One snowy morning I turned into a short street formerly occupied almost exclusively by Japanese barbers. Their shops were closed, but I saw that one of the Russian houses was open. I entered, and found the place empty. The soldier who had been patrolling the now unfrequented street followed me into the shop. I explained to him that I had only intended to get a shave. “Si-chas,” he answered quickly, putting his rifle, with bayonet still fixed, in a corner. Then he unwound the bashlik from about his head, took off his great-coat and cap, hung them up, and--shaved me. When he had finished, pocketed the half rouble, and put away the tackle, he again donned his uniform, shouldered his rifle, followed me into the street and resumed his turn of sentry go, until the next customer should appear. An advance was made in restoring public confidence with the return of business men to the direction of their affairs in the port. There were sinister rumours respecting some of them. It was said that the authorities, during their absence, had whilst guarding their offices discovered evidence of the payment of secret commissions to Government officials, and one statement affirmed that a “monthly pension list” of premiums regularly paid by one firm to certain naval officers had been seized and delivered to the Viceroy. No credence was attached to these stories, for it was incredible, not that payments were made, but that the businesslike people who paid them kept any written record of their secret transactions. Another side really merits publicity. From my own knowledge I can write of the great generosity of the head of the firm of Ginsburg & Co., a firm of whom I never asked or received any favour. Mr. Moses Ginsburg was willing and seemed able to help any one in need. Those who wished to leave Port Arthur and had not the means to do so went to him for assistance, and he advanced money without security to all sorts and conditions of people. He took over and paid cash for stores he did not need, in order that foreigners and others might close out of business quickly and without loss. He was a good man of affairs who had made a fortune by commerce, and might easily have made another in this time of stress, but he was not sordid by nature and his conduct was exemplary. It contrasted favourably with that of some men in responsible positions, whose every care was for themselves. They sacrificed the goods of their firms in order to obtain ready money, went away with all they could obtain, and left their clerks and menials without friends or goods to shift for themselves as well as they could. Nor must it be supposed that the men who acted so meanly were invariably Russians. Some foreigners are not wholly free from blame in this particular, though others behaved as became men when heavily embarrassed with difficulties not of their own creation.