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CHAPTER XXIII
THE CAPITULATION
HUS ended the siege of Port Arthur. It
is not my intention to give an account of
^ the pourparlers which took place between
the chiefs of staff of the two armies concerning
the terms of capitulation, nor of the subsequent
handing over of the fortress, the meeting of
General Nogi and General Stoessel, the entry of
the victorious army into Port Arthur, and so on.
I am only dealing with the military operations, and
they came to an end on January 2 nd, when hos-
tilities were suspended pending the result of the
negotiations. But there is one question which
naturally presents itself, and which is worthy of
consideration : —Was the capitulation on January
I St a necessity 1 Was it justifiable ?
So much has been said and written on this
subject, and so many conflicting opinions have
been expressed on the spur of the moment, before
there was enough statistical and other material at
hand on which to base a correct appreciation of
the situation, that it is no wonder that the public
has not yet been able to make up its mind on
this most vital question. That a surrender would
have been necessary before very long everybody
agreed ;
the fortress was doomed, and its fall was
merely a question of time. But had the time
come on January ist? Ought not the garrison to
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