered that he was wealthy, and he was not +released until he was not only beggared, but his daughters had been +sold into slavery. The handful of snow thrown at the man became an +avalanche which overwhelmed him. + +The magistrates are appointed for a term of three years, and count upon +receiving in cumshaws the first year as much as they paid in order to +secure the position; double that sum the second year, and the third +year double the second year’s income. + +Is there any crime which justifies the State in flaying a woman to +death? + +Perchance the visitor to a big Chinese city may happen on such an +execution in one of its streets. He may shut his eyes to the horrible +spectacle and pass by as the foreign resident does, or as a tourist he +may stay and watch, and as a souvenir buy at a German photographer’s a +set of snap-shots showing the various stages of the ghastly performance +of tearing the skin from the sentient flesh of a writhing human being +tied to the stake. + +Only last September in modern Shanghai, a man was slowly starved to +death whilst exhibited in a wooden cage outside the gates of the city, +but only one English newspaper in the settlement thought the affair +called for mention. And Shanghai is the model settlement possessing a +municipal council which recently thought “shocking” an application to +permit newspapers to be sold in the streets! + +A woman employed at one of the mills stole a small quantity of cotton +which she said she wrapped round her body in order to keep herself +warm; she was sentenced to 100 blows for this offence at the Mixed +Court, when the American assessor was on the bench with the Chinese +magistrate. The case is reported, without comment, in the _North China +Daily News_, January 20, 1904. This is a punishment which would not be +inflicted in England, and British mill owners in China ought to work +with conditions similar to those made in this country. + +In another case, a British boy, name not published, was prosecuted +in the Consular Court for a long series of petty thefts from his +employers. In order not to spoil his future career he was ordered one +day’s imprisonment and immediately set free. + +There are different punishments for an identical offence, the variation +being due to the nationality of the culprit. The penalty inflicted +upon a Chinese offender also varies in accordance with the nationality +of the accuser, or the assessor. The purpose of a European assessor +sitting conjointly with a Chinese magistrate is that a guilty person +shall not escape sentence, but the magistrate is not influenced by +Chinese law or the gravity of the offence so much as the consideration +of the penalty which will satisfy the foreigner. A convict may get 100, +200, or 500 blows, the number depending upon whether the assessor is +British, French, or German. + +Generations of foreign intercourse, and the establishment of great +foreign settlements at her ports do not seem to have affected in the +least the essentially barbaric legal customs of China, or to have +ameliorated appreciably the condition of her people. + +Missionary effort has not been much more successful. The very afternoon +that I sat with the Rev. John Ross in his beautiful home at Mukden, +outside the west gate of the city a woman of twenty-two was being +cruelly hacked into a thousand pieces before the eyes of an indifferent +concourse of idlers. For thirty years Mr. Ross has laboured valiantly +in Manchuria, but the customs, the laws and the barbarity of the people +continue as of old. And Mr. Ross is only one of some 4,000 missionaries +in China, men who strive and work on year after year, and hope, but +see no marked change in the masses, or prospect of changes to be +inaugurated by their rulers. + +One reason for this failure is that Chinese converts are for the most +part men of poor station, men without power and possessing little or no +influence with the high officials. Indeed many of them are destitute, +the “rice-Christians” maintained by foreign charity, and despised by +their fellows. + +The status of a Christian convert in China is similar to that of an +avowed atheist in this country. His relations plead with him and +reproach him, the bulk of the people contemn him, the officials despise +him and are not ready to help him. If persuasion will not win him back +to the conventions of the public his family try threats; the rage of +his ancestors at his apostasy, the dishonour he has brought upon them +and upon his living relatives; such wickedness as the gods will not +allow to go unpunished. If he remain obdurate they tell him of the fate +of other Christian converts, ask him if he wishes to be a tortured +martyr, hint that there is a strong secret body of the orthodox faith, +the old true believers of China, who mean to drive out of China the +foreign devils, and destroy all who believe as the foreigners believe, +and have forsaken the sacred faith of their forefathers and mock +the true religion. And the Chinaman, timid by nature, is influenced +at last; terrorized by these hints he goes to the missionary with a +story of a secret society of blood-thirsty vegetarians, the fearful +_tsiliti_, who are plotting to murder the missionaries and their +converts. The same story in various forms comes from so many converts +that the missionaries become alarmed, and write to the Consul, and +if the Consul has many such communications he too takes fright and +requests the presence of a gunboat, or some other drastic remedy, and +at once you have all the ingredients of an ugly international incident. + +The Chinaman, of course, has not much chance if he tries to set the law +in motion against the foreigner. He has just to suffer what they put on +him. + +When I was in Tientsin there was a coolie staggering under a prodigious +load of bricks, slowly pushing the barrow to which he was harnessed +along the correct side of the road, when a Cossack rode up from behind, +and finding a carriage coming the other way, so not allowing him room +to pass until it had gone by the barrow, he commenced to lash the bare +coolie with his whip for no other reason than that he was where he was, +and where he had a perfect right to be. An Englishman interfered, but +it was in the French Concession, and there, no more than in the British +or the Russian Concessions, would the coolie be likely to obtain +redress. + +The future of the Chinese empire is of less moment than the fate of the +Chinese people. After so many attempts have been made to coerce the +Government, and to influence the people, it seems hopeless that any +plan will succeed. + +But this war affords an opportunity for an experiment which I hope will +be tried--the establishment of a real Japanese control in China, in the +reconquered province of South Manchuria. Let the Japanese prove there +that they are not only warriors, but of a race capable of raising the +eastern people to their own level, able to instil new ideals, to imbue +others with self-respect. Let them establish in their midst courts of +justice, and schools such as exist in Japan. In the country they have +won let them govern. In China as in Japan let there be only one law, +applicable both to natives and foreigners; let there be fostered a +respect for justice and for authority; let there be a beginning made +with the real work of regenerating China, and the work done where the +Peking official will be powerless to interfere with its development, to +check its growth, or to stamp it out and reduce Manchuria to the level +of the China of to-day. If this be the outcome of the war, then Japan, +as a true civilizing force, will not have expended her strength and her +treasure in vain. + + +Butler & Tanner, The Selwood Printing Works, Frome, and London. + + + + + The Russo-Japanese Conflict + + Its Causes and Issues + + By K. ASAKAWA, PH.D. + +_Lecturer on the Civilization and History of East Asia at Dartmouth College; + Author of the “Early Institutional Life of Japan” etc._ + + With an Introduction by FREDERICK WELLS WILLIAMS + + _Assistant Professor of Modern Oriental History in Yale University._ + + Large Crown 8vo. xvi. + 384 pages + + _With 10 Full-age Illustrations and a Map._ + + Price 7/6 net + +This book is an attempt to present in a verifiable form some of the +issues and the historical causes of the war between Russia and Japan. +The work is neither a plea for one side nor a condemnation of the +other, but is an attempt to give a clear view of the conflict of +imperative interests and of inherited instincts underlying the clash +of arms. No one else has, so far as we are aware, attempted a detailed +exposition of this kind in this impartial spirit. + +After an introduction discussing the economic issues and showing the +vital necessity that Japan should have opportunity for expansion, the +Author reviews the historical and diplomatic events of the last fifty +years as they affect Japan, China, Korea, Manchuria, and Russia, and +threshes out for us the questions of Chinese neutrality and Korean +integrity. The book is written with vigour and clearness and is +illustrated with portraits of leading diplomats on either side. + + + + A Russo-Chinese Empire + + Translated from the French of A. ULAR. + + Ex. Crown 8vo. Price 7/6 + +“It is refreshing to come across a book by a writer capable of +regarding some part of the Eastern crisis from a point of view not +aggressively anti-Chinese.... The causes which have led the Slav rulers +to turn their steps and gravitate westward are described by M. Ular +with insight and animation.... English readers are not likely to agree +with all the conclusions reached by the author of this volume; but they +will gain from it the removal of some prejudices, and the power of +seeing more clearly certain remedies for the distracting uncertainty of +Eastern politics.”--_Globe._ + +“The book ought to be carefully studied by every one interested in +Asiatic politics.”--_Labour Leader._ + +“It is a most able work which demonstrates first the author’s opinions +as to Russia’s carefully-planned intention to compass at least the +northern portion of China into the Russian Empire, and secondly his +desire to dispel the unfavourable ideas which prevail amongst Western +people _re_ the Chinese.”--_London Record._ + +“It is a stimulant to thought and of singular originality.”--_Standard._ + +“A singularly acute analysis of Chinese character.”--_Yorkshire Post._ + +“A strikingly able book which provides much food for thought.”--_World._ + + + + Asia and Europe + +Studies presenting the conclusions formed by the Author in a long life +devoted to the subject of the relationship between Asia and Europe. + + By MEREDITH TOWNSEND. + + New Cheaper Edition with an additional chapter. + + Crown 8vo, 5/- net. + + +“It would be difficult to exaggerate the interest of this remarkable +book.... An eminently suggestive book ... a very important and original +piece of work.”--_Spectator._ + +“This is a book which every one ought to read and ponder. It is so +well written, so intensely interesting and actual, so speculative and +suggestive, and yet, to use an overworked expression, so thoroughly +sane, that we cannot imagine any one putting it down until he has +reached the very last page; and when it is done, most people will wish +to begin it again.”--_Saturday Review._ + +“There is much which cannot be commended too highly.”--_Athenæum._ + +“The work contains enough thought to furnish a careful reader with +intellectual food for twelve months, and it is a worthy monument to a +life spent in studying a single subject, the relations between Asia and +Europe.... It is inspired throughout by a tolerant judgment.... The +book is consistently charming.”--_Morning Post._ + +“A fascinating group of studies entitled Asia and Europe.... The fact +that Mr. Townsend is not a philanthropist or a party politician makes +his judgment the more valuable, while the really admirable literary +gift which he possesses will certainly allure the most tepid fingerer +of volumes from the circulating library to read the book from cover to +cover.”--_Manchester Guardian._ + + + + +The Story of a Soldier’s Life + +By FIELD-MARSHAL VISCOUNT WOLSELEY, G.C.M.G. 2 vols. Demy 8vo. With +Portraits and Plans. Price 32/- net. 2nd Edition. + +“The interest of Lord Wolseley’s admirably written book is at once +historical and practical. Regarded merely as a narrative of events, +it possesses immense value. We have here a vivid presentation at +first hand of the personal impressions of one whose experiences in +war are unsurpassed in what may be termed their intensity, while +on the point of variety they are literally unique in military +history.”--_Fortnightly Review._ + + +The Life and Campaigns of Hugh, 1st Viscount Gough, Field-Marshal + +By ROBERT S. RAIT, Fellow of New College, Oxford. Fully Illustrated, +with Portraits, Maps and Plans. 2 vols. Demy 8vo. 31/6 net. + +“A complete biography. The book is one to be read by all and closely +studied by all military students.”--_Athenæum._ + +“Scholarly, profound, full of life and interest.... The chief +attraction of the volumes lies in the letters which make known to +us a soldier who united the loftiest daring with the most watchful +humanity and responsive affection, whose lofty ambition had no alloy +of selfishness and no taint of the feeling of rivalry.”--_Blackwood’s +Magazine._ + + +The Second Afghan War 1878-80 + +By COLONEL H. B. HANNA. 2 vols. Demy 8vo. With Maps and Plans. Vol. I., +10/- net; Vol. II., 15/- net. + +Mr. S. S. Thorburn says in _The Speaker_: “His work has great value. +For soldiers the volume is full of instruction.” + +“A book which soldiers and all men having authority should read. +An extremely accurate, painstaking, and clear account of a very +unsatisfactory war.”--_Pall Mall Gazette._ + + +Transcriber’s Notes. + +Italic text is indicated with _underscores_, bold text with =equals=. +Small/mixed capitals have been replaced with ALL CAPITALS. + +Evident typographical and punctuation errors have been corrected +silently. Inconsistent spelling/hyphenation has been normalised. + +A Half-title page has been discarded. + +Text in the list of illustrations has been amended to match the +illustration captions. + +The text "and Manchuria" has been added to the heading for Chapter II, +to match the table of contents. + +A "tipped-in" addendum has been appended to the list of illustrations. + +To improve text flow, illustrations have been relocated between +paragraphs. + + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 78388 *** |