THE JAPAN-RUSSIA WAR.
turned and Russia was mistress of the East, as she believed herself a year before.
What changes had followed Japan's victories, Russia's de feats?
A year before Russia in addition to her own vast Siberian territory across all of Asia to the Pacific, was lessee of Port Arthur
and   the   extremity   of   the   Liaotung
Changes of a Year         promontory.     Port   Arthur   had   been
rebuilt and fortified, and the investments plus the value of the fleet in its harbor was fully $270,000,000. Dalny had been built and fortified as an auxiliary harbor to accommodate developing commerce. Here $100,000,000 had been expended. From these vantage points Russia looked out over China and Japan and claimed dominance over the Orient. Her fleet stood sponsor for the claim. For the defenses of Port Arthur impregnability was claimed. It seemed that the Slav had completed a peaceable conquest and was immovably intrenched, invulnerable against war, irresistible for commercial gain.
Further eastward her agents had penetrated to the northern boundaries of Korea. Slowly the Slav with his land-thirst was learning to covet the Hermit Kingdom. Commercial domination, political preponderance, each spreading in force and effectiveness, marked the first steps in this direction.
This was a year before. A year later Japan's flag was flying over   Port  Arthur  and   Dalny.    Russia's   fleet   was destroyed.
Her armies had been driven step by step
Year of Disaster          northward   250   miles   to   the   Sha-ho
for Russia   River.   Japan was master in Korea.   A protectorate had been firmly established, 410