The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-07-27
WHAT TIE MUSCOUTI HAVE OBTAINED IN EXCHANGE
Mediation Successfully
Employed.
The Island of Saghalien-Its Importance as
Mining Territory.

the voyages OF La Perouse In 1889 and Krusenstern
In 1905 had made the world acquainted with the
general shape OF the Island of Saghalen; but
Krusenstern, following Browton, supposed it not
TO be an island, but 10 be connected with the
mainland at place now called the Tartar Straits.
A GEOGRAPHICAL DISCOVERY STIMULATES NATIONAL
ATTENTION.
Although a japanese navigator. whose account
was published by the naturalist Sebold, SUISSE
quently sailed through these straits, yet the
fact that Saghalien was an island was
not generally recognized until the eXPe-
dliion OF Captain NeveskN 10 lSi9. Up
TO the middle OF the last century Sagha-
lien was In the nominal possession OF the Chinese
and after they mad abandoned II Japanese Usher
men and cOlopists went there as early as 1850.
The Japanese in the statements of their claims TO
the island assert, the basis or obscure passages
I'm their annals. that they mad visited 1t as
far back as $50, and subsequently In 100,
and that from 1885 ana for many years
alter Japanese government officials were sent
there to take charge Of the coonists After the
voyage OF Krusenstern, in 1907 the island was
visited BY the Russians, ana Lieutenant Khostof
annexed it TO Russia but few years after, dur
ing the Imprisonment OF SOLEMN In Japan, the
Russians o1ctally gave up all claims to the island
aud declared the act OF Khostof TO have been with
out authority. When In 1858, while occupying the
mouths OF the AMOR a Russian expedition dis
covered coal on the island and Russian posts were
Immediately established in various places there,
but were subsequently Withdrawn on account Of
the Crmean
TIE DISCOVERY OF CoAL-CoUNr PUTIArsNs ECO
NOMIC CALCULATIONS.
The discovery OF coal gave Count Pulatin, then
on mission to Japan. the idea that the Island
might be important 10 Russia, and in the nego-
tations for treaty OF commerce at Simoda, Ia
1864, he endeavored TO induce the Japanese.
whose right to the island was thus recognized. to
agree to a boundary line between the Russian
and japanese settlements. The japanese commits
sioners proposed the ftieth parallel OF latitude,
thus cutting the island In two but Count Putlatln
was unwilling TO give more than the Bay OF AniA
in the south and the Island OF Iturup. No agree
ment being reached on the point 1t was estab-
lshed by the treaty OF Simoda, in 1855. that the
Island of Iturup should belong to Japan aud Urup
and the rest OF the Kurile islands to Russia, while
las concerns the Island OF Kurulto (Saghalien) 1t
shall remain undivided between Russia and Japan
as 1t has heretofore BEEN"
MoURAvIEF's DIPLOMACY.
In 1860 MouravieL the Russian Envoy at Icddo,
again began tue discussion as to the boundary.
claiming that the matter had been left undeter-
mined because Putiatln had no powers with re-
gard TO Saghalien. lie also stated that the island,
so long as III years before, had belonged to Rus
STA and mad afterward become Chinese possess
sion. but that as by late treaty made at Aigun
In 1859 the Chinese had coded the Amoor country
TO Russia, and that as Amoor and Kurufto the
Japanese name of sagnalIen mere terms OF the
same meaning. the Chinese had also ceded this
island, aud that In consequence OF this military
posts had been established there.
He proposed, therefore, that the boundary line
should be through the Straits OF La Perouse, be-
tween saghalten and Yesso. This, the japanese
government refused, and no arrangement was
made.
THE MIKADO's MISSION TO THE RUSSIAN CAPITAL
In 1862 the japanese embassy came TO ST.
Petersburg. and as the japanese sin insisted on
the line OF nifty degrees, and the Russians on the
Straits OF La Perouse, 1t was finally agreed TO
leave the matter TO a special commission, the ar
rangements OF which were to be made through
the Russian Consul az Hakodadi. owing TO the
internal troubles OF Japan and TO the night or the
Tycoon TO Kioto, this agreement was never carried
out, although the Russians claimed to have sent
their commissioners to the spot In 1886 another
japanese embassy on this subject arrived in ST.
Petersburg. AS the result OF negotiations at that
time a convention was signed In March, 1857, in
which It was stated that the Russians proposed
TO keep the whole OF the Island or Saghalien and
10 give TO the japanese the island OF the KurIle
group called Urup, with three small islets adjon.
ing; but that, IN case the Japanese government
should not agree 10 this, the previous general oc-
cupation OF the whole OF the island should be con-
tinued, ana that both Russians and japanese
should be allowed to settle aud colonIze in any
part they pleased. The Russians, however, soon
took measures TO restrict the Japanese to a small
portion of the southern END OF the island, In
sequence OF which, IN 1870, the Japanese govern
ment formally applied to the government OF the
United states to act as mediator IN the matter De-
tween Russia and Japan.
AMERICAN GOVERNMENTAL MEDIATION.
This application was based on the second
article OF the treaty with the United States OF
1858, In which 1t was stated that 'the President
OF the United States at the request OF the Japan
ese government, should act a friendly mediator
In such matters Of difference as might arise be-
tween the government OF Japan and any European
Power.n The Russian government, however, re-
fused TO accept the proposal OF mediation or ar
bitration, and since that time the japanese have
been entirely driven OFF the island.
THB JAPANESE EXCLUDED FROM THE TERRITORY
The feeling OF the Japanese about their rights
Co the Island OF saghalien has always been very
strong, more especially so since the recent de-
yeopment OF thei- military and naval power
and it has OF late been frequently suggested that
the Japanese might employ their forces Tor eXer-
else In attempting to recover saghanen. As any
attempt of that kind would have caused great
disturbance in the commercial relations OF foreign
countries with Japan, the Russian government
was no less anxious than the Japanese to come TO
some 1nal arrangement, and took occasion Of the
establishment Of the permanent Japanese Lega-
ton OF st. Petersburg to renew its former
proposition OF compromising Japan for saghalien
by the cession OF two or three OF the nearer
KurIe Islands. The Japanese Legation, knowing
the excited state OF public feeling at home, was
unwilling TO take less than the cession OF the
whole Of the Kurile group, including the Island or
Paramushir, which, on account OF It's seal fisheries,
may, perhaps be OF some value, and after consld-
cradle negotiation at last succeeded.
A TREATY,
treaty was drawn up with the approba-
ton OF the home government, and was signed
and ratified by the Emperor shortly before his
departure for Germany. The hnal Publications,
q ayehauVe1 "A JeddO.