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COLLAPSE 279
terrible odds was beyond praise. But It was also
the last time. For, from this day onwards, the
Russians seemed to have completely lost heart,
and the defence they made against the attacks
which followed was very weak, and can In no way
be compared with the stand they had made on all
previous occasions since the first general attack
In August.
Only one of the permanent enceinte forts In this
section now remained In the hands of the Russians,
namely Sungshuh, and to hold this for any length
of time, with the Japanese firmly established In
the higher neighbouring Erhlung fort, was practi-
cally Impossible. Surrounded on three sides by
deep narrow gullies, while on the north side a
steep incline led down to Shuishi valley, Sung-
shuh fort was completely isolated and left to its
own resources. The Japanese had undermined
the fort in the same manner as Erhlung and North
Kikuan ;
but the progress had been somewhat
slower owing to the Russian counter-mining com-
pelling them to make several alterations in their
galleries. On the other hand, the shafts had been
blocked more firmly than at the other places,
concrete having been used instead of rammed
earth.
The explosion, which took place at lo a.m. on
the last day of the year, was therefore particularly
effective, and as the shock ignited a large store
of dynamite, which exploded with tremendous
violence, practically the whole interior of the fort
was destroyed, and the greater part of the
garrison, who had remained in the bomb-proofs
behind the gun epaulement, was burled alive under
a deep layer of debris. Seeing this, the remainder
hoisted the white flag and surrendered. The
Japanese at once set to work to dig them out, and
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