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THE REASON 297
methodically by approaches and parallels, an
attacker is always bound to reach his goal in the
end, unless the defenders are reinforced or his own
resources in men and guns are limited ;
it may
take weeks, or it may take years, but the result
must inevitably be the same, and the knowledge
of this is a moral factor of the greatest import.
Add to this that he is better fed, better clothed,
and in constant communication with his home and
with the outside world, and the disparity between
the advantages of besieged and besieger to a
great extent disappear.
But although this, I think, must be universally
acknowledged, and although, as I have shown, Port
Arthur was not nearly as strong a fortress as was
generally believed, I hold that the capture of Port
Arthur was a very fine accomplishment, which is
to the greatest credit of the third army, and adds
anew leaf to the many laurels which the Japanese
have won in this war. The Russian defence was
exceedingly well carried out, and their soldiers
fought with the greatest bravery and contempt of
death. Not a step forward could the Japanese
gain without having to pay for it with enormous
sacrifices. Although no official returns have as
yet been published in Tokyo, I have it on
excellent authority that the total Japanese losses
in front of Port Arthur amounted to 105,000 men,
including killed, wounded and sick, and as the total
besieging force at the time of the capitulation was
97,000 strong. General Stoessel thus had to fight
successively no less than 200,000 men.
This large army he kept in check for seven
months, preventing it from taking part in the opera-
tions against Kuropatkin. This should always
be remembered when the balance of General
Stoessel’s account is made up.
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