THE RUSSO-JAPANESE WAR

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1747, 30 August 1905, Page 31

THE RUSSO-JAPANESE WAR

the PEACE COFERENCE.

FAILURE TO COME TO TERMS.

PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT’S EFFORTS UNSUCCESSFUL. LONDON, August 26. The correspondent of “ The Times ” at—Portsmouth reports that according to the best information there is little doubt that President Roosevelt’s gallant efforts to secure peace have failed.

August 25. According to “ The Times ” oorr-espon-dent, sceptics contend that President Roosevelt would not attempt to continue his efforts in the direction of bringing about a compromise of the quarrel if he was convinced that Rusrsia and Japan had said the last word. The correspondent adds “ The published criticisms of M. de Witte and Professor Maartens regarding Count Lamsdorff’s lack of pliancy on a compromise and his unwillingness to resort to arbitration must compel the serious of Peterhof (the Imperial residence near St- Petersburg).” Reuter’s Agency reports that Japanese popular opinion is bitterly opposed to further concessions, and advocates harsher terms. The New York correspondent of “The .Times ” says if Russia continues tne ■war she will forfeit American, friendship and esteem for good. All the French papers encourage Russia to come to terms.

The, Conservative press at St. Petersburg is growing more, arrogant, and declares that Japan is financially exhausted and bound to agree to terms that will be satisfactory to Russia. ‘ The “ Novoe Vremya ” insolently suggests that inasmuch as Japan is in pressing need of money to satisfy her creditors, Russia might guarantee the .Japanese war loan and occupy the island of Tsushima until Japan repays her borrowings.

The same paper remarks that Japan must renounce the idea of maintaining a. large army.' Such renunciation would prove that she sincerely desires peace. The article in the “ Novoe Vremya ” is typical of the absurdities that are obtaining widespread . circulation in Russia. The real facts of the situation are wilfully ignored. WASHINGTON. August 27. The Conference sat for an hour and a half yesterday, approving the signed protocols. M. de .Witte states that at Baron Korn ura’s request the Conference adjourned until Monday, when it is presumed the Japanese plenipotentiaries will have something to submit. It is stated by other Russians that the Czar has refused to permit a coun-ter-proposal to the Japanese compromise. BOTH SIDES UNYIELDING. RUSSIA’S LAST WORDS. STATEMENT BY ONE OF THE OZARS ENVOYS. WASHINGTON, August 28. President Roosevelt’s recent appeal to the Czar in favour of peace, which was conveyed to his Majesty by Mr Meyer, United States Minister to Russia, -was framed on bread humanitarian lines. The Ozar, through Mr Meyer, conveyed his final and unqualified refusal to entertain the Japanese demand for payment of indemnity. ’

Count Lamsdorff, the Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs, has reiterated to President Roosevelt that the Czar forbids the cession of part of Saghaken Island or the payment of an indemnity. Saturday’s sitting of the plenipotentiaries at Portsmouth threatened to be the last. Though the secretaries were excluded in order to secure the strictest secrecy, one of the Russian plenipotentiaries supplied the New York correspondent of “ The Times”- with many details. According to what the correspondent was told, the Japanese seemed to expect some new proposal. “No.” said the Russians, “‘half Saghalien and no indemnity ’ are our last words.” The plenipotentiary added :—“ If the demand for indemnity is withdrawn we shall rejoice, for peace would then be made, but it is inconceivable that Japan ■-Will withdraw. If the demand was reduced by one-half, we should still decline, as this is a question of principle, hot of money. “ We understand the Japanese expect the Czar to change his mind. We do not; his.answer to President Roosevelt is decisive.

“ But we think a stronger influence is working for peace, namely, England. We have heard that, a new treaty of alliance was signed by England and Japan not many days ago. We believe before it was signed Great Britain hinted that she strongly desired Japan to make peace. We know British interests in the Far East are suffering, and some of Britain’s political interests may also suffer. We understand that from motives of delicacy and generos'-ty as an ally Britain has refrained from urging any definite course of action, but Japan knows what England wishes. “That is why we think a new proposal will be forthcoming on Monday. We think British- views have also had weight at Peterhof. “England, though Japan’s ally in Asia, has in Europe other and far weightier interests, and cannot wish to see Russia enfeebled beyond a certain point. She has made friends with France in order to keep the balance even, especially against Germany. She knows Germany has designs threatening England’s place in the European system. Britain’s and Russia’s common interests clamour for peace.” A JAPANESE VIEW. LONDON, August 28. The New York correspondent of “The Times,” who interviewed one of the Russian plenipotentiaries, also had a conversation with a Japanese authority, and elicited the information that the Conference was adjourned to enable the Russians to awake from their illusions. The Japanese authority said:— “We cannot arrange peace with dreamers —dreaming of Linevrtch’s next battle; dreaming that the world is on their side.” - The quiet firmness of M. de Witte, the Czar’s principal plenipotentiary, has convinced the Japanese envoys of the> unalterableness of Russia’s resolution. TOKIO, August 28. There are many evidences that public opinion in Japan strongly resents the suggested partition of Saghalien Island. Some newspapers urge that, if further concessions are attempted the negotiations ought to be stopped. Count Katsura, the Japanese Prime Minister, has received hundreds of memorial telegrams urging him to insist on the original peace berms. Admiral Kataoka reports that the Japanese fleet which was recently ordered to the Sea of Ohkotsk. with the object of seizing the peninsula of Kamspha.tka, captured a gun at Partagan, and seized the British ship Antelope near Saghalien Island. At Kamschatka the squadron seized the Russian transport Montara. A Japanese fleet is sounding the mouth of the Amur river, in accordance with, the intention, recently announced,

of penetrating northern Siberia and Mancheria by means of gunboats, via the Amur, and thus threatening ral Linevitch’s communications. ST. PETERSBURG, August 27. It is stated at St. Petersburg that all the officers who sun-endered with Admiral Diebogatoff during the battle of Tsushima have been cashiered. Admiral- Diebogatoff pleads that the surrender of the ships was in the circumstance necessary, and that it saved two thousand lives. LONDON, August 28. The Russians reinforced two guard stations at Port Lazaref, on the east coast of Korea. Japanese destroyers, however, destroyed both, and then bombarded the lower spurs at Port Lazaref. The Russians fear a fresh landing. „ General Linevitch, Commander-in-Chief of the Russian army in Manchuria, claums three successful skirmishes in the Hailungcheng district. LONDON, August 28. The rainy season in the Kurachuling district has ended. BERLIN, August 27. A German army surgeon, Dr Schaefer, who was sent to study the war from a surgical standpoint, reports that the Japanese bullets are “as harmless -as needle®.’*