The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-04-17
NOW DULY AUTHORIZED.
An Immense Indemnity to be
Paid by the Vanquished
Empire.
CHINA ALSO LOSES FORMOsA.
New Ports Opened to Commerce
and Trade-Facilities Greatly
Increased.

TIENTSIN, CHINA, April 16.-An i'm
perial edict has been issued authorizing
Ii Hung Chang to sign the terms OF peace
in accordance with the japanese ultima
tum. The indemnity to be paid by China
is 200, 900, 600 taels.
The edict further authorizes Ii Hung
Chang to grant possession Of Lao Tung
peninsula, on the fortieth degree of latl-
tude, and the island of Formosa to the
japanese; also to consent to the opening
of Peking and four new ports to commerce
and giving the japanese power TO open
cotton factories and other industries in
China.
Another imperial edict grants sick leave
to the Viceroy of Canton and orders his re-
tirement TO his native province.
The decree further provides that the i'm
port duties at the open ports shall not ex-
coed , per cent.
LONDON, ENG, April 16.-The Japanese
Minister here in an interview to-day said
that he had not received information that
peace had been concluded on the terms
stated in the dispatches to the London
Times from Shanghai, as follows:
First-The independence ofKorea.
Second-Japan to retain the places she
has conquered.
Third-Japan to retain the territory east
of Lao River.
Fourth-The Island of Formosa to be
ceded permanently to Japan.
Fifth-The payment of an indemnity of
$1O0OOOOOO.
Sixth An offensive and defensive
alliance between China and Japan.
The japanese Minister adds that the
Times dispatch omits several particulars
which he knew Japan had advanced,
notably the favored-nation treaties
and other commercial concessions.
He also said that the amount
of indemnity mentioned was very small,
put he believed that the clauses refer
ring to the independence of Korea and
the cession of the island of For
mosa were correct. Clauses and 3,
the Minister remarked were difficult
to understand while an offensive and de-
fensive alliance between China and Japan,
referred to in the sixth clause, was, in his
opinion, scarcely reconcilable with the
present requirements OF Japan.
WASHINGTON, D. c., April 16.-Ofi-
cial confirmation of the press reports of
the signing Of a treaty of peace between
the plenipotentiaries of Japan and China
was received by Secretary Gresham late
to-day.
It came from Minister Dun at Toxic was
very brief and merely stating treaty of
peace had been finally concluded to-day.
The cablegram gave no information re-
speeding conditions on which the terms o
the agreement between the powers had
been arrived at.
The terms agreed upon are said to be in
conformity with those already published
by the Associated Press, save the
amount of the indemnity, which
was subsequently reduced, probably to
an amount estimated to be sufficient to
cover all of Japan's war expenses. 1t is
doubted, though, whether it has been
brought down as low as 500, 000,0 600 in gold.
Such territory as Japan is to possess, in
addition to Formosa, which is absolutely
coded, will be subject only to temporary
occupation, probably until all of the in
demnity has been paid.
This would leave Japan in temporary
possession of the entire Lao Tong PENN
sula from Port Arthur at the southern ex-
tremity clear up TO Moukden, the capital of
Manchuria, on the north, and from the
Lao River on which New Chwang is stu
ated on the west to the Korean border on
the east.
This amounts to about 1000 square miles.
The report that a condition of the treaty is
an offensive and defensive treaty between
China and Japan is not credited i'll Jap
anese circles, and is not believed to have
been even suggested.
Ii Hung Chang is said to have enter
tanned strong convictions (Which he has
concealed for prudential motives) as to the
wisdom of such a combination, be-
lieving that by closer alliance
with Japan, China would secure
in return practical control of the COM
merce of the greatest trading people of the
East. 1t is noted, by the way, that the
reported agreement is not final in
all respects, but is simply preliminary
agreement indicating on broad lines the
ultimate terms of the defnitive treaty of
peace, which may not be perfected for
months to come.
General Campos Arrires.