The 203-metro height, which was permmnently occupied by the Japanese in the fourth general attack on the Port Arthur main defence line, is a historic! point in modern warfare. "It was on this hill that the late General Yamaji ostalished his headquarters on the occasion of the capture of Port Arthur in the Chino-Japanese war. On the night of the 20th November, 1894, the Japanese troops of the First Division, under the famous General, bivouacked on the arriving by way of Louisa Bay, and at 6 o'clock on the following morning they commenced firm on the Itzeshan fort, and after a general charge lasting only two hours, that strong fort fell into their hands. Soon afterwards the Japanese stormed the town and the fall of the entire fortress was quickly effected. That morning General Yamaji ascended a hill and, commanding the whole situation, directod the operations. The hill was indeed the present 203-metre height, which has just be ied by the officers and men of the right wing of the Investing Army.
It is also said that the 203-metro eminence resembles the Malakoff of Sebastopol both in position and in the progress of the fighting. The Malakoff having been occupied by the gallant French troops, the fortress of Sebastopol fall in one day. The Japanese paid a groat cost to purchase the 203-metre hill and the Russians resisted by heavy sacrifices. Its occupation has now become permanent, and the doom of Port Arthur is anticipated by the Japanese to be decided in the same way xs Sebsstopol ore long.
Attempts to Becapture.
The machinery of communication is perfectly completed by the Russians among the Port Arthur forts extending to about ten miles, and all important points are telephonically connected, so as to ensure joint assistance in case of emergencies. On the night of the 3rd November when the Japanese attacked the 203-metre height in force, considerable numbers of Russian reinforcements seemed to be continually arriving there, and especially at the moment of capture considerable numbers approached the hill. If the Japanese had touched the summit later than these Russian reinforcements by even a step, they would have encountered a further stubborn resistance, but the Japanese had succeded in storming the top when the later Russian reinforcements arrived st about the middle of the hill. The new-comers met their comrades, who had been repulsed from the summit, and were compelled to retreat in confusion with them. But in few hours the Russians restored order ud attempted to advance on the heights. The Russians while holding this position, seem to have prepared their counterattacks to be made on the occasion of the capture of the hill, for several counter-mines were found pierced ip to the summit. The Russians persistently tried to advance on the hill through these mines, inter alia, like ants emerging from their nests." The greater portion of the crews of the Russian warships have been ashore and many of them were killed or wounded, as was proved by the dead bodies of enemies discovered by the Japanese after the occupation of the 203-metre eminence. Consequently it will be impossible for the Russians to utilise their ships as hitherto, though they are still seaworthy to some extent. It is said that the besieged recently attempted to resume the mine-clearing of the harbour-mouth, but were prevented by the Japanese fire. In s Tokio paper there appears an account showing the terrible sufferings of those whose duty holds them in the trenches. The fighting mere child's play compared with the nervous strain of hiding day after day in holes in the ground with the certainty that if one raises one's head it will be a for many rifles. The cold and discomfort are intensified by inundations of rain water and snow water mingled with blood. Major-General Ichinohe, whose name has been given to one of the captured forts, remained for sixty days without changing his clothes, and he now keeps as x trophy his trousers stained from the knees downward with blood.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.