Full resolution (JPEG) - On this page / på denna sida - IX. After the ball
<< prev. page << föreg. sida << >> nästa sida >> next page >>
Below is the raw OCR text
from the above scanned image.
Do you see an error? Proofread the page now!
Här nedan syns maskintolkade texten från faksimilbilden ovan.
Ser du något fel? Korrekturläs sidan nu!
This page has never been proofread. / Denna sida har aldrig korrekturlästs.
106 THE SIEGE OF PORT ARTHUR
Another thing which the Japanese also realized
during the days of the general attack, and learnt
still more clearly during the next fortnight, was
that their guns were not powerful enough against
the forts and the heavy ordnance of the enemy.
It became evident to them that the casemates and
the bomb-proofs in the forts had withstood even
their heaviest bombardment, and that more and
heavier guns would have to be brought from
home.
Finally, the thinned ranks of the infantry had
to be filled up again, and a much increased
engineer force was necessary to hasten the
progress of the sapping.
The Japanese, it will thus be seen, were fully
occupied during the next following weeks. Saps
were opened against all positions where attacks
were intended, and first and foremost towards the
captured Panlung forts to place them in safe
communication with their base. As the way
from the exit of the donga to the forts was com-
paratively short and the soil not very hard, this
part of the work was speedily completed.
From August 28th to the middle of September
the reinforcements of men and guns arrived,
about 16,000 infantry, mostly men of the second
reserve, three companies of sappers, several
batteries of quick-firing guns, twenty 47 in., and six
6 in. naval guns, and the first six of the eighteen
1 1 in. howitzers, which played such an important
rSle during the latter part of the siege operations.
Meanwhile the Russians had begun to assume
the aggressive. Each night sorties were made
against the captured Panlung forts, in every case
unsuccessfully. The Japanese had at once set to
work to strengthen the forts against Russian
attacks ;
new trenches were dug and new breast-
<< prev. page << föreg. sida << >> nästa sida >> next page >>
