ABSTRACT
Russia had limited her activity in the Far East to Manchuria, and Japan would have waited longer to issue her second challenge to Europe. Port Arthur was a direct challenge to Japan, the Japanese saw that the European powers were not effectively opposing the ambitions of Russia. Japanese press called upon the government to declare war. Japanese statesmen have hoped for further reply and new proposals from Russia. Russian statesmen did not seem to regard Japanese silence as making war inevitable. Japanese fleet attacked the Russian fleet outside the harbor of Port Arthur, inflicted considerable damage, and forced the Russians to withdraw under the protection of the guns of the fortress. A treaty of Portsmouth, signed on September 5, was ratified in October by both countries. In the treaty, Russia recognized Japan's paramount interests in Korea and transferred to Japan her lease of Port Arthur and all concessions, establishments, and railway and mining rights in Liao-tung peninsula and southern Manchuria.
