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Show DAILY 8 UTAH STATE AUGUST SATURDAY, JOURNAL. 1904. 13, SKETCH OF PORT ARTHUR, WHICH IS DOOMED TO FALL Probably the fall of Port Arthur, 1 cut oft bjr mu which, now that It la apparently only a matter and land, of day, or at moat week, will count in the eye of the Japanese for more than any subsequent victory which war. may attend their arina in thla the waa thla fortreaa of The holding head and front of Russia's oftenae, and lta reconquest waa more to be desired citby the Japanese than many rich beManchuria, of ies or the whole earliest hopes the embodied cause It of the people of the Island kingdom of Alsace-Lorrairevenge. What the lose of was to France throughout the seventies and eighties, the trick by which she was robbed of Port Arthur has been to Japan and more. The events of the spring of 1895, after the war with China, burnt Into the hearts of the Inhabitants of the rising eastern empire. In all the years of quiet as preparation for war Japan has kept her Immediate objective one jiolnt Port Arthur and If the army and navy, by any stretch of the Imagination, can be pictured returning victorious without having occupied this portion of the Liao Tung peninsula popular opinion would rise In revolt. The regaining of Port Arthur has meant to Japan the wiping out of the deepest Insult the regenerated empire has received; and In recollection of the events of 1895, when the emperor wns forced to hand back this point d'apput to China, preparatory to Its falling Into the hands of Russia, no Englishman or American will fail to appreciate the keen Joy which has been occasioned throughout the islands at the news that the army of the Rising Run once more Invests the "Gibraltar of the Far East," as it has been called. A short gldnce back over the history of this fortress will explnin the sentimental reasons which, apart from all others, have Inspired the Japanese In their determination to turn the Russians out of this great naval and military base. If Port Arthur had any existence prior to 1870 It was so lnslgnlilcant as to be of no account In that year, however, on the eve of the great struggle In the west a number of French nuns and native Christian converts were France was massacred at Tlen-Tsitoo busy to exact reparation, but at any moment the fanataclsm might single out the missionaries of some other power less occupied, and then there would be trouble Indeed. So the Chinese government sent Li Hung Chang to act as governor of Chi-L- I and suppress the disorder. For nearly a quarter of a century he remained in control of this huge slice of the Chinese empire. Ills tenn of office was fruitful of progress. He had an army, equipped and drilled In accordance with western Ideas; he fortified Taku. on the estuary of the Tlen-Tsi- n river; he created a fleet, and then the immediate point of Interest he decided to found a fortress at Port Arthur. As J. 1L Longford recently pointed out In The Nineteenth Century, the Important strategic position of this port commanding as it does to a great extent the approach by sea to Taku and the capital, Pekin, waa pointed out to Li Hung Chang by his foreign advisers. His own military experience and skill enabled him to see quickly the soundness of their advice. The design and carrying out the fortifications, on the constructions of which huge sums of money were spent were entrusted to a German officer of artillery. Major von Hannecken, and so efficiently carried out by him that In 1884, when n. China became Involved in hostilities with France on account of Tonkin, both the land and sea defenses were already so formidable that Admiral Courbet the Freuch commander in chief, positively declined to act on the suggestion of his government to attempt to take possession of the port unless furnished with a far more powerful fleet than that at his disposal and an army of at least 20,000 men. From on early date LI Hung Chang had watched the growing power of Japan, and foresaw the possibility that. In time, China would have to measure strength with her. In anticipation of that time Port Arthur continued to be strengthened; it was made the base of the powerful fleet which waa simultaneously organised, and when at last. In 1894, the long threatened war with Japan occurred, it was in a far more formidable condition than In the previous decade, when Admiral Courbet declined to meddle with It. and it was considered by experts to be impregnable both by land and sea. Previous to the war, out of which JapHti Issued with all the laurels, Port Arthur was regarded ns the "Gibraltar of the Far East." From a strategic point of view. Its situation is magnificent. It la the heel of the Liao Tung peninsula, shut In by high hills on the landward sides, as though raised by nature specially for the emplacement of guns of high power; with a narrow channel for approach, as If Intended to be closed against an invader by boom or mine defense; and a great sheet of Inclosed water, which, with the aid of dredgers, could be transformed Into one of the finest sheltered anchorages In the world. Viewed from every asect. it seemed to be the very key to the naval command of the gulf of Pechl-- U and the Yellow sea, and its frowning batteries were accepted as a sure guarantee of the safety of Pekin itself against Invasion. To Li Hung Chang Port Arthur waa as the very apple of his eye; It was his creation, and he certainly was not surprised when Admiral Courbet refused to make the assault. one mile in width from north to south. Its anchorage capacity for large vessels la, however, limited on account of the shallow water throughout the greater part, though since its acquisition by the Russians its capacity has been considerably increased by extensive dredging operations. Between the west port and the entrance channel a low lying spit of land runs northward from the coast, which is known by its Chinese name of "Tiger's Tail." The very narrow entrance and the sharp turn, affording only the smallest space for maneuvering, render both the entrance and exit from or to the sea a matter of great difficulty for ships of large sixe.. Owing to the configuration of the land, lort Arthur was considered to be easy of defense. The harbor Is girdled round with hills, varying In height from 250 feet to nearly 500 feet, and, with this assistance from nature, what was regarded as an impregnable enclente of forts was made, stretching from the eminence of Golden hill, or Hwang-chlnshacommanding the outer roadsteHd, right round the rear of the town, and even down the back of the Tiger's Tall, so as to enfilade the roudsteud or reach an enemy tit sea attempting an assault upon these At immense high-placdefenses. of great power were caroutlny guns ried up the hills and mounted In the forts, while a forest of small quick-firer- s was placed near the water's s, edge, and In other advantageous or for sweeping the waterway repelling a flank attack ashore. Thus did LI Hung Chang prepare for any comers who desired to try their strength against his defenses. France In 1884 refused the task of battering at this fortress, and it was Japan, ten years later, who carried it by assault. It is unnecessary to retell at length the story of the campaign and to narrate the gradual driving of the Chinese out of Korea. Sufficient for our purpose that the Japanese, by victory after victory, forced the troops of the Chinese empire across the Yalu and back into Manchuria. The Japanese army, under Marshal Count Oya-m- a, n, ed it could provide. The men were re- galed on the vast parade ground, and later nearly COO officers gathered in a large open space near the dock yard. On long tables rice, wine, tinned and potted meats, pork, biscuits, dried cuttlefish, etc, were set out. It was not a menu which would have tempted an epicurean palate, but It served Its purpose. As the simple food was consumed, congratulations passed from one to another, and then Marshal Oyama. who had led the troops with such conspicuous success, proposed hearty cheers for the emin peror, to whose virtue, as usual Japan, the victory was ascribed. No sooner had the hills ceased to echo the shouts than this offiand cer was carried shoulder high round the place of feasting. Thus was the capture of Port Arthur celebrated. Before the end of the year, owing to the action of Russia, backed up by Germany and France, the emperor of Japan was compelled to hand back thU hard won point dappul nomlially to China, but, as events turned out, really to Ruesia herself. Within two and a half years Port Arthur had been leaned to the esar, Great Britain obtained France got Saiand Japan, gon, Germany the country which had revealed Chinas feebleness in such glaring colors to the whole world, was the only na tlon which had not gained a foot of soil on the Chinese mainland; and even in Korea, which her troops had overrun, she saw Russlrn Influence becoming day by day more powerful. Russia, though she had gained Port Arthur as the long cherished warm-watport, was not unmindful of the hatred with which the Japanese looked across at her progress. With feverish haste she proceeded to carry her great Siberian railway down to her new base; large sums were spent on new fortifications; a new naval scheme for providing what was hoped would be a supreme fleet for the Pa clflc was taken in hand; thousands of Chinese were set 'to work to make great docks at Port Arthur and Vlacomand divostok, and the building of a mercial port at Dalny was commenced; Kin re-ec- ho Wel-Hel-W- Kalo-Cha- u, posl-tlon- To come to more exact details. Port after landing at Arthur Is six miles from the most seising Talienwan bay, made southern point of the peninsula of Chou its Jumping off point for the land Liao Tung, on its eastern side. The assault on Fort Arthur the famous southern part of Shenklng, one of the squadron had already ten three provinces which together consti- reduced to lm potency. The attack betute Manchuria, forms the peninsula gan on November 21, 1894, at dayof Liao Tung, which Itself narrows break, and by a little after mlddny all as It approaches Its the inland forts had been carried. considerably southern end, and at one part its to- Then the troops advanced upon the tal width from sea to sea does not coast defenses. By 4 o'clock Golden exceed two miles from to hill, bristling with artillery, had been Hand bay, an offshoot of captured, and almost simultaneously bay. When this Isthmus, which Is the triumphant strains of the in called Chinese the "Regent's the Japanese national anthem, Sword," Is passed, the pen'naula again were born up the hillside from Port widens before lort Arthur Is reached. Arthur Itself, and told the victors on The Russian railway runs along the the heights that their companions in west coast of the entire peninsula, arms in the town had completed their but a main road also skirts the east task In spite of the Chinese garrison coast, Joining the railway in the isth- of over 20,000 men. The conquest of mus. The harbor of Port Arthur faces the western forts would have been almost due south, and Is entered by a made on the following day, but when narrow channel, of the Japanese advanced they found mile In length, the navigable width of that the Chinese gunners had fled. which Is nowhere more than 250 yards, Port Arthur was planned by LI and falls In one place to less than 100 Hung Chang to bid defiance to Japan yards. On the right of this channel and any other intruders, and the army Is the small east port. 500 yards In and the whole Japanese empire relength by 350 in width, In which are joiced exceedingly at Its capture. the dock yard and dock, and opposite Though the campaign was not by any the entrance to this port the channel means ended, It was decided that war takes a very sharp turn, almost at could wait while officers and men celeright angles, to the left, leading to the brated the occasion. At short notice much larger west port. This is the it was not possible to obtain any great natural harbor, oval in shape, two delicacies for the feast but the commiles in length from east to west, and missariat waa ransacked for all that er all these plans, entailing the expendi- in position to chtik a:i ture of huge capital sums, were begun ered from the land side " Immediately the railway had reached ed, once the harbor ha, b the sea, and the world looked on, ad- over a greater ar,.,. miring and amaied at the energy channel, cutting thi ,ai "4 11 1 which was exhausted, the foresight direction opposite the existi which was revealed in the defensive upon the far side of the designs, and the marvelous ease with that means the commercS!Jy' which everything went forward. At would have it, own part 0 forts were and direct access w Vladivostok, also, new the erected and equipped; along the rail- wharves and the new railwav way block houses were set up, each with a small body of soldiers; new means of secret agents, military depots sprang up at Harbin carefully watching these and Mukden and elsewhere; strategic by Russia. When all the points were garrisoned on the Yalu, signs were well in hand-and even Yongampho, in Korea Itself, many of them were on the was seised, nominally, as a commercial completion, the Tokio govT port; troops, however, were sent there stepped in where other pTeT?! as everywhere. The whole scheme of feared to tread, and refused dominating, not only the whole of satisfied with prevaricatory Manchuria, but Korea and the eastern ments. PractliHlly Japan confesses u seas as well, made excellent headway. so many words that she knew ft! Now and again protests were raised meaning of all the preparations by this power or that, but they were she was determined to arrive at tsu. Ignored or parried, and the work went rangement before Russia wa( on. Russia needed peace only until, put her back to the wall andfL at the earliest, the summer of 1905, Thus it came out that while Aim and then Admiral Alexleff would be Alexleff was busy pushing w m. schemes, believing that Japan prepared for any eventualities. mw While a heavy outlay was being not dare to stand in his way, made In many directions, the render country broke off diplomatic relitlona lng of Port Arthur Impregnable was This occurred on February the chief object immediately In view. Within less than twenty-fou- r hours It is not without interest to quote the without any formal declaration of n, opinion expressed by Mr. Bennet Bur- the Japanese fleet, which had quietly leigh In the Dally Telegram when he rendezvoused at Saseho dockyard, had visited the fortress shortly before the sailed, and by the 8th It had serious, outbreak of war. He said: ly crippled the naval power of Rai-ld. I still hold that Port Arthur is The events on February it Its frowning works, mounds Chemulpo and Port Arthur, of earth, and bastions of granite rock, nlshed the world with a magnificent its glacis and its trenches, circling Illustration of the advantage which and crowning some score or more of Ilea with the country which gets tg often remote and disconnected hills the first blow. Prom the outset Ruthat can be dominated from other ssia waa put on the defensive In the heights, render them open to attack naval as subsequently In the mllltuy and capture in detail. And to such a operations. The fortress has not yet form of assault they are peculiarly fallen, but it Is isolated. Around It the exposed, for the scorings of the soil Japanese troops are drawing In, the are numerous and deep. Gullies tra- channel from the harbor Is verse the hills in all directions and for anything larger than torpedo craft, there Is magnificent cover for rifleA NEW VER8ION, men, often up to within 500 yards of the nearest outlying defenses of the A little nonsense now and thes main works. Again, scarcely half the brings failure to a lot of men. Chforts are completed or have any guns icago Record-Heral- J p, V, Jr rJ a. over-fortifie- f. d. Pel-Ya- ng Kln-Ch- nu an Kimi-gay- o, three-quarte- rs CCL The Best Childrens Eyes Glasses (the only kind I use) are none too good for you. It Is your duty to consult me when In search of glasses. I have every advantage to give perfect results. I grind all lenses used. 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