A
Vol. 8.
\
Weekly: Rampart, Alaska, Saturday, January 14 1905.
No. 2
RUSSIAN GENERAL
TALKS ON SIEGE
Eleven Inch Guns Did Most Damage
Attack of Fleet Great Surprise—
Baltic Squadron Not Now Needed
(SPECIAL TO FORUM)
IIEADQUARTERS THIRD JAP AN
*1 ESS ARM Y,^. PORT ARTHUR,
January 11.—Captain Tarnoda, a Jap
anese stall officer, who was sent to
Port Arthur to inform General Stoessel
of the contents of the message from
Japan, that the Russian garrison were
to be treated with the greatest consid
eration, says:
“General Stoessel’s first iuquiry was
as to the whereabouts of Kuropatkin,
remarking that the last he had heard !
of Kuropatkin, was a message in which
he stated he would relieve Port Arthur.
Stoessel added that he sent out spies,
who reported Kuropatkin with reliev
ing army at Kinchow, twenty miles
north of Port Arthur.
Stoessel Has No Information
' i.
Stoessel was plainly .incredulous at
my statement that Kuropatkin had
been defeated and driven back towards
Mukden. I then produced maps show*,
ing the position of the two armies near.
Shakhe river, and gave Stoessel detail^
of Kuropatkin’s defeat with a loss of
from fifty to sixty thousand men. This
statement seemed to amuse the Russian
general.
Baltic Fleet Can Return
'A.s ' •; *
I told him some of the ships had not
yet passed Cape of Good Hope. With
a helpless expression Stoessel said:
‘Now that Port Arthur has fallen there'
is no use of the fleet coming further.'
I then asked Stoessel what caused the
.-V. -
moat damage to the garrison during
the siege. He replied; ‘Your eleven
inch howitzefs. After they arrived our
defensive works becfame useless. ’
Real Cause Of War
The real cause of the war, in Stoes
sel’s opinion, was ignorance on the
part of the Russian people to the fight
ing qualities of the Japanese. The
first attack on Port Arthur in February
by the Japanese fleet was a tremend
ous surprise. The forts, the general
explained, were only partially garris
oned by two thousand troops. He said
he had always opposed the scheme of
giving Sakaroff money to spend on the
building up of Port Dalny, instead of
finishing defenses here at Port Arthur. ’ ’
Enormous Snowfall In States
ERIE, Penn., January It.—Local ob
j server weather bureau reports heaviest
snowfall here since office established
here, 33 years ago. Last - twenty-four
hours thirteen and eight-tenths inches
fell on the level.
•* _
Kuropatkin is Hoodoo
TOKIO, January 12.—Information
from reliable sources is that Russian
generals* in Manchuria are loosing con
fidence in Kuropatkin. The Russian
situation around Mukden is becoming
serious.
North Sea Incident Inquiry
PARIS, January 12.— North sea com
mission, appointed to investigate Rus
sian attack on fishing fleet, have pre
pareda protocol to be adopted tomor
row, when the hearing will begin: Is
expected to last through this month.
NEW YORK, January 12.—Nan Pat
terson is suffering from an attack of
tonsillitis. An Oregon man sent her
twenty-five dollars.
Gordon Betties returned to Hamlin
Thursday morning.
WASHINGTON
DISPATCHES
Alaska Receiving Attention at The
Capital—Change in Russian Cabin
et May Mean Russia Wants Peace
(SPECIAL TO FORUM)
VV7ASHINGTON, January 12.—Aid
** in construction of wagon roads
in Alaska,, as outlined in Cushman bill,
favored by senate.
The scheme for a breakwater Snake
river, and landing facilities at Nome
has been endorsed by war department.
Halibut fishing in. Alaska bfll under
consideration. President favors it.
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Japanese Fleet Hunting Russians
PORT LOUIS, Mauritius, January
12.—Rumored that Japanese fleet is at
Diegrocarcis, Shagos Island. Russian
admiral was informed, January 2, that
Japanese squadron was proceeding to
meet him. Vigilance of the Russians
has been redoubled.
Mail arrived both ways last evening.