In ordinary times life at Port Arthur was different in degree, but not in kind, from that of the majority of garrison towns. Many exaggerated accounts have been circulated respecting the vices of its inhabitants, and the port has been represented as the modern equivalent of the cities of the plain, whereas of crime there was less than the average in other Russian ports, and the percentage of vicious and undesirable citizens not higher than at Vladivostok, or some other Pacific ports. Fast living and outrageous rowdyism were more noticeable, because confined to a small area. The garrison numbered about 20,000; add to this 5,000 for the onshore men of the fleet and the male civilians, and it will be apparent that females must have been comparatively few, and so were shown particular, even absurd attention. There was hardly a singer at a music-hall but received extravagant praise and had numerous admirers; a tight-rope dancer was equally certain of applause; and the officers, as all men of a class congregating together are prone to do, not infrequently were carried away by their enthusiasm and acted boisterously and foolishly. They were lavish with their money, particularly when amongst a gang of their equals in rank, and delighted in monopolizing attention, ‘closing the house,’ having a repetition of the performance for their own delectation, and in every way making themselves conspicuous by extravagant behaviour in public. All officers, whether on or off duty, wear their uniforms, therefore are constantly in evidence at music-halls, rollicking along the streets, or arguing when intoxicated before the public in a restaurant--glorying in doing the very obtrusive acts every British and American officer would be most careful to avoid when in uniform.