VIEWS OF PORT ARTHUR, IN OCTOBER, WHEN THE SIEGE WAS HALF OVER [Illustration: INSIDE FORT NILUSAN AFTER THE RUSSIANS HAD GIVEN IT UP ] [Illustration: STANDING ON A “BOMB-PROOF” INSIDE ONE OF THE PORT ARTHUR FORTS ] [Illustration: NORTH KEEKWANSAN FORT AFTER THE SURRENDER ] [Illustration: DISMOUNTED SIEGE GUNS INSIDE ONE OF THE RUSSIAN FORTS ] INSIDE SOME OF THE RUSSIAN FORTS AT PORT ARTHUR AFTER ITS SURRENDER [Illustration: WOMEN AND CHILDREN ABOUT TO TAKE THE TRAIN FROM PORT ARTHUR ] [Illustration: PRISONERS TAKEN AT PORT ARTHUR WAITING TO BOARD JAPANESE TRANSPORT ] [Illustration: RUSSIAN AND JAPANESE SOLDIERS GETTING ACQUAINTED ] SCENES AT PORT ARTHUR IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE SURRENDER [Illustration: JAPANESE SOLDIERS IN THE NIRYUSAN FORT AFTER THE SURRENDER ] [Illustration: THE CRUISER “PALLADA,” WITH THE “POBIEDA” SHOWING JUST BEHIND HER ] [Illustration: ON THEIR WAY TO 203-METER HILL WITH A TWENTY-EIGHT CENTIMETER GUN ] [Illustration: THE BATTLESHIP “RETVIZAN” BEACHED AT PORT ARTHUR ] SCENES AT PORT ARTHUR IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE SURRENDER [Illustration: BATTLESHIP “POBIEDA” BEACHED AT PORT ARTHUR ] [Illustration: THE “POLTAVA” AND “PERESVIET” AGROUND IN THE HARBOR ] [Illustration: THE BATTERED “RETVIZAN,” “POLTAVA” AND “PERESVIET” ] [Illustration: FORWARD TURRET OF THE BATTLESHIP “RETVIZAN” ] SUNKEN RUSSIAN BATTLESHIPS AT PORT ARTHUR AFTER ITS CAPTURE BY THE JAPANESE [Illustration: THE BATTLESHIP “RETVIZAN” THE DAY AFTER THE SURRENDER OF PORT ARTHUR ] [Illustration: THE RIVER GUNBOAT “GILYAK” OF THE RUSSIAN “VOLUNTEER FLEET” ] VIEWS OF THE HARBOR OF PORT ARTHUR WHEN THE JAPANESE TOOK POSSESSION [Illustration: CONVALESCENT WOUNDED RUSSIAN SAILORS AND THEIR JAPANESE NURSES AND DOCTORS AT MATSUYAMA ] CHAPTER XIII THE BATTLE OF MUKDEN Judged by the number of men engaged, the vast extent of the battlefield, and the losses, the battle of Mukden was the greatest of modern times, if not of all history. Even the tremendous duel at Liao-Yang, which was on a larger scale than any modern battle that had preceded it, pales before this nineteen days’ struggle. Between 750,000 and 800,000 men were engaged, of which about 361,000 were Russian and at least 400,000 Japanese. When the nineteen days’ struggle began, both sides faced each other in the valley of the Sha River, the Russian lines stretching back upon tiers of defences, backed up with over 1,300 guns and forming south of Mukden a barrier which foreign experts pronounced impregnable.