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THE CAPITULATION 289
fights to come ? He would have no means of
treating them properly and caring for them, no
hospitals^ no bandages, no proper food. He
could certainly keep up the defence still for some
weeks ;
but it would have meant agonies and
death to those of his men who were wounded, and
I think it must be considered at least excusable
that, for humanity’s sake, he chose to give in
rather than to see his soldiers, who had fought so
long and so bravely, perish like dogs for lack of
proper care and nourishment.
4. The question of housing the large civilian
population would also be difficult to solve. There
were in Port Arthur over 500 women and children,
3,000 or 4,000 workmen, and a fairly large num-
ber of other inhabitants, Russians and foreigners,
besides the Chinese. These could scarcely be
left behind, like the men in hospital. I am per-
sonally fully convinced that there was no fear of a
massacre ;
but could General Stoessel take the
responsibility even if he felt equally sure ? There
had been little or no quarter from either side
during the whole siege, and there was still a cloud
hanging over Port Arthur since 1894. Had he a
right to do it ?
After the capture of 203 Metre Hill the new
town was no longer a place to live in. As it was,
the bombardment had destroyed many of the
houses and forced practically everybody to take
refuge in the old town, where they were better
protected, and where many bomb-proofs had been
constructed ;
and of course, when this was
evacuated, it was certain that a tremendous
bombardment would be concentrated on the new
town. We had supposed, and it had been reported
by Chinese spies, that arrangements had been
made at Laotiehshan for housing the women and
u
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