Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-08-30
STORY OF THE WAR
Course of Events Leading
Up to It.
JAPAN AND CHIN A
THE BRIEF AND BLOODY sTRUa-
GLE IN 1894
Had Been Preparing for the Contest
Just Closed Since That
Time.

The Russo-Jap war which is to reorgan-
ize the whole status of the far east began
with the attack of the Japanese on Che
mulpo. February 8, 1904. 1t ended with
the agreement for peace at Portsmouth, N.
H., August %, 1908.
The course of events leading up to the
war must be sought far back of 1904. how
ever. The conflict of Russian and Japanese
interests antedated the Chino-Jap war OF
1894, but it was that war and the events
following that brought Russia and Japan
into close and hostile relations The crux
of the whole matter was Korea. which the
Japanese declared Russia wanted and whose
territorial integrity Japan claimed was nee
essary to guarantee the national existence
of Japan.
1t Is well. therefore. to understand the
status of Korea which has played such an
important part In the late war.
Korea is big country. 1t looks small
on a map OF the world. but in reality 1t Is
600 miles from north to south and 1885 miles
across. It has an area Of $1,000 square
miles, almost twice as big as the state Of
New York. and has population variously
estimated from eight to sixteen millions.
There has been no accurate census Of the
country and 1t Is hard to determine its ex-
act population. 1t Is the hermit kingdom.
and all 1t has wanted throughout It's tur-
bulent and bloody history was to be let
alone. But let alone 1t never was. Japan
claimed the country too far back In Its
history to be of Importance In the present
consideration. Then China claimed suze-
rainty over 1t and continued to exact an an
nual tribute from 1t till 1895. Then the
Chino-Jap war liberated Korea and 1t was
declared an independent kingdom.
Japan's War With China.
Japan's brief and bloody war with China
from 1894 to April. 1895. when peace was
declared by the treaty of Shimoneski, re-
suited in the declaration of korea's indie
pendence and gave Japan the Chinese In
demnlty of $1,000. 900. upon which. so 1t is
alleged she has founded her preparations
for the coming conflict with Russia. The
war showed the world that Japan was
wonderful fighting nation. but her victory
over China was at the same time regarded
as a sort of national fiuke and when the
powers practically arranged the terms OF
the Jap-ChineSe peace. and, as Japan mas
always declared, robbed her Of her legitt-
mate fruits of victory. she was still regard
ed strong little nation, but hardly as
one of the powers"
Then came Russia creeping east and
south. She had been for many years push
ing toward the Pacific, gaining ground
peaceably where she could, elbowing the
weaker people forcibly where she had to.
Russia's march to the sea has not been so
much the result of a deep-laid plan as a
sequence of events forcing her on. She has
had wonderful capacity for taking advan-
tage of the blunders of other people. and
at the close of the Chino-Jap war she saw
her chance to open out on the warm waters
at Port Arthur. 1t ought to be remembered
that Russia's progress through central Asia
and to the southwark has not been ruth
less grabbing of territory. To do her JUS
tice, she has established civilization where
barbarism fioUrished before, and Asiatic
Russia has more fourishing towns ana
weIl-equipped colleges and local museums
that the rest Of the world has never heard
of than would be imagined by the man In
the street.
But at the end of the Chino-Jap war she
turned coyetous eyes toward Port Arthur,
and. after series of cleverly conducted
negotiations, she leased it and the adjacent
shores and waters from China In 1898 for
a term of twenty-five years, subject TO re-
newaI with the consent of both powers.
Meantime she had been pushing eastward
the Trans Siberian road, and then she or
gained the Russo-Chlnese Bank. which
built or at least financed, the Eastern Chr
nese railroad, that runs north from Port
Arthur to Hardin and eastward from the
trans Baikai region to Vladivostok. This
was were Japan's fears were seriously
awakened.
About Manchuria.
Now, Manchuria, involved in the present
struggle, is little known to the western
world. 1t Is not quite as large as horea, az
least the part involved In the present dis
cusslon, but about two-thirds the area OF
the hermit kingdom, but equally fruitful
and probably as we'll supplied with miner
ais in it's hilly eastern region. though II has
never been thoroughly prospected, nor In
the least developed. That Is one of the
troubles with Russian occupation. She has
been seemingly possessed OF an Unsuitable
land hunger, and the empire now contains
perhaps a seventh of the land of the habit
able globe. But. while 1t has the riches
of mine, river and forest. 1t lies largely
dormant, awaiting the coming OF q second
Peter the Great to wake 1t into modern
life.
However. that does not Immediately touch
the rupture with Japan. Russia had gotten
Port Arthur on a lease. The Manchurtan
territory to the north was to constitute Q
neutral zone. In which Chinese troops were
not to be moved without the consent Of
Russia Russia claimed that for the proper
policing of the Chinese Eastern railway she
must keep troops in Manchuria In large
numbers. This was really SO. for the chun.