The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1903-05-01
Position.

come-Japan Glad of America's
Position.
Washington April 299-The state
department has received a dispatch
from Ambassador Mccormick, at st.
Petersburg. to the effect that the Rus
sian minister for foreign affairs has
assured him that the published reports
of the proposed convention between
Russia and China relating to Man
churia are absolutely incorrect, and
that there is no foundation for the re-
port that Russia demands that China
shall refuse the requests of other pow
ers for treaty ports and consuIates in
Manchuria. He has been assured that
the Russia government has no irten-
ton to exclude other countries from the
advantages now enjoyed in Manchuria
or to confer exclusive privileges upon
Russians.' that the United States may
be sure that nothing will be done to
close the doors now open and that
American commerce and American
capital are those which Russia most
desires to attract
1t is understood also that similar as
suranceS were received by the secre-
tary of state from his eXcellency, the
Russian ambassador yesterday after
noon. These advices have done much
to remove the feeling of anxiety and
apprehension which was aroused in
Washington by the first reports from
Pekin Of RussiaS intention to dominate
Manchu1ia. The officials are glad to
take the Russian disclaimer just as it
comes, without stopping to raise any
point as to whether there has not
really been a complete change in the
Russian demands rather than an err
rOr in the original statement from
Pekin. There is no disposition to be
hypercritical, but the fact that nothing
is said about Russian evacuation ac
cording to the original treaty will, of
course, Justify our government in keep
ing a close watch on North China and
Mongolia, as we'll as Manchuria.
Yokohama, April 29-The Japanese
foreign office today published a tele-
gram announcing that Russia had COM
pletely evacuated the Shing King pro-
vince of Manchuria.
No details of the evacuation have
been received from Russia officially.
The same announcement from the
| foreign office says: Japan appre-
preciates American moral support"
(Shing-King is the Chinese name for
| the Province of Mukden, the capital Of
| which the city of Mukden, is also the
| capital of Manchuria.)
st. Petersburg, April ga Semi-Of-
| fetal not on the subject of the Russian
policy towards Manchuria, just issued,
characteriZeS the demands aScribed to
| Russia in the dispatches from Pekin
| as being simply inventions, as already
! cabled to the Associated Press on the
| authority of the Russian foreign office.
mo change has occurred says the
| note Gin the intentions of Russia with
| reference to Manchuria The exchange
| of views about to occur between the
| Russian minister and the Chinese gov
| eminent can relate only to the meas
ures to be adopted for ensuring the
| preservation of order and tranquility
| after the Russian troops have marched
| out of the province. Russia has abSO-
| lutely no intention to place impedi-
| ments in the way of foreign trade
RUSSIAN MINISTER TALKS.
| Washington, April 29.-Russia's part
in what has come to be known as the
| Manchurian incident was explained
this evening by Count Cassini, the
| Russian ambassador to a representa-
| tive of the Associated Press and be-
| cause of the conflicting reports which
| have come to Washington regarding
| the Russian-Chinese negotiations al
Pekin Count Cassini has consented al
| the publication of the interview The
| ambassador said tonight:
"Acting under Instructions from my
| government I have officially assured
! the secretary Of state not only tha
| American interests in Manchuria, trade
| and industrial. will be thoroughly Saft
| guarded so far as Russia is concerned
| but also of the unfortunate erroneous
ness contained in Minister Congeri
dispatches several days ago from Pekil
relative to the course Of Russia II
Manchuria
"Those acquainted with conditions il
| Manchuria will bear me out in tn
! statement that the country needs tn
| importation of American goods for it
upbuilding And certainly Russia VIII
is doing all she can to develop tn
great territory, would be the last t
stand in the way Of an increase in thi
trade We need American steel lum
ber cotton goods, and construction ma
terial of all kinds and this fact to
gether with the traditional good rela
tions prevailing between Russia an
the United States is sufficient assur
ance that American trade interests
Manchuria will be protected
"Of the opening Of new treaty port
. in Manchuria, it is impossible for m
to speak at present, but it is the carr
est conviction of those best acquainte
with the state of affairs there, thu
such a move will not be to the best il
| tereSts of the territory. Were the que:
ton solely commercial one, it woul