Theatre Royal.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 781, 25 March 1905, Page 2

Theatre Royal.

CAPTAIN SCOTT-lIARDEN S LECTURE. . A fitirly good audience assembled ' at the Theatre Royal on Friday night lo hear Captain Scott-Har-den's lecture on his experiences and impressions as war correspondent in ; the Far East for tlic London Daily Chronicle and Graphic. The cap- , tain, who appeared in the typical war correspondent's rig-oat, got n j good reception, and opening with n few anecdotes lie soon iirgratiated himself with tho "house." lie had I an interesting tale to unfold, and , the lecture, though necessarily scra|>f py and disconnected, was listened f to w'ilh vap.t attention. (living an * outline of Ihe life in I'ort Arthur , just before the outbreak of hostilities, he proceeded to vividly describe the initial steps on the part of the .lapanese, ami the brillinnt naval nttucks, which proved so disastrous to the Russians, lie was in an exceptional position to observe what was going on, having spent some time on a special despatch ■ boat, until warned oil' by the Ja--1 panese. The views of Port Arthur, 1 showing the harbour, the attempts V to block the channel, movements of t- the war vessels and illustrations of 'i some oi llw> doomed vessels, with » realistic pictures of several of the » disasters, were most interesting. I Continuing, the captain explained > tlve movements of the two armies, - showing maps of the scene of operais tions, and gave an account of his " journeyings, intercourse with the " brigands, capture by Cossacks, re'ease by Kuropatkin's order, and brief ntny at Mukden, then occupied >" by the Russian troops. The views I of portions of the country, showing the dilliculties the troops have to » contend with, field hospitnls, II troops, and battle scenes lent much 11 colour to the recital. Captain Scott » Harden returned to I'ort Arthur, , and was able to show a large num<l ber of views of the forts and town. I_ which gave die audience some idea *' of the stupendous tasks .accoinplish--1" ed by the Japanese. Tho lecturer - accompanied the parly who made a e successful dash from Port Arthur o with despatches in a torpedo boat o destroyer. Captain Scott-Harden n succeeded, being a soldier, correse pondeiit. and Keen observer, ih J throwing some interesting side . lights on the war, and his lecture > on the whole was instructive and enterlaining. He is one of those who cannot understand the surrender of l> fort Arthur, as 1 he states jirovisions - were not scarce, there wx-re good <1 supplies of ammunition, and 2. r >,ooo y able-lH)dieii men manning the rev' maining forts. His 1 versions show - that the universal hero worship of e Stoessel is due. to a mistaken idea s of affairs. Port Arthur, in his y opinion, could have helil out a coni- sidcrable time .longer, which would e have averted the pressure on G'onerV al Kuropatkin and consequent disasters. n At the close of his address, the )' lecturer tlvankod the audience for a their attendance. During the even- - ing Miss Maude Smith gave a much ( ipreciated elocutionary item. t t