At the end of September the Japanese, after two months of unremitting assault, had failed completely to break through the line of forts. The Russians not only repulsed the besiegers with great loss, but were able to make some successful counter attacks. Mr. Norregaard, _Daily Mail_ representative with General Nogi’s army, states that the fighting is of a most determined character. Quarter is rarely sought or given. “Both sides use hand grenades filled with gun-cotton, and with a fuse that burns for fifteen seconds. These grenades were often picked up and re-thrown. They proved very effective. Latterly, also, they have been fired from light bamboo-hooped wooden mortars, whose range varies from 50 to 200 yards with a regulated charge. Both Russians and Japanese frequently throw stones at each other. It is generally impossible to cut the wire entanglements.” The position of the besieged did not improve. A correspondent wrote in October: “Our principal forts are uninjured, but the houses in the town are badly damaged. Most of them are in ruins, and the harbour works are in a sad plight. Some of our ships have been injured by falling shells, and it is impossible with our scant resources to repair them. We have not a single bottle of anæsthetics. The food is of the coarsest, and even that is beginning to be scarce, while there is much disease.” The month of October brought no relief to the garrison, no change in the tactics of the besiegers. For a short time the attention of the gunners was given to the town, the fleet, and the harbour. In this bombardment the _Peresviet_ and the _Pobieda_ were hit five times. Then the besieged attempted a counter attack, directing themselves particularly to the sappers mining under the Russian trenches, and to the Japanese siege line at the foot of the hill forts. The Japanese repulsed the attack, and retained their positions. On the 11th they captured the railway bridge at the foot of Kikwan fort, but nearer the town. On the two following days the harbour was shelled, and two vessels were set on fire. On the 16th, after a desperate battle, the Japanese captured the centre fort on Erhlung-shan, the most important of the positions secured to that date. On October 24 the Russians countermined the Japanese traverse under Kikwan, and blew it up with dynamite. The same day there was again a large fire in Russia-town. The progress of the besiegers is slow, but now apparently more sure. General Nogi reports: “The right column and a part of the central column occupied at sunset of October 30 crest counterscarp of Sungshu-shan, Erhlung-shan, Tung Kikwan-shan north forts, and destroyed some of their flankers and outer trenches. Another part of the central column, despite the enemy’s fierce fire, assailed and carried Fort P, situated between Panlung-shan and Tung Kikwan-shan north forts.