“Admiral Alexeieff’s policy was ‘firm,’ and all his endeavours were directed to prevent Russia’s political position in those regions being weakened, and it was on this account that he did not feel able to recommend the evacuation of Manchuria after it had been occupied for three years. Notwithstanding the absolute necessity for making concessions, he reported in September, 1903, that the Japanese proposal was ‘quite an impossible pretension,’ that it must be definitely laid down as a preliminary to any negotiations with Japan that we should continue in occupation of Manchuria, and that he ‘was firmly convinced’ that this was the only settlement in accordance with our position in the Far East. “The opinion of the late Viceroy, ‘based’ on the general political situation, was such that a successful issue to the negotiations could only be ‘expected’ if the Japanese Government were clearly given to understand that Russia was determined to support her rights and interests in Manchuria by force of arms. With this idea, and owing to the ‘provocative action of the Japanese,’ Alexeieff proposed a whole series of measures, amongst which was one that we should at once attack them on the sea in the event of a landing at Chemulpo, Chinampo, or the mouth of the Ya-lu. He was ‘deeply convinced’ that, in order to arrive at an agreement with Japan, the most important thing was ‘an inflexible resolution and timely action, which alone can prevent Japan realizing her extraordinarily ambitious intentions.’