From the outer line of defence at Nanshan, and thirty miles from the town, the Japanese worked their way literally inch by inch, burrowing underground, digging deep trenches that zig-zagged toward the enemy’s lines, until near enough to make a rush. In many places the ground was solid rock and countermining was impossible. Barbed-wire entanglements covered the country for miles, and wide stretches of bare ground had been covered a foot deep with powdered white ash, which stirred into a thick white cloud when trodden on, so as to make a splendid target for machine guns. There were buried mines, some to explode automatically, others to explode when the lookout man in a distant fort pressed a button. At night searchlights flashed across every yard of the country near the lines of forts, and sometimes the Russian gunboats creeping along the shore outside the harbor got far enough to pour a cross-fire into the Japanese encampments. Day and night Togo’s squadron sent in from long range the terrible Shimose shells, worse than lyddite, on the battered town and forts. Where it was impossible to tunnel or burrow, masses of rock and bags full of sand were rushed forward at night to make a temporary shelter where a regiment could go forward a hundred yards, rest, fire for a few minutes, and advance another hundred yards, until at last they were close to the enemy. Then, in the teeth of fierce rifle fire, reinforced, perhaps, by shells from the other forts, the final charge was made. The last stage of the advance began on November 30 with the capture of 203-Metre Hill. From this hill the Japanese were able for the first time to get the range of the Russian ships in the harbor. All the larger vessels of the Russian fleet were soon disabled. The great Keekwan Mountain fort was captured on December 18, and on the 30th Ehrlung Fort, the key of the inner defences, was stormed. That day and the next the Japanese captured half a dozen neighboring positions, and finally, on January 1, General Stoessel, who had said at the beginning of the siege that Port Arthur would be his tomb, sent a message to General Nogi offering to surrender. For a second time Port Arthur passed into the hands of those from whom the European powers had wrested it ten years before. [Illustration: NOGI’S FIGHTING MEN RESTING IN CAMP AT HOOZAN HILL ] [Illustration: WOUNDED IN A SHELTER TENT THREE MILES FROM RUSSIAN BATTERIES ] WITH THE JAPANESE DURING THE LAST DAYS OF THE SIEGE OF PORT ARTHUR [Illustration: SIEGE GUNS ON THE SLOPE, FIELD GUNS AT THE TOP OF THE HILL ] [Illustration: ONE OF THE SHELLS BEGINNING ITS LONG FLIGHT TOWARD THE TOWN ] THE GREAT SIEGE GUNS THROWING ELEVEN-INCH SHELLS INTO PORT ARTHUR [Illustration: TWO OF THE GREAT TWENTY-EIGHT CENTIMETER SIEGE GUNS USED BY THE JAPANESE AGAINST PORT ARTHUR ] [Illustration: FIVE-HUNDRED-POUND SHELLS WAITING TO BE HURLED INTO PORT ARTHUR ] [Illustration: