THE PEACE CONFERENCE

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1748, 6 September 1905, Page 53

THE PEACE CONFERENCE

TOKIO, August 29. Yesterday the Ministers and elder statesmen held a meeting lasting the ■whole morning. They sat again in the afternoon, when the Mikado presided. Sharp declines on the Tokio Stock Exchange yesterday showed that the prospects of peace were considered hopeless. Shares fell 20 yen (about £2). LONDON, August 29. The latest report from Tokio is that it hft.s been decided to withdraw the Japanese representatives from the Conference unless Russia speedily accepts Japan’s terms. The Japanese press is adopting a warlike tone. Reuter’s Portsmouth correspondent says Monday’s Conference was privately postponed until Tuesday afternoon at the instance of M. Takahira. M. Takahira, however, told an interviewer that the adjournment was due to a desire to have full possession of the Mikado’s views on the situation. M. de Witte has informed .M. Takahira' that no delay can affect the position, as Russia has said her last word. One of the Russian plenipotentiaries told the New York correspondent of “The Times” that President Roosevelt thrice appealed in vain to the Czar to change his mind. The Czar, by making his answer to Mr Roosevelt part of the proceedings of the Conference, had deliberately denied himself all liberty to change—indeed, his Majesty, says the plenipotentiary, desired to put it beyond his power to change. WASHINGTON, August 29. A statement has been issued at Portsmouth (H.S.A.), obviously emanating from a Russian source, that there has been some misunderstanding at Peterhof (the Czar’s principal residence) regarding the real purport of President Roosevelt’s offer on behalf of Japan. It is said that when Mr Roosevelt suggested the cession of the northern portion of Saghalien Island, leaving the redemption price to be fixed by arbitration, this was interpreted at Peterhof as an attempt to conceal the claim for “ indemnity ” under the guise of “ purchase money.” The Japanese contend that Saghalien is, de facto, Japanese territory, and that Russia has no present means of recovering that territory. The statement declares that M. de Witte has accepted this view in principle, believing that Russia ought to pay something in the nature of redemption money. The statement adds that Baron Nomura has now been instructed to waive -the demand for reimbursement of the cost of the war. The newspaper organ of Count Lamsdorf. Minister of Foreign Affairs, publishes an article containing a veiled allusion to the possibility of bargaining over Saghalien Island. THE INFLUENCE OF BRITAIN. ALLEGED NEW TREATY OF ALLIANCE. LONDON, August 28. “The Times” has a leading article commenting on its New York correspondent’s interview with one of the Russian plenipotentiaries, wherein the latter stated that the Russians had heard that a new treaty of alliance was signed by England and Japan a few days ago, that before it was signed Britain hinted her strong desire that Japan should make peace, and that these considerations led the Russians to expect new Japanese proposals. “The Times” remarks:— “Nobody will be surprised, but all parties will be gratified, if it turns out that the treaty is renewed and extended. What will cause surprise is the superstructure erected by the plenipotentiary. We do not believe there is a fraction of foundation for the audacious theory regarding our wishes and Japan’s expected fresh offer, “The only peace w-> wish is peace that will secure, permanently and satisfactorily, to Japan the object for which she entered into. the war. She alone can judge what her terms must be. It is true we do not wish Russia to lose her place in Europe. For that reason we are anxious that she shall accept the just and reasonable terms offered. If those terms are rejected, she will almost infallibly suffer disasters crushing her authority and influence in Europe equally as in Asia.”