The Japanese fleet then steamed out to sea once more, having left behind it no further obstacle to the landing of troops on the west coast of Korea. [Sidenote: Japan's Handicap] Thus within forty-eight hours of the rupture of diplomatic relations, the first decisive action in the struggle for sea-supremacy had been fought, and the result left to the enterprising and intrepid Navy of Japan not only the immense moral value of a victory well contrived and unerringly accomplished, but the solid material advantage of a superiority in fighting strength which was incontestable. [Illustration: GENERAL LINEVITCH. GENERAL GRIPENBERG. GENERAL KUROPATKIN. GENERAL KAULBARS. GENERAL RENNENKAMPFF. RUSSIAN GENERALS] CHAPTER III. No Rest for Russia--Port Arthur--The Russian Forts--Another Russian Disaster--Second Night Attack--Japanese Daring--Demons of the Storm--Moral Effect--Bottling up Port Arthur--The Fireships--Fire and Searchlight--Rain of Shell--Russians Still in the Woods--The Blockade--Transport Problems--Secrecy of Japanese Movements--Admirable Arrangements--A Close Censorship--Japanese Landings--Terrible Weather--At Ping-Yang--Perfect Organization--At Seoul--The Korean Emperor--A Japanese Protectorate--Advantage to Japan--Railway Building--Japanese Rapidity--Dismay at St. Petersburg--Alexeieff Criticised--General Kuropatkin--Confessions of Weakness--Desperate Efforts--On the Yalu--Round Niuchwang--Martial Law Proclaimed. [Sidenote: No Rest for Russia] If the Russians at Port Arthur imagined that an enemy so resourceful as Admiral Togo had shown himself to be would rest quietly upon his oars after the conspicuous successes of the 8th and 9th of February, they were greatly mistaken. The first course of action for the victor in such a case is to keep on striking and to give the harassed foe no rest--in the striking words of Captain Mahan, to "benumb the victim." This was precisely the plan of campaign adopted by the Japanese, who continued to show the same remarkable skill and coolness of calculation, and the same dash and daring in execution as had characterized their naval operations from the first. On the other hand, the disorganization of the Russian fleet, and of the defending force at Port Arthur generally, showed itself more markedly than ever, and the incapacity of the Czar's commanders conspired to aid the enterprise of the Japanese. [Sidenote: Port Arthur]