The "Jiji Shimpo" published Zan extra on Thursday evening, three days ahead, stating that Liaoyang was captured on the Ist inst. and that all the Japanese armies were pursuing the enemy. of course proved nonsensical. On Saturday afternoon, the " Asahi" also issued an extra reporting the final fall of Liaoyang. The extra was printed in big red type and contained a goddess. Innocent people thereupon hoisted flags and adorned their residences with "Banzai" lanterns. Some firms made electric displays and considerable confusion resulted in the main streets. Meanwhile the Imperial rescript and the reply to the Throne from Marshal-Marquis Oyama, as well as ascries of official bulletins, were in the sense of contradicting the oversanguine reports by the above enterprising journals but the latter continued to instance later on " sour grapes" and one of them stated indeed that "our extra was sent to the front and greatly enhanced the martial spirit." A similar incident took place in Yokohama.
Port Arthur was made to fall on Friday last by another enterprising vernacular contemporary, ' Boyeki Shimpo, " which administered an electric shock to Yokohama people by setting off fireworks in the afternoon in celebration of the alleged occupation of the Russian stronghold. The Japanese quarters, even some foreign firms, were partly adorned in a gala dress for atime, but the report having turned out to be false these decora ations were immediately hauled down. Meanwhile the newspaper office which was responsible for this incident was besieged by a large number of indignant people. A later express was issued stating that is was Liaoyang which had fallen but this was also incorrect. Your unfortunate contemporary, however, seems to
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.