CHAPTER X

THE CHRONICLERS OF THE WAR

The most interesting stories written by the correspondents who were sent to cover the Russo-Japanese War were probably the ones that never passed the censor, the most extraordinary sights those which the correspondents did not see. There has never been a struggle since the days of the telegraph and the professional correspondent of which the world at large knew so little. During the early months of the war practically all of the correspondents were bottled up in Tokio, and when at last a few of them were released and allowed to follow the army, they were kept far in the rear, and were only permitted to see the fighting at the Yalu from the top of a hill several miles from the firing line.

Marking time in Tokio for months were newspaper men and special writers who were correspondent veterans of many wars, and who were compelled to waste their energies in the description of tea-houses, theatres, and other conventional show places. The unfortunate correspondents were repeatedly told that they were soon to leave for the front, only to learn presently that there was to be more delay, and to see a repetition of the Japanese smile, and hear again the Japanese “I’m so very, very sorry.”

R. L. Dunn, Collier’s special photographer, who was fortunate enough to get into Korea before the rigid censorship of correspondents began, but was subsequently forced to return, thus described some of the distresses of the luckless who were held up in Tokio: “I found more than a hundred war correspondents at Tokio, hustling from morning to night in order to get ready in time, and buying a thousand odd things at war prices, so that their equipments might meet every conceivable emergency. That was in April. Spring changed into summer. Fur-lined sleeping bags and firepots made the days seem hotter than they were. The whole winter outfit had to be exchanged for one suited to summer. On June 1 everything was as it had been at the beginning, except that some correspondents were contemplating the necessity of acquiring a third outfit for the rainy season.”

“Never was parting guest more happy to get away,” wrote Collier’s special correspondent, Frederick Palmer, when he and J. H. Hare, Collier’s special photographer, at last left Tokio with three other Americans—the first to be allowed to go to the front; “never was parting guest more heartily and sincerely sped. With the correspondents of the first contingent actually going, the hopes of the second and the third rose to the dignity of expectations. They gathered at Shimbashi Station with tin horns and gave the chosen few an Anglo-Saxon cheer. For over two months some of us have waited for official passes to join the Japanese army in the field. Now that we have the treasure it is not much to look at—only a slip of paper which would go into the average sized envelope. By rights, it should be on vellum, with marginal decorations of storks standing on one leg and an inscription of _summa cum laude_ for patience in flourishes.”

[Illustration:

GENERAL KUROKI WITH HIS STAFF, CORRESPONDENTS, AND ATTACHÉS AT THE CELEBRATION IN HONOR OF THE SHA-HO VICTORY

This celebration was held in November at Palansansu. The Japanese correspondents as well as the foreign correspondents and attaches are shown in the picture. The numbered figures are (1) General Kuroki, (2) Prince Kuni, (3) General Fuji, (4) Quartermaster Waternabe, with whom the correspondents had much to do. The picture was taken by a Japanese photographer ]

[Illustration:

ANGUS HAMILTON, MANCHESTER “GUARDIAN” ]

[Illustration:

J. F. J. ARCHIBALD AND PRESS CENSOR ]

[Illustration:

GROUP OF CORRESPONDENTS AT NEWCHWANG

(1) THE HONORABLE MAURICE BARING, LONDON “MORNING POST”; (2) R. H. LITTLE, CHICAGO “DAILY NEWS”; (3) FRANCIS McCULLOUGH, “NEW YORK HERALD”; (4) J. F. J. ARCHIBALD, “COLLIER’S”; (5) GEORGE DENNY, ASSOCIATED PRESS; (6) GEORGES DE LA SALLE, FRENCH NEWS AGENCY; (7) VISCOUNT LORD BROOKE, REUTER’S AGENCY; (8) DUTKEWICH ]

[Illustration:

G. ERASTOFF, RUSSIAN ARTIST ]

[Illustration:

SIGNOR PARDO, “TRIBUNA” OF ROME ]

[Illustration:

CAPTAIN SCHWARTZ, GERMAN ]

[Illustration:

T. M. MILLARD, “SCRIBNER’S MAGAZINE” ]

CORRESPONDENTS OF VARIOUS NATIONALITIES WITH THE RUSSIAN FORCES IN MANCHURIA

[Illustration:

THREE RUSSIAN ARTISTS AND RUSSIAN PRESS CENSORS AT NEWCHWANG ]

[Illustration:

FUNERAL AT NEWCHWANG OF LOUIS ETZEL, THE FIRST CORRESPONDENT TO BE KILLED ]

[Illustration:

UNITED STATES ARMY ATTACHÉS WITH THE RUSSIAN FORCES ]

[Illustration:

FOREIGN MILITARY ATTACHÉS WITH THE RUSSIAN FORCES IN MANCHURIA ]

CIVILIANS AND MILITARY ATTACHÉS WITH THE RUSSIAN FORCES IN MANCHURIA

[Illustration:

GENERAL KUROKI SHOOTING AT THE TARGET ]

[Illustration:

SIR IAN HAMILTON AND PRINCE KUNI ]

[Illustration:

GENERAL FUJI TRYING A SHOT FROM A SITTING POSITION ]

[Illustration:

GENERAL CROWDER, THE UNITED STATES ATTACHÉ ]

[Illustration:

CAPTAIN DANI, AUSTRIAN ATTACHÉ ]

[Illustration:

GENERAL SIR IAN HAMILTON SHOOTING ]

THE TARGET-SHOOT GIVEN FOR THE MILITARY ATTACHÉS BY GENERAL KUROKI IN THE WINTER QUARTERS ON THE SHA-HO

[Illustration:

CAPTAIN HEGARDT, SWEDISH ATTACHÉ, AND COLONEL HUME OF THE BRITISH ARMY ]

[Illustration:

MAJOR ETZEL, GERMAN ATTACHÉ, READY TO FIRE ]

[Illustration:

BARON CORVISART, FRENCH ATTACHÉ, SQUINTING AT THE MARK ]

[Illustration:

THE ITALIAN ATTACHÉ, MAJOR CAVIGLIA, SHOOTING FROM THE GROUND ]

MILITARY ATTACHÉS, FIRING AT GENERAL KUROKI’S TARGET-SHOOT WITH CAPTURED RUSSIAN RIFLES

[Illustration:

COLLIER’S PHOTOGRAPHER, VICTOR K. BULLA, WITH THE RUSSIAN FORCES ]

[Illustration:

COLLIER’S PHOTOGRAPHER, ROBERT L. DUNN, AND HIS COOLIES IN KOREA ]

[Illustration:

(1) JAMES H. HARE (COLLIER’S), (2) J. F. BASS (CHICAGO DAILY NEWS), (3) FREDERICK PALMER (COLLIER’S), (4) W. DINWIDDIE (NEW YORK WORLD), (5) R. M. COLLINS (ASSOCIATED PRESS AND REUTER’S)

AMERICAN CORRESPONDENTS WITH THE FIRST JAPANESE ARMY ]

[Illustration:

(1) RICHARD HARDING DAVIS (COLLIER’S), (2) W. H. LEWIS (NEW YORK HERALD), (3) JOHN FOX, JR. (SCRIBNER’S), (4) W. H. BRILL (ASSOCIATED PRESS), (5) GEORGE LYNCH (ENGLISH), (LONDON DAILY CHRONICLE)

AMERICAN CORRESPONDENTS WITH THE SECOND JAPANESE ARMY ]

WITH THE WAR CORRESPONDENTS IN KOREA AND MANCHURIA

[Illustration:

ATTACHÉS AND CORRESPONDENTS WITH GENERAL KUROKI’S FIRST ARMY CORPS AT FENG-WANG-CHENG

(1) R. M. Collins; (2) David Fraser; (3) Capt. Dani; (4) Capt. Jardine; (5) F. A. McKensie; (6) E. F. Knight; (7) Victor Thomas; (8) O. K. Davis; (9) W. Maxwell; (10) R. J. McHugh; (11) W. Dinwiddie; (12) Frederick Palmer; (13) Capt. Vincent; (14) J. F. Bass; (15) M. H. Donohue; (16) Capt. Hegardt; (17) Capt. Hoffmann; (18) Capt. Payeur; (19) Col. Hume; (20) Baron Col. Corvisart; (21) Gen. Sir Ian Hamilton; (22) Major Caviglia; (23) Major Etzel; (24) Col. Gertsch; (25) Capt. Peyton C. March ]

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