19th December.
THE news that the Russians sank their own battleships at Port Arthur has been naturally received with general amusement, coupled as it is with reiterated statements that the Japanese have made no appreciable progress in the reduction of the fortress and that it can hold out for many months. Had they recognised that the fortress was at its last gasp, the Rossians would, of course have sunk their ships, as they did at Sebastopol; but Admiral Wirenius }must know perfectly well that the Bultic fleet were expecting the Port Arthur squadron to make useful diversion which would necessitate Adwiral Togo's dividing his forces; and though we know that many of Russia's troubles are due to constant friction between various departments of the government, we cannot imagine that this friction is so intense that Admiral Wirenius would voluntarily sacrifice the squadron under his command just when Admirul Rozhdiestvensky was looking for its assistance, "If the fleet was voluntarily sacrificed, and was not suffering from the Japanese fire, and had had its guns all removed, how did the Sebastopol get outride the harbour, and where did she recover the guns with which, according to Russian accounts, she sank three Japanese torpedo-boats Finally, if the Russian ships were volun-tarly sunk, why was the news supp! for some days at St. Petersburg Attempts are also made by the partisans of Russia to minimise the importance of the capture of 203-metre hill. But if its possession by the Japanese is a watter of no moment, why did the Russians, with their limited garrison, for which they cannot receive reinforcements, sacrifice so many hundreds of men in defending it and endeavouring to recover it? The great advantage to the Japanese of the possession of this hill is, that from the observatory they have erected on it they can command the whole of the Russian defences, and as their works are connected by telephone, the observers on this hill can telephone to their batteries and point out where every shot is going and where it ought to go. The destruction of the fleet was more or less guess-work until this position was gained. That the Russians should now be fighting with desperation is only nataral, because, by the stern laws of war, they have no right to ask for quarter, having refused to surrender, At the same time, judging by the humanity which the Japanese have exhibited throughout this terrible struggle, we may reasonably expect General Nogi to be more merciful than Wellington was at Badajoz.
It is pleasant to see that while this farious fighting, which is gradually nearing the expected conclusion, is going on at Port Arthur, the relations between the Russian and Japanese troops are most friendly. The following extract from the " Kobe Herald" is from an account sent to his paper by a correspondent of the " Mainichi Shimbun" with the investing army, of what occurred on East Chikuanshan during the armistice for the burial of the dead on both sides. The Japanese representatives, noticing that the Russians were continuing work on the embrasures, proposed to abandon the armistice However, after a chort time, a Russian soldier appeared in the entrance of the battery and called out in Japanese "Anata oidenasai chim sen kara" (Please come along, as we will not shoot at you). Major Gondo, Commander of the britalion,, and several other Jupanese officers then ascended the slope to the top. They were there received by the Commander of a Russian Regiment and a number of other officers, who were much pleased at the confidence the Japanese had displayed in thus venturing into their midst, snd greeted them with smiles and hand shakes. Judging from the cordiality of the meeting, it might been thought that it was between old friends who had met again after a long separation. The Rus tulated the Japanese on ti appearance utter the long investment, and said that the bravery shown by them during the last engayemont was almost superhuman, The calmness with which the Japanese met death, they continued, could not be equalled by xny other nation, They also thanked the visitors for coming up to their quarters, and offered them some wine. Major Gondo heartily loxsure at the hospitality chatted with them concerning the severity of the recent fighting. The Japanese then drank the health of the Russian officers, the latter returning the compliment, and they eventually seprrnted with promises to meet again under fire. In the meantime both the Japanese and Russian troops had been actively engaged in carrying nway their dead. On December 3rd, a similar truce was observed in the vicinity of the main battery on Tonchikwasban. A point between the Russian skirmishers' trench and the Japanese advanced trench was appointed as a meeting place. From the Russian side, a medical staff officer of the rank of General, who Russian Court Councillor, and wer twenty other officers, proceeded to th place of meeting, while Major Kuwada, Captain Hayashida, and over ten other officers attended there on behalf of the hey exchanged cards, shook hands, and cordially drank each other's health in bottles of wine with which both the Japanese and the Russians had provided themselves. All appeared to be glad beyond measure to have such an opportunity of clearing away the dead bodies and were anxious to set the world an example of mutual sympathy and goodwill in the midst of hostilities. They talked together most cordially and a photograph of the group was taken as x souvenir of the unique occasion. Ifany outsider had been there, he would not have been able to suppose
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.