The herald., 1895-03-11

haps more frequently denied the respon.
| siilities OF that relation. She has pursued
| a policy of isolation and distrust and
| consequently her external relations have
| not been characterized by that frankness
| essential to good in the neighborhood.
Instances are not wanting in which
/ Chinese missionaries after formally agree
| ing to international compacts have refus-
ed to affix their seals and cases might
| be cited in which treaties solemnly con-
cluded have been unceremoniously and
without apparent reason repudiated.
+, These unfortunate occurrences find SUI
! ticient explanation in the fact that China
! was not on these occasions seriously IN
earnest but beyond that it might be said
with truth that the officials who were de-
signated to carry on negotiations had not
| been clothed with the power necessary
| for the: purpose. 1t has from the first
been the wish of Japan to avoid results
which history teaches are liable to be
the outcome of negotiations with Chinese
officials who are not clothed with full
power in the sense in which that term is
usually understood. Consequently the
imperial Government made it condition
precedent to any peace negotiations that
the Chinese plenipotentiaries should be
furnished with full power to conclude
peace, and it was only upon receiving pos
tive assurances form the Chinese Govern
ment that the condition precedent had
been complied with that the Chinese
plenipotentiaries were on their way to
Japan that His Majesty the Emperor of
Japan conferred upon my colleague and
myself full powers 10 conclude and sign
preliminaries of peace with the plenipo-
tentiaries of China.
That Your Excellencies' powers sare,
Notwithstanding that assurance, fatally
9 me
that the Government of China is not yet
really solcitous for peace.
Criticism is nearly exhausted by SIM
pie comparison of the two instruments
which were reciprocally exchanged at this
board yesterday, but it is not out of
place to point out that one fulfls the
definition which is usually given to the
term full powers among civilized states,
while the other is destitute of nearly all
those qualities which are regarded as
essential to such powers; it even fails to
indicate the subject upon which your ex-
cellencies are to negotiate: it does not
authorize your eXcellencies to conclude or
to sign anything; it is silent on the sub
ject of the imperial ratification of your
eXcellencies' act. In short, it would seem
that the authority which has been con
ferred upon your excellencies would be
completely fulfilled by you representing
to your Government what my colleague
and myself might have to say. In this
situation it would be impossible for us to
continue negotiations. 1t may be asserted
that usage is entirely ignored in this in
stance. | cannot admit the sufficiency of
such an explanation. [ disclaim any
right to interfere with the pure domestic
customs of China, but deem it not only
my right but my duty to insist that in
international concerns affecting my own
country the peculiar methods of China
shall not yet be superior the rule OF inter-
national intercourse.
The restoration of peace is matter of
the greatest importance. To bring about
a re-esta blishment of amcable relations,
it is not only necessary that treaties with
that object in view should be signed, but
it is imperative that the engagements
should be fulfilled in good faith
While Japan has found no reason to ap-
proach China on the subject of peace, she
nevertheless feels bound in Difference to
that civilization which she represents to
listen to any bona fde overtures which
China may advance, but she will decline
to take part in the future in any fruitless
negotiations, or become party to a paper
peace. The terms which Japan agrees to
will be scrupulously observed by her, and
she will at the same the time insist upon
like observance of the terms by China.
Whenever, therefore, China finds her.
self seriously and sincerely DESTROYS of
PtdCt anu Will COHDue dCblldI powers TO
Chinese officials, whose names and posi-
tions will serve as an assurance that the
terms to which they may agree, will
be confirmed and carried out in good
faith, Japan will be prepared to enter up
on new negotiations.
The Imperial Government repeatedly de-
clared, through the United States repre-
sentatives at Toxic and Pekin, that the
appointment of plenipotentiaries with
full power to conclude peace was an in
prerequisite to negotiations on
the subject of peace.
His Imperial Majesty's plenipotenti-
aries, however, find that the authorization
which their eXcellencies, the plenipotenti-
aries of His Majesty, the Emperor of
China, communicated to them on the first
instant, is wholly inadequate for the pur-
pose for which it is claimed it was issued.
1t lacks nearly all the essential attributes
of full powers as usually understood.
The Imperial Government has not re-
coded from the position which it an
United States, that they had taken on the
subject of full powers, and the Imperial
japanese plenipotentiaries having been
entrusted by His Majesty, the Emperor
of Japan, with actual proper and COM
plete full powers, cannot consent to treat
with potentiaries of His Majesty, the
Emperor of China. who are only author
Tsung- Lii Yamen and to obtain subse-
quent commands of the throne by which
they are to be guided. Under these cir
cumstances it only remains for the plen-
of His Majesty, the Emperor
OF Japan, to declare the present negotia-
tiOnS at an end.
the second day Of the second
month of the twenty eighth year OF
Meiji.
YOkonoma, March 10.-On Thursday
last the Japanese captured the coast forts
near Wing Kow, the port for New Chwang.
The forts held out after the capture of
Wing kow. On Saturday the first division
of the japanese attacked force of 10 900
Chinese under General Sung Then Wang
Twai. For four hours fierce battle
waged, but the Chinese were defeated
after losing 2000 killed or wounded. The
japanese loss was only 80 killed or wound
ed. General Nodzu, who succeeded Field
Marshal Yamagata in the command of
the first japanese army, has been pro-
NOTED.
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