A scheme to save the Russian fleet when Japanese torpedo boats come

This satirical print belongs to the body of propaganda and caricature imagery Kiyochika produced during the Russo-Japanese War of 1904–05. The title mocks Russian naval strategy in the face of Japanese torpedo attacks, a particularly resonant subject following the dramatic night raids on Russian warships at Port Arthur in February 1904. Kiyochika's satirical prints of this period employed grotesque caricature and darkly comedic imagery to ridicule Russian military competence and bolster Japanese national confidence. The composition likely depicts Russian officers or sailors engaged in some absurd or futile defensive maneuver, rendered with exaggerated physiognomy. These prints, often issued as single sheets or in series, circulated widely as inexpensive popular media. Kiyochika's draftsmanship, honed through decades of woodblock work, gave his caricatures a graphic clarity effective at small scale.