Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-05-04
WITH SEALED ORDERS
Russian Warships Leave the Treaty
Ports.
JAPAN'S REPLY CREATES SURPRISE
Willingness to Abate Some Of Her
Former Demands.
MEETING OF THE ENJOYS

ST. PETERSBURG. May 4.-Japan's re-
ply to the protest of Russia, France and
Germany has been made. officials will not
disclose the text. but those who had ex-
pected Japan to yield express surprise at
the answer.
YOKOHAMA, Japan. May 4.-Noon-The
Russian warships which were lately sta
toned at the treaty ports. have left with
sealed orders.
1t is now expected that the treaty of
peace. arrived at between China and Japan,
will be ratified.
CHEFOO, China. May 4.-The Chinese
and Japanese peace plenipotentiaries are
expected here on Wednesday next, May s,
in order to exchange the ratifcations of the
treaty of peace, Mr.. John w. Foster, the
American adviser of the Chinese commits
sioners, will accompany the latter.
LONDON, May A dispatch to the
Daily News from Berlin says, In connec-
tion with Germany's change of front in
regard to China and Japan that 1t appears
to have been much more clever than was
at first thought. Germany has really rem
dered service to European peace. The
government knew that Russia would rever
accept the treaty of Shimo1oseki. and that
The Franco-Russian relations would thus
have become so intimate that formal
alliance between the two countries would
approach realization. Germany has pre-
vented this alliance. which would have
confined itself to eastern affairs.
A dispatch to the Daily News from Paris
says the fact is that the Russia alliance
Is now found to be a bore. Nobody cares
for the independence of Corea, and every
one would be better pleased at bottom
that Japan should have 1t than either Rus
sia or China.
The Times has dispatch from Shanghai
stating that the Emperor of China has rat
flied the treaty of peace with Japan, and
that Ii Hung Chang will at once proceed
to Chefoo to exchange ratifications with
the Japanese corps
The Times says: apparently on Thurs
day the Son of Heaven acted like a sensi-
BILE man. He has bowed to fate and re-
fused to expose himself and the dynasty
of his people to the almost certain disaster
that would have been involved in prolong-
ing the struggle. 1t is the one wise step
that China has taken in the war;"
Japan Abntcs Her Claims.
Information has reached Washington to
show that In response to Russian intima-
tlons, Japan has abated her claims to the
cession of Chinese territory in Manchuria,
and now offers to demand only the absolute
cession of the extremity of the Port Arthur
peninsula, as far north as and including
Talenwan.
In return for this relinquishment of ter
rtory, Japan will demand a considerable
increase of the war indemnity, originally
fixed at two hundred million taels.
t. t.,
be sufficient to meet the demands of Rus
sia which will insist upon an entire aban-
donment of the Laiotung peninsula.
The Russian reasoning is that by the oc-
cupation of Port Arthur, the Japanese will
dominate Manchuria as effectually as if
she held a nominal title to the province.
Reservng Port Arthur as military base,
and opening q great commercial port at
Talenwan. the Japanese would connect
the latter by rail with Newchwang. on the
line of the projected Chinese railroad from
Pekin to Moukden. and divert the entire
trade of Newchwang and Moukden, at
least In winter, when all of the other Man
churian ports are closed by ice. 1t would
also be impossible for Russia to locate
western terminal port for the Siberian rail-
way anywhere In Manchuria. as it would be
easily closed at a moments notice by the
Japanese from their powerful base at Port
Arthur, which would dominate, from a mill
tary point of view, not only Manchuria and
the Gulf of Pechili. but also Wei-Hai-Wei,
only forty miles across the straits.
Nothing is known here respecting the re-
ported failure of the peace rathcations
but 1t is felt that the situation is critical,
and that Japan's last concession will not
alleviate it.