ABSTRACT
By 1875, when Russia dispossessed Japan of Sakhalin, the Japanese were the last remaining Asian nation of substance not to have fallen under the colonial domination of one or other of the Western powers. The Russian squadron visited Japan and it was in the course of being shown the beauties of Lake Biwa that an officer stepped from the crowd and struck the Russian prince across the head with his sword. Russia coveted the economic and strategic benefits to be derived from the occupation of Korea. In December 1897, the Russian Pacific Squadron anchored off Port Arthur and after three months of political pressure, the Chinese capitulated leasing the port to Russia. Encouraged by the support of Great Britain, the United States, and Japan, China rejected the Russian demands as an unwarranted intrusion in her own domestic affairs. The United States, who had embarked upon her international 'coming-out party' at Portsmouth, became increasingly wary as to long-term Japanese regional aims.
