Could a non-radioactive heat source transform the Russo-Japanese War?

If a uranium-like but non-radioactive heat source were discovered in 1900, could Russia or Japan retrofit fleets in time for the Russo-Japanese War?

Probably not: the machinery and ship designs would need to be rebuilt, so the war would largely use historical fleets while new ships followed later.

The hypothetical material would revolutionize propulsion rather than serve as a drop-in fuel replacement. Existing ships would need radically different boilers and machinery, while designers would first need time to make the new system safe and reliable. A rough estimate gives engine development alone about two and a half years, putting an early purpose-built ship around 1905 rather than before the conflict. Geological quality, handling, and activation requirements would determine whether the material could be produced and used at scale. The earliest practical impact is therefore likely to fall after the war, with the larger change being longer endurance and a transformed logistics system. Coal or oil bunkering might largely disappear, but food, ammunition, and other stores would still limit time at sea.