The herald., 1895-04-14
Japan Gives China One Day for
a Final Answer
MONEY INDEMNITY REDUCED
LII Hung Receives the Official Notice
From the MikadO
and Other Concessions Made-Newsl
Not Believed in Washington

today reports that the Japanese have pre-
sented an ultmatum to Viceroy LII Hung
Chang, Chinese peace commissioner, de-
manding that China accept or refuse the
terms offered by Japan not later than to-
morrow. The paper adds that Japan has
reduced her claim for money indemnity
by 100, 600, 600 yen and is also satisfied
with the cession of the Sihng King penin-
sula on which Port Arthur stands. and
will not demand any additional territory.
1t is reported that the peace party is will
ing TO accept these terms, but the Human
party are holding out.
WASHINGTON, April 13.-The Chinese
legation has received no confirmation OF
the advices from Japan that an under
standing has been reached and there is a
strong disposition on the part of the Chi
ncse to regard the report as premature. An
ominous lul has occurred since the first
brief dispatch came from Japan that an
understanding had been reached. Yet
the concessions leading to the agreement
have not been repeated and it is sta ed
they will not be made known for week
or ten days. There is no doubt China
has appealed to Russia and other Euro
pean nations against the terms japan or
iginally proposed.
An interesting question arises as to
whether the unmistakeable threats of
Russia and the appeal of that nation for
intervention by the powers was antece-
dent or subsequent to the peace under
standing reported yesterday between
China and Japan. The view of the state
department officials is that the advices
from Russia are really based upon the
status OF the peace negotiations several
days ago, and that since then the Japan
ese conditions have been materially modi-
fled and are now assuming such shape as
to make them more agreeable to Russia
or other European powers.
AS offiially stated in the Associated
Press dispatches, among the original Ja-
panese demands was one for the absolute
cession of Port Arthur. Although not
specifically stated it is probable this in
cluded a cession of considerable tract
of country IN the vicinity of the port.
AS Port Arthur is within the limits of
the great province Of Manchuria this de-
mand, If persisted in, would conflict di-
rectly with the Russian ultimatum deliv
cred at the very beginning of he stilities,
and repeated more than once since in a
sem-officfalS MANNER towf: that she
could not permit the acquisition by ia
pan of any portion of Manchuria.
Officials OF the state department are
confident that within the last few days
the Japanese demand on this point has
been modified so as to permit only the
temporary occupation of Port Arthur
perhaps only so long as the war indemni.
ty shall remain unpaid. To sucha stip-
ulation, it s,said, no reasonable objection
could be made. as it would be based upon
the precedent set by Germany in impos-
ing terms of peace upon France when she
retained the great French fortress of Bel
fort until the indemnity was paid. The
practical effect of this in that case was to
cause the French to pay the war ndem-
nifty in space of time far shorter than
was allowed by the treaty in order to es-
cape the humiliation of foreign occu-
pancy OF French territory. OF course if
japan follows similar course in respect
to Port Arthur the Russian government
will make sure that she has ample guar
antee that the occupied port will be evac-
uated within fixed period OF time. 1t
is also pointed out that Japan may just
ly make such a demand. for the Temporal
ry possession of Port Arthur is the means
of insuring herself against retaliatory
war by China until the feeling of resent
ment may have worn away, for by the
occupancy of this strasetic position the
Chinese would find it almost impossible
to keep their communication open b c.
tween Pekin and the sea in case of a re-
newal of hostilitics,
On the whole, the officials here-assum-
ing that Japan pursues a policy of modcr-
alton see nothing in tIis news from
Russia calculated to prevent the con sum-
nation of peace, unless it should.pcrhaps
encourage the Chinese to endeavor to re-
cede from the terms already practically
agreed upon, in the hope of securing bet
ter treatment from Japan while the latter
nation is under apprehension of Russian
intervention.
At the Chinese legation it was said that
no news had been received regarding the
report cabled from Shanghai that Japan
had given China one day in which to ac-
cept or refuse the terms OF peace.
LONDON, April 1.-The Pail Mall Ca
zette this afternoon printed a dispatch
from Hioga, Jaapn, which says advices
from Peseadore islands state that the
japanese forces are still at those islands
awaiting renforcements and over $40
deaths from cholera have occurred among
the troops. The epidemic, it is added, is
now abating.
VICTORIA, B. c., April 1.-The steam
ship Sikh. fourteen days from Yokohama,
arrived this morning. The Associated
Press correspondent, writing to March
31st. says:
The subject of Lii Hung Cbang's long
telegram to Pekin ON Macrh 22d is now
known. Before his departure from China.
the Japanese had signified.in emphatic
language that no proposal for an armis-
tice could be considered at the confer
encc: but Notwithstanding their admon-
ition, Euwy pleaded SO earnestly for this
boon that Count Ito and Viscount Mu.su
finally consented TO name certain condi-
tions upon which temporary Suspension
of military movements might be granted.