'General Roznatovsky, Chief of the Staff of the 3rd Siberian Army Corps, is also appointed to be Chief Staff Officer of the District, and the Commandant of the Fortress and the Officer Commanding the 4th Rifle Brigade will send all orders and information, etc., into the office of 3rd Siberian Army Corps. 'Stössel, Lieutenant-General.' This was the worst piece of news we heard during the whole siege. The 29th of March was the sixth anniversary of our occupation of Port Arthur. For six years we had been spending millions on the fortifications, on building Dalny, and in constructing a railway from distant Russia. What was the result when war commenced? Does Russia realize the gigantic work done by Smirnoff and the garrison under him? No, not yet. When it was reported to General Smirnoff that quantities of articles of the first importance were being exported from the Fortress, he at once issued an order forbidding it. He received several complaints, but adhered to his decision. The dissatisfied ones then went to the Officer Commanding the District to complain about the Commandant. Among them was a school friend of mine, Captain Radetsky, who was acting as a commissariat officer, and had come from the main army to buy what he could. He took away several waggon-loads. In spite of the very strict orders about not exporting, Stössel wrote to Smirnoff that he considered exportation should be permitted, and he sanctioned the request made to him to take out supplies, and asked Smirnoff to rescind his orders. Smirnoff at once instructed the Chief of the Gendarmes to see that his orders were carried out to the letter, adding that any neglect would entail a court-martial. To the Officer Commanding the District he politely explained that he could not permit anything to be taken out of the Fortress which was entrusted to him, and which might any day be strictly blockaded. The confusion caused by this interference can be imagined. Day followed day and Easter came and went, but work during the holiday stopped for one day only. FOOTNOTES: [Footnote 6: O.C. the Fortress Division.] [Footnote 7: O.C. Fortress Artillery.] [Footnote 8: O.C. Fortress Engineers.] [Footnote 9: Chief of the Fortress Staff.] CHAPTER VI THE WORK OF JAPANESE MINE-LAYERS