At the close of this eventful day chance threw me in the way of some Russian officers, with whom I talked of the defence of Port Arthur. Upon one subject all were agreed--that General Stoessel was a man without real strength of character, who never visited the fortifications, and was always influenced by the presence of his wife and by the Chief of his Staff--a man whom the late Mr. Parnell would have described as “very good for afternoon tea parties.” Without hesitation, they declared that had General Kondrachenko lived the fortress would not have surrendered for at least one month. “He was the heart and soul of the defence, and with his death came the end.” Their faith in the natural strength of Port Arthur seems to have been destroyed. The first line of forts was, in their opinion, too near to the town; the forts were not masked; the guns were badly placed, and made excellent targets: the siege guns were not in turrets as they should have been; there was no head cover for the gun detachments; the bomb proof covers close to the parapets were insufficient; there were no covered lateral lines of communication; there was not enough observation points; the reverse slopes of the hills were under indirect fire, and gave no cover for men or guns; the second line of defence was too close to the first, and was practically useless. These are a few of the points upon which experts will dispute for years to come. Russian officers who were in Port Arthur are not likely to be moved by these controversies. They have learned from bitter experience that Port Arthur was not impregnable, and believe that time will again demonstrate the fact. Chapter XLIII WHY DID GENERAL STOESSEL SURRENDER? It may seem ungenerous to attempt to pluck a few leaves from the laurels that adorn the brow of General Stoessel. But even contemporary history--ever indulgent toward splendid failure--ends by groping for the truth. When paeans are exhausted and the defender of Port Arthur is arraigned for criticism, his reputation is in danger of the reaction that follows a surfeit of praise. The Japanese, who are generous apologists of an enemy that kept them at bay for five months, wonder why the fortress surrendered. Knowledge of the stores of ammunition and food in Port Arthur and of the conditions of the garrison has satisfied them that the city might have been defended for another three months. Even Russian officers--military as well as naval--admit that they might have struggled one more month. [Illustration: Japanese marching into Port Arthur.] [Illustration: Snapshot of Madame Stoessel.]