Tension had been building between the two countries over imperialist interests in Manchuria and Korea.
On February 1, Britain and France agreed to remain neutral in event of a war. Three days later, the Tsar, in an attempt to avert hostilities, offered Japan a free hand in Korea if Japan left Manchuria to the Russians.
The Japanese followed their attack by sending 8,000 infantry on their way to Seoul, capital of Korea.
Fierce fighting continued throughout the year with heavy losses on both sides but with Japan consistently getting the better of their enemy. Japanese dominance surprised world leaders who were forced to view them as a serious emerging global power.
The embarrassing string of defeats further increased the Russian people’s dissatisfaction with the Tsar, whom they considered to be inefficient and corrupt.
An investigation carried out by the Meteorological Council had concluded, in 1903, that 20 per cent of London fogs were caused by smoke and that the density and duration of every ‘smog’ was increased by smoke.