386 THE FAR EAST. 



the dark corners of the ancient home of the Manchus, 

 r.nvi for the second time in the course of a single 

 dp ade are the mountains and valleys of Shing King 

 reverberating with the stirring strains of martial 

 music, and the deep intonation of the cannon's roar. 

 Russia bluffed high, and having done so expected 

 to take the pool. That any one would dare to call 

 her hand seems hardly to have occurred to her. 

 Yet it was Russia herself who only nine years be- 

 fore had laid down the circumstances which would 

 constitute a case for war. "The contemplated pos- 

 session of the Liao-tung Peninsula by Japan will 

 not only constitute a constant menace to the capital 

 of China, but will also render the independence of 

 Korea illusory, and thus jeopardise the permanent 

 peace of the Far East.'' ^ Fortunately such a catas- 

 trophe was at the time averted, thanks to the with- 

 drawal of Japan. In 1904 Russia possessed the Liao- 

 tung Peninsula, and not only did she possess the 

 Liao-tung Peninsula but maintained a military 

 occupation of the whole of the hinterland, and a 

 threatening force the whole length of the borders 

 of Korea. Could it logically be said that the Russ- 

 ian position of 1904 was less likely to "constitute 

 a constant menace to the capital of China, to render 

 illusory the independence of Korea, and thus jeop- 

 ardise the permanent peace of the Far East," than 

 the Japanese position of 1895? Russian statesmen 

 have short memories when it is convenient for them 

 to forget ; but with these little facts recalled to their 

 toiind, surely they should be the last people in the 

 world to accuse Japan of making war without ample 

 and reasonable grounds. 



Who is going to win ? is the question which every- 



1 The Eussian representation to Japan in April 1895. 



