In the circumstances it is not surprising that some of them--from one or other of the causes already explained--in order to find distraction, turned to such allurements as Port Arthur possessed. There were carousals, wild parties intent on devilment; there was shirking of duty, courting of pleasure; there was dissipation, debauchery, and degrading licentiousness, a disregard of warnings, of orders, and of restraint. Some places of amusement were closed; those which remained open were thronged with boisterous, distraught, and reckless men of every rank, and although naval officers were the worst offenders, they had as company their equals from other services. Port Arthur after the commencement of hostilities was in these particulars far worse than the somewhat gay but always enjoyable town in the days of peace. As time wore on the men of the services became more and more suspicious of civilians, particularly of foreigners, and most of all of British and Americans. One of the foreign firms, intent upon possessing a competent stevedore, had engaged a British master mariner in that capacity. He attended to his duties assiduously, was so successful, so resourceful, and moreover so quiet and entirely wrapped up in the heavy work upon which he was engaged, that they became sure he was a spy. For so good a man to be a simple stevedore was incredible; his like should be of admiral’s rank at least. So he had to go. Their dislike sometimes took an offensive direction. A quiet young American, a clerk in the employ of one of the firms, was struck by a naval officer in the Saratoff restaurant for no other reason than that he was an American. There was no apology asked, nor was one ever tendered. That man also had to go. A chinovnik, one of my best-informed newsmongers, told me that the officers of high rank were no longer sure of the superiority of Russia’s power. They thought Russia might be beaten on land as well as at sea, even that she might lose Port Arthur. Later this change of opinion permeated through the lower ranks of officers, and to the men. The commandant had to issue an order that workmen and others must not be allowed to leave the town without written authority. My informant thought it best to go. Some of the foreign firms closed out rapidly; their clerks were ordered to go. One of them, a Russian subject, of the type that assumes to know everything, made up his mind to stay on in the town. In order to obtain the necessary permission he interviewed General Stoessel, proffering him a plan for strengthening the fortifications of the fortress. General Stoessel thought him a most dangerous man to have in the town. Forthwith he had to go.