HALF SAGHALIEN, NO INDEMNITY.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXVI, Issue 206, 29 August 1905, Page 5

HALF SAGHALIEN, NO INDEMNITY.

A PIaENTPOTENTIART INTERVIEWED, j * ENGLAND WORKING FOR j PEACE. WASHINGTON, August 28. Though the secretaries were ex- i | ludea from Saturday's sitting to i eenre the strictest secrecy, one of I be Russian plenipotentiaries has I applied the New York con-spomi-mt of " The Times " witi many de_ails. " The Japanese,'' said the plenipotentiary, "' seemed to expect a | iew proposal from the Rnsaians, . _und said so. I " M. de Witte quietly and firmly ' replied: ' No ; half Saghalien and xo indemnity are our last words.' "_L de Witte's manner convinced .he Japanese of the unaltsrableiesa of tibia decision." The plenipotentiary added, "If -he claim for an indemnity be vit-hdra-cm tee shall rejoice, for .hen peace will be made, and it ia :onceivable that Japan -will with— iraw it. " If tbe indemnity were reduced _o one-half we should stiU decline, for this is a question of principle, aot of 2-_.Q-_.ey. •• I understand tne Japanese expect the Czar to change lis mind ; we do not. His answer to Prescient Roosevelt is decisive. '" We thinl-: a stronger influence is working for peace, viz., England. C have heard that a new treaty of -_llia__.ee was signed by England __nd Japan net many days ago. I believe that before it was signed Great Britain binted strongly that .be desired Japan to make peace. I know British interests in the i_ast are suffering from the war, aud some of Great Britain's poli_ical interests may also suffer. " I understand that from motives of delicacy and generosity towards i-Er ally Britain refrained from __rging any definite course of ac__on.' " Japan knows what England tsrisbes, and that is -why we think a new proposal will be forthcoming on _--S(__i.lay. " I think that British views all - have bad weight -with the Czar. "' England, though Japan's ally in Asia, has in Europe other and fa? weighter interests, and cannot -wish to see Russia enfeebled beyond a certain point. She made friends -with Prance in order to keep ".he balance even, especially against Germany. She knows that Germany's designs are threatening England's place in the European system. Great Britain's and Russia's conuaon interests clamour for peace."