na, but despoiled of it by Russia's
peaceful absorption. In 1894, Port Arthur was taken in a day from the
Chinese: the Russians defended the impregnable fortress for six
months. "Our prestige demands that the enemy shall not capture Port
Arthur," cried the tchinovnik, and Kuropatkin was ordered to General
Stoessel's rescue. The attempt failed, and General Nogi could pursue
the siege without being disturbed. (June 14-15, 1904.)

A stolid, ignorant, and densely superstitious people was at war with a
rejuvenated nation keenly alive to the power of education. That is the
secret. Man for man, Russia would have won. But the resourcefulness of
the little brown man more than offset the Russian's physical
superiority. As the year 1905 dawned, the fall of Port Arthur was made
known to the world.

Slowly, but heralded by the marvels it would accomplish, the Baltic
fleet under Rojestvensky sailed to Madagascar, welcome to whatever aid
the French ally could bestow. Japan said nothing, but made a note of
it. She cleaned and scraped her sea-worn, battle-scarred vessels,
under the supervision of grim, silent Togo. Oyama, the Japanese
commander-in-chief, reenforced by the veterans of Kuroki and Nogi, was
playing with Kuropatkin until he had the game in his hand. After (p. 282)
ten days of hard fighting, the discomfited Russians made a masterly
retreat to the Sha river, after evacuating Mukden, the cradle of the
present Chinese dynasty, (August 26-September 4, 1904.)

Kuropatkin deserved credit for the manner in which he extricated the
remains of the czar's army. Oyama did not feel safe in following up
the pursuit. His game was that of a skillful chess player. First make
sure of the result with mathematical precision, then strike. The
Japanese were deaf to the demand for brilliant dashes.

After the battle of Liao-yang, the armies seemed idle so far as news
from the front went. Oyama attacked his former antagonist on the
Shakhe River and drove the discomfited Russians beyond Tie pass.
General Kuropatkin was superseded by his former subordinate Linievitch
who, however, accomplished nothing to warrant his promotion.

Meanwhile the Baltic fleet left the hospitable shores of Madagascar,
proclaiming its search for Togo, together with the determination to
punish the impertinent Japanese. In the latter part of May, 1905,
Admiral Rojestvensky made a dash for Vladivostok through the Tsu
channel, the southern entrance to the Sea of Japan. T