登陆注册
5382300000307

第307章 CHAPTER XXXVIII(10)

According to an estimate made by the Japanese authorities, between April, 1903, and the outbreak of the war, Russia increased her naval and military forces in the Far East by nineteen war vessels, aggregating 82,415 tons, and 40,000 soldiers. In addition to this, one battleship, three cruisers, seven torpedo destroyers, and four torpedo boats, aggregating about 37,040 tons, were on their way to the East, and preparations had been made for increasing the land forces by 200,000 men. For further details, see Asakawa, "The Russo-Japanese Conflict" (London, 1904), pp. 352-

Russia thus found herself engaged in a war of the first magnitude, of which no one can predict the ultimate consequences, and the question naturally arises as to why, with an Emperor who lately aspired to play in politics the part of a great peacemaker, she provoked a conflict, for which she was very imperfectly prepared--

imposing on herself the obligation of defending a naval fortress, hastily constructed on foreign territory, and united with her base by a single line of railway 6,000 miles long. The question is easily answered: she did not believe in the possibility of war.

The Emperor was firmly resolved that he would not attack Japan, and no one would admit for a moment that Japan could have the audacity to attack the great Russian Empire. In the late autumn of 1903, it is true, a few well-informed officials in St. Petersburg, influenced by the warnings of Baron Rosen, the Russian Minister in Tokio, began to perceive that perhaps Japan would provoke a conflict, but they were convinced that the military and naval preparations already made were quite sufficient to repel the attack. One of these officials--probably the best informed of all--

said to me quite frankly: "If Japan had attacked us in May or June, we should have been in a sorry plight, but now [November, 1903] we are ready."

The whole past history of territoral expansion in Asia tended to confirm the prevailing illusions. Russia had advanced steadily from the Ural and the Caspian to the Hindu Kush and the Northern Pacific without once encountering serious resistance. Not once had she been called on to make a great national effort, and the armed resistance of the native races had never inflicted on her anything worse than pin-pricks. From decrepit China, which possessed no army in the European sense of the term, a more energetic resistance was not to be expected. Had not Muravieff Amurski with a few Cossacks quietly occupied her Amur territories without provoking anything more dangerous than a diplomatic protest; and had not Ignatief annexed her rich Primorsk provinces, including the site of Vladivostok, by purely diplomatic means? Why should not Count Cassini, a diplomatist of the same type as Ignatief, imitate his adroit predecessor, and secure for Russia, if not the formal annexation, at least the permanent occupation, of Manchuria?

Remembering all this, we can perceive that the great mistake of the Russian Government is not so very difficult to explain. It certainly did not want war--far from it--but it wanted to obtain Manchuria by a gradual, painless process of absorption, and it did not perceive that this could not be attained without a life-and-

death struggle with a young, vigorous nationality, which has contrived to combine the passions and virtues of a primitive race with the organising powers and scientific appliances of the most advanced civilisation.

Russian territorial expansion has thus been checked, for some years to come, on the Pacific coast; but the expansive tendency will re-

appear soon in other regions, and it behooves us to be watchful, because, whatever direction it may take, it is likely to affect our interests directly or indirectly. Will it confine itself for some years to a process of infiltration in Mongolia and Northern Thibet, the line of least resistance? Or will it impinge on our Indian frontier, directed by those who desire to avenge themselves on Japan's ally for the reverses sustained in Manchuria? Or will it once more take the direction of the Bosphorous, where a campaign might be expected to awaken religious and warlike enthusiasm among the masses? To these questions I cannot give any answer, because so much depends on the internal consequences of the present war, and on accidental circumstances which no one can at present foresee. I have always desired, and still desire, that we should cultivate friendly relations with our great rival, and that we should learn to appreciate the many good qualities of her people;

but I have at the same time always desired that we should keep a watchful eye on her irrepressible tendency to expand, and that we should take timely precautions against any unprovoked aggression, however justifiable it may seem to her from the point of view of her own national interests.

同类推荐
  • 驻梦词

    驻梦词

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 丛桂草堂医案

    丛桂草堂医案

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 医家秘奥之脉法解

    医家秘奥之脉法解

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 菩萨戒本疏

    菩萨戒本疏

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 泾林续记

    泾林续记

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 嫡女谋:丞相认栽吧

    嫡女谋:丞相认栽吧

    她是将军府的嫡女,是大魏国的太子妃。她耳根子软,听信奸人谗言,把仇人当亲人待,最终被亲妹妹和太子侧妃陷害身亡,死前更得知自己母亲和丫头也被其所害。自己良善,却落的如此下场,怨念不甘让她重生到八年前。这一世,她会把前世的怨都讨回来……她们诡计多端、手段狠辣,她以牙还牙,统统还回去。坏名声,断了嫁人之途,看怎么斗?!只是面前温润如玉的未来丞相,居然也会出手助她,在事后对她虎视眈眈……
  • 本草经集注

    本草经集注

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 内府秘传经验女科

    内府秘传经验女科

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 错爱枕边人

    错爱枕边人

    她是卑微如草的孤女,为生计沦为欢场女孩。他是令人闻风丧胆的兵王,脱下戎装成为跨国集团继承人。两难之间,他不知自己一开始就步入了一个设下的局,而她正是那枚射向他的银色子弹。究竟是谁将他们的命运相连?爱情和秘密将他们重重包围,当真相一步步揭开之时,那些情深意浓,终究不过是一场幻梦。
  • 中华语典(权威珍藏版)

    中华语典(权威珍藏版)

    本书对传统国学经典中的精华,历代名著中的名言警句,长期流传于民间的歇后语、俗语、谚语、谜语、绕口令,经久不衰的经典对联,历久弥新的各种典故等等进行了整理汇编。把这些形象鲜活、言简意赅、历经千年沉淀却盛传不衰的语言文字,以一种崭新的面貌再现于读者面前。无论是先哲的至理名言,还是才子的诗词歌赋;无论是智者的真知灼见,还是平民的家长里短,都让人受益匪浅。它们或音韵优美,或意味深长,或幽默风趣,或哲理深刻,使人在文化享受中提高文化修养。
  • 决尘垢

    决尘垢

    三个年轻人,各自怀着自己的目的,踏上征途。未来的路究竟该如何去走,命运究竟该如何掌握?爱恨纠葛,血雨腥风。如何从优柔寡断到纵横天下?各自选择的路不一样,结局却不尽相同。是历史的重演还是悠然一梦......
  • 霾之国

    霾之国

    雾霾横行,遮天蔽日,出个门都要全副武装。冬眠三十年的明达,面对的就是这样一个陌生的世界。然而更重要的是,他还要寻找陷害父亲的仇人,对抗一个完全摸不到的对手。
  • 位面之穿梭系统

    位面之穿梭系统

    新书《诸天之剑豪》已上传,请大家移步点击收藏。“系统,这是福利任务!?我差点死了知道吗?”季末嘴角抽搐着。“如果宿主连这么简单的任务都完不成的话,只能证明你没潜力,那么,死了就死了,世界上那么多人,你死了,再重新找一个宿主就是。”好吧,系统果然很系统。“咦,这个任务很简单啊,系统你还是有点人性的嘛!”“等等,我收回我刚刚说的话!”看着系统颁布的任务,季末神情淡定的捡起刚刚夸系统的话,吞回到了肚子里……这是季末在各个电影,动漫位面穿梭,拥有别样人生的精彩故事!
  • 皇后和亲

    皇后和亲

    【本文已完结】她,一张利嘴,说遍天下无敌手,能把黑的说成白的,死的说成活的,人见人怕,鬼见鬼愁,的金牌律师竟然穿越到一个不受宠的皇后身上还是个即将被送到敌国去和亲的皇后醒来第一天,威胁皇帝,不给权力姐就撂担子不嫁了!第二天,一脚把贵妃踹进荷花池,只要姐在就轮不到你嚣张!第三天,气晕太后,我就是后宫之主,看不惯,你就叫皇帝废了我呗!第四天,踢断小侯爷的命根子,敢吃姐的豆腐,让你一辈子断子绝孙!……第一个月,肱骨大臣、后宫嫔妃齐齐请命,皇上求求你,别让皇后去和亲!什么?竟然不让我去和亲了?那可不干,你这大齐都玩遍了,也玩腻了,收拾包袱,闪人!【精彩片段一】:夜黑,风高,爬墙夜!屁股一扭,脚一蹬,啪啦一声!墙太高,砖太滑,爬不上!“皇后,大半夜你在干什么?”一道邪魅的笑声在后面响起。“我在锻炼身体,对,锻炼身体,左三脚,右三角,屁股扭扭……”【精彩片段二】我要休了你!竟然敢设计圈套让我嫁你。好,那先把一年前你在赌场输的50万两银子还给我。我记得我只输了20万两!剩下那30万两是是利息。另外你开百花楼失败也花了我80万两银子,记得一起。……你欺人太甚,我要离家出走!包袱一款,银子一捞,儿子一牵,江湖我来也!正式开通包养(现在男主大家还在猜测中,谁猜到就是谁的,不收费,以先来先到为原则)蓝沁(qin)——郑潼潼包养风辰逸——阿布帝释天包养风念夏——萩萩包养推荐彩虹的新文《凤临天下,皇后有点坏》没钱,没权,没势力,还没老爹自生自灭十五载,还被当做礼物送人骆含烟一睁眼面对的就是这一幕很好,你们不仁也别怪我不义骆含玉:“含烟妹妹,我来送送你,虽是做人第三十八房小妾,不过好歹也算有名分,生出来的孩子也不是野种、杂种之类的啊!”一双素手撩开轿帘,一道玉影缓缓而下:“姐姐说得对极了,做妹妹的我怎么能不成全姐姐的心愿呢?”“啊……”女子头一载,晕倒在地,骆含烟一脚把她踢进了轿子里,拍拍手扬长而去!某男:“含烟,你是我见过最美的女人,第一次见面我就不由自主的爱上了你!”某女:“你记得清楚这是你对第几百个女人说这话了吗?”某男:“烟,你真没一点浪漫细胞!”某女:“浪漫?浪漫一斤值多少钱,饿了能挡饱,寒了等当衣吗?你这点伎俩,还是去骗骗无知小女孩吧!”
  • 太阳最红

    太阳最红

    有血有肉,大爱大恨,有情有义,大喜大悲。一部思考中国革命过程中政治与经济、伦理与道德、破坏与重建的长篇战争小说。让我们站在新的历史高度上对生命的意义重新审视,多重的生命主题和人生价值,散发着人性的光辉。这是一部思考中国革命过程中政治与经济、伦理与道德、破坏与重建的长篇战争小说。200个将军同一个故乡的战争往事,以黄麻起义为背景,再现红四方面军早期十年创建过程。艰苦卓绝波澜壮阔的革命斗争,多灾多难血雨腥风的历史画卷。您可以看到王树声、王近山诸位战将的影子!