The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1903-10-12
RUSSO. JAPANESE WAR CLOUD
ONE OR THE OTHER MUST BACK
DOWN OR FIGHT.
A Delicate Balance at Present Which
May be Violently Disturbed Any Day
Honorable arrangement still Possible
-Lapse of Manchurian Convention
Announced by Russia Who Thus
Again Breaks Her Pledges.

Yokohama, Oct. 11.-Baron Won Ro-
sen, the Russian minister to Japan, is
still awaiting instructions from his gov
ernment in the matter of negotiations
now proceeding between Japan and
Russia. A Russian regiment from Bal
kal military district is reported to have
arrived at Feng Chang Teng, about $50
miles northwest of Pekin and ninety
miles from the Russian frontier.
M. Lessar, Russian minister to China,
has announced that the Manchurian
convention has lapsed.
The Manchurian convention between
Russia and China was signed April 8,
1902, and according to it the evacuation
of the three Manchurian provinces was
to be carried out in three successive
periods of six months from the signing
If the convention. A note from nj.
lessar was appended to the convention
declaring that If the Chinese govern
nent, notwithstanding the assurances
given by it, violates any provision of
the convention, the Russian govern
ment will not hold itself bound further
by the terms of the Manchurian agree
ment or by the declarations previously
made In connection with the matter,
and will be compelled to repudiate anW
responsibility and consequences that
might result therefrom.'' China was to
be permitted to maintain whatever
force she thought necessary in Man
churia after the evacuation of that ter
ritory. Russia also agreed, if Tien
Tsin was restored to the Chinese within
the first six months, to evacuate New
Chwang at the time this restoration
was made. The allies turned over Tien
Tsin to the Chinese on August is, last
year. The convention, was to have been
ratified within three months, but this
was not done.
Last month NJ Lessar, in his note to
the Chinese foreign board, promised to
begin the evacuation of Manchuria on
October 5, provided China accepted sew
eral new conditions, which China has
refused to do, under pressure principal
Iy from Japan and Great Britain.
Berlin, Oct. 11-Russia and Japan act
as though either would fight if the 9th
er should hold imnovably to the posi-
tion taken up in the last exchange of
communications. This is the actual situ-
alton as understood officially from re-
ports received from the German embas-
sy in st. Petersburg and the German
legation at Toxic. Yet this mutual at
titude, with hostile preparations by
both countries is still regarded here as
not excluding an honorable arrange
ment. Neither government has gone SO
far that it must fight or be Inundated,
but either cabinet by a single step can
put the other in that position. This
delicate balance may, of course, be vio-
lently disturbed any day, though no
ultimatum has yet been thrown on eith-
er scale.
It is believed here officially that war,
should 1t occur, would be between Rus
sia and Japan alone, and that neither
England nor France would be involved.
Frederick the Greats remark was
quoted to the Associated Press corre-
spondent as illustrating the present
posture of affairs Negotiations with
out weapons behind you are like mu-
steal tone without Instruments.