PEACE OR WAR?

New Zealand Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 5667, 15 August 1905, Page 5

PEACE OR WAR?

CABLE NEWS.

UNITED PRESS ASSOCIATION .—BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH. —COPYRIGHT.

PORTSMOUTH CONFERENCE, THE REJECTED CONDITIONSINDEMNITY AND CESSION OF SAGHALIEN. M. DE WITTE'S REPLY. RUSSIA NOT RESPONSIBLE FORTHE WAR. (Received August 14, 11.10 p.m.) WASHINGTON, August 14. The Peace Conference met at 9.30 o’clock on Saturday morning. M. do Witte outlined the terms of Russia's written reply to the Japanese proposals, and ho thereupon delivered to Baron Komura the written reply, with an indication that lie expected the Japanese plenipotentiaries to copy Russian expedition in replying. In rejecting tho clauses in the Japanese conditions for peace respecting the payment of indemnity and the cess-ion of Saghalien Island, M. dc Witto urged that Russia’s unpreparedness before the war commenced was proof that she did not intend war. Russia, ho said, was not responsible for the war, hence she was not responsible for the expenditure incurred by Japan. On the same grounds, M. de Witte resists the cession of territory.

Though sho has suffered reverses, acids M. do Witte, Russia is nob vanquished, and is able, it necessary, to continue the struggle. Sho desires peace now, as she did before the war, but peace must be honourable. After the receipt of M, do Witte’s reply Iho Conference adjourned. Baron Komura and his colleagues debated privately on the Russian reply till 3 o’clock in the afternoon, when the Conference resumed, and continued sitting bill 7 o’clock in the evening. At that hour an adjournment was made.

Tho Conference agreed to meet at 3 o'clock yesterday, but subsequently the resumption of negotiations was postponed until to-day. MODE OF PROCEDURE. CLAUSES TAKEN SERIATIM. BARON KOMURA'S TACTICS. WASHINGTON, August U. Japan’s peace conditions are being discussed seriatim, despite Russia’s reply rejecting the demands lor payment of indemnity and the cession of Saghalion Island. The discussion of the clauses seriatim was due to Baron Komura's initiative. His imperturbable tactics puzzled M. do Witte, but tho fact that M. de Wit to has agreed to discussion is interpreted in Japanese circles to mean that he would never have accepted unless Russia nas really prepared to yield Saghalien. Though M. do Witte's reply is framed with the intention of leaving tho door open for discussion, the Russian diplomatists yesterday morning were threatening the likelihood of failure with the intention of laying the blame on Japan, but the impressive reserve of the Japaueso plenipotentiaries and the length of the afternoon conference renders tho outlook much more hopeful.

REPORTS OF FRESH JAPANESE INSTRUCTIONS. COUNTER PROPOSALS BY RUSSIA. LONDON, August 14. The New York correspondent of “The Times” says that as Baron Komura’s and M. Takahira’s powers are lees comprehensive tiian M. de Witte’s and Baron von Rosen’s, it is supposed the Japanese representatives are keeping the conference alive until they receive fresh instructions from Tokio. PARIS, August 14. The St. Petersburg correspondent of “Le Temps” says fresh, instructions have been cabled to M. de Witte, and these will serve as the basis of counter proposals.