Show STOESSEL AND NOGI communicate former protests against bombard ment of hospitals over which the red cross flag flies tokio dec 17 the tol loning ata patch was received today from the army before port arthur two letters from general stoessel commander of the russian military force at port arthur to general nogi in command 0 the besiegers at port arthur reached headquarters on dec 15 the first read as follows I 1 1 I have the honor to inform you that your artillery has bombarded our hospitals which are plainly distinguished by red cross flags these insignia are visible from our artillery positions I 1 request you to prohibit the bombardment I 1 make the request tioff my high esteem for our brave heroes who after gloriously fighting with your force lie wounded in the hospitals under red cross among those heroes are some japanese wounded 1 I avail myself of the opportunity to convey to you assurance of my high respect accompanying this letter was another from general stoessel to general nogi saying 1 I hereby entrust el trust alie bearer Bara langa to the emperor and superintendent of the red crass to negotiate with your excellency in order to remove the hospitals outside tho dangerous aone during bombardment it is to say that wo have respect tor jour right to promote the success of your operation penciled on the envelope was the following Ba will come to the same place on the afternoon 0 dec 16 to receive your cieply general Gene ial nogi further reports that he sent major saito accompanied by prof ariga and an interpreter to sali calao to deliver a reply was accompanied compa nied by the following letter to general stoessel 1 I have the honor to you that the japanese army respecting humanity and treaties sanco tho beginning of the siege has never dl lecter shells against or vessels flying the red cross but tho greater part of the garrison Is invisible from position and as you know shelli do not always reach tho place to which they arc directed and especially owing to your long ana brave resistance the deviation of our guns is becoming greater and greater so with the greatest regret we are unable to guarantee to reach the places at which they are directed I 1 avail myself of the opportunity to convey to your excellency assurances 0 my respect the record of the interview between langa and bajor salto la as follows Bara Japa neso artillery directs its fire against under the red cross saito never Ba we request cu not to bombard tho whole new town and the northeastern part of the old town salto we cannot agree absolutely to limit our area we will give ou a map showing the positions of our hospitals and hope you will not bombard them saito we will receive the map supporting your le quest it was arranged the map shall be dec 18 impressive BURIAL OF EX PRESIDENT KRUGER pretoria transvaal dec 16 two thousand burghers attended an impressive religious service of forner to the burial of tho body of former president kruger several ministers of tho dutch churches spoke all eulogizing the ex president tor his exemplary religious life and as a lover of his people and exhorting the boers while remaining loyal to the now flag never to forget the principles of their late leader or their own language An immense crowd filed through tha death chamber throughout the morning the coffin was draped with the transvaal and orange vree state flags and on it were the tributes of queen wilhelmina and the queen mother of holland tho day was gloomy and overcast but an immense crowd of and boers oiled the square opposite the hall to which the remains were removed after the church services many boers had trekked long distances to attend the obsequies of their former leader but britons met the men of the veldt and mingled on the friendliest ol 01 terms the party was officially represented by deputations from cape colony orange river and natal at the hall speeches of eulogy were delivered by generals louis bobba and christian dacet general botha road a letter from mr kruger exhorting them to preserve the boer national spirit general bathas speech strongly recommended om mended unification 0 the white in south africa as that Is the only means by which they can become a great people and realize Kru gera ideal the procession of the ceremony was composed of fully 1200 persons while the route through which it passed was thronged thron ged with people fangs were half masted bells tolled and under government orders minute guns were fired at the military depot around the arar where mr kruger was laid besids his wife were gathered relatives boer leaders and many prominent personages including sir richard fe representing the british government by tho kings special request a salute of 21 guns was fired as the coffin was lowered into the grave |