On Saturday, February 6, the Russian note was already in the hands of Baron de Rosen, the Russian Minister at Tokio, for delivery to Baron Komura, the Japanese Foreign Minister, when at four o’clock in the afternoon, M. Kurino, the Japanese Minister at St. Petersburg, called personally to inform the Russian Government that, in view of the delays in connection with the Russian replies, and the obvious futility of the negotiations, Japan considered it useless to continue diplomatic relations. Japan would take such steps as she deemed proper for the protection of her interests, therefore M. Kurino asked for his passports. The Russian Minister, a few hours later, prepared to leave Tokio as soon as possible. The startling action of Japan, in severing diplomatic relations before the actual delivery of the Russian note, came like a bolt from a clear sky at St. Petersburg. It was expected that Japan would invade Korea and seek a naval battle within the next twenty-four hours. This was an accurate surmise, for in even less time forty Japanese transports were loaded with troops to be landed at various points in Southern and Central Korea. One naval division sailed from Japanese waters for Chemulpo, and another for Port Arthur, as soon as the news that there could be no peace was sent by wireless telegraphy to the waiting ships. In the afternoon of February 8 a fleet of Japanese transports, escorted by a squadron of battleships and powerful cruisers, appeared off the harbor of Chemulpo. The Russian gunboat _Korietz_, on its way to Port Arthur with despatches, sighted the hostile craft; the commander cleared for action, fired a shot at the Japanese torpedo scouts, then returned at full speed to shelter near the Russian cruiser _Variag_, inside the Korean harbor. This proved to be the first shot of the war, and was so claimed by the Japanese when accused of attacking Port Arthur without formal declaration of war later in the same day. Early on the morning of February 9, Admiral Uriu, commander of the Japanese fleet, notified the two Russians that they must surrender or leave the harbor by noon, else he would attack them where they lay. The Russians did not surrender, but sailed out of the bay, with bands playing, to certain destruction. By four o’clock that afternoon the _Variag_ and the _Korietz_ were at the bottom of Chemulpo Harbor, and the war was on. The man who judges things by weight, bulk, and dollars may well wonder at Japanese temerity. To Japan, with her 147,000 square miles, the annexation of Korea, with 82,000 square miles, meant what the annexation of Mexico would to the United States. To Russia, with her 8,666,000 square miles, it meant less than Southern California to us. Russia’s population was 140,000,000; Japan’s 44,000,000. On a peace footing the Russian army had 1,000,000 officers and men; the Japanese, 175,000. On a war footing, the Russian 4,600,000 and the Japanese 675,000.