THE JAPANESE PLAN OF CAMPAIGN 599 importance to the Chinese, for it would give time for the ice to form, and then the Taku Forts, the water-way to Tien-tsin, and tlae approaches bv sea to the capital,would be safe from the Japanese fleet for three months to come, and during these three months many thingsmight happen. China washoping for the intervention of friendly Powers to save her.

Although she had so far an unbroken record of defeat, it was something that the capital was safe till another year. Even Mukden, the old home of the Tartar emperors, was secure for some months to come, for in Manchuria the winter comes early and is of Arctic intensity. The passes would soon be blocked with snow, and the roads deep in the drifts. The countrywas already covered with a white mantle, and thestreams werebeginning to freeze. The war, it washopedat Pekin, must cease for awhile.

work and fight amid the ice and snow. Preparations for a winter campaign had been some time in progress. Chief among them were the purchase and distribution of thousands of overcoats lined with sheepskin, most of them, by the way, purchased by agents in Northern China and forwarded to Japan under neutral flags.

Although little was to be gainedbypushing on the campaign in Manchuria during the snowy months, Yamagata, soon to be superseded by Nodzu, with theFirst Army, and General Nogi, with the ist Brigade of the Second Army, were ordered to combine their operations toexpel the Chinese from the country between the Yalu River and thehead of theGulfof Pe-chi-li. At the same time preparations were made for a combined attack by landand seaon Wei-hai-wei, with a view to getting possession of the second Chinese naval base, anddestroying or capturing the remains of Admiral Ting's fleet. Marshal Oyama was to command the land forces, and Admiral Ito's fleet was to co-operate. It had been reinforced for this purpose by a large number of light cruisers and torpedo boats. The transport flotilla had also been largely increased by the purchase of a number of liners andbig tramp-steamers.

It was no part of the Japanese plan to rush on to Pekin before the conditions of certain success had been assured. If the war lasted so long,the invasionof the Pe-chi-li province and the march on the Chinese capital was to be the work of thespring and the early summer. But the Japanese Government had no intention of letting the war stopduring winter. They were going to show that their fleets and armies could