All the schemes for the defence of Kwantun in general, and of Port Arthur in particular, which had been made out in peace-time, had to be abandoned or altered at the outbreak of war, and all those who drew up these schemes and were helping to carry them out left the district which was destined to be the arena of a long and bloody struggle. The brilliant ten months' defence was due to the fresh actors who appeared on the scene and the plans made out by them. During part of January and all February the arming of the land works and of two coast batteries (6 and 16) was energetically and incessantly carried on, chiefly by night. The work was often interrupted by the enemy's bombardment and attempts to block the harbour.
The following guns were received in January and February:
| 6-inch guns (43 cwt.) | 20 |
| 6-inch field howitzers | 2 |
| 87-millimetre Chinese guns (selected) | 20 |
| From the Fleet: 2½-inch guns | 15 |
| 3-line Maxims | 25 |
In February the following were sent to the fort at Yinchow:
1 officer, 72 men.
4 6-inch guns (43 cwt.).
8 light field guns.
By March the land works had been armed as follows:
Fort No. 1.
| 6-inch guns (68 cwt.) | 4 |
| Light guns | 4 |
| Machine-guns | 4 |
| Rocket troughs | 3 |
Open Caponier No. 1.