Russian expansion in the Far East reached Manchuria at the end of the 19th Century, threatening Japan's essential trade with Korea. After defeating the Russians on the Yalu in 1904, the Japanese closed in on Port Arthur. "Hurriedly relinquishing the naval command to Rear Admiral Witgeft, Alexeieff ordered a special train to take him north before the Japanese could cut the line. With somewhat questionable guile, the viceroy had a car full of wounded attached to the several coaches required to accommodate himself and a staff numbering no less than ninety-three; 'and a Red Cross flag was shown when the train was stopped by the enemy's infantry at Pu-lien-ten. They tried ineffectually to stop the train by rifle fire when they found they had been deceived.' But Alexeieff got through; and two days later the line was almost entirely in Japanese hands."

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