ABSTRACT
The Korea-Manchuria issue was a complex many-sided one. In the last two chapters we have described the relevant internal developments in Japan and Russia. There was in both countries an expansionist group tussling with a more moderate one which was equally determined to pursue national interests but in ways which would avoid confrontation or offence to other powers. The attainment of rational solutions was often lost because of the factional infighting. By the summer of 1903 the possibility of war emerging between Japan and Russia was being studied on the Japanese side, but probably not on the Russian. In Japan contingency military-naval plans were being pushed forward. But the Russians were also increasing their forces in the area. The Japanese intelligence services were observing this and trying to assess among other things the future potential of the Russian railways' carrying capacity.
