The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1904-02-06
REPLY PEACEFUL;
TALK WARLIKE
ST, PETERSBURG SITUATION.
,s FEELING THERE THAT WAR
is PROBABLE.

Feared That Japan Will Think
.r,,at the Concessions Made by
Russin Are Insufficient-No Imme-
1iotc Outbreak of HOstilities Is
leaked fOr-Chief of Naval Statf
Outlines a Campaign of Defense.
News From the Far East.
St Petersburg, Feb. 5.-The draft of
the Russian response. tentatively APP
moved by the Car, was telegraphed
70 viceroy Alexieff last night.
In this respect the document follows
the course of it's predecessors. The
viceroy. being on the ground. will
have an opportunity to examine the
rbraseology and return any objec-
,ions he may have, before receiving
tinaI instructions to deliver the reply
n Baron DeRosen. Russian minister
at Toxic, for presentation to Baron
Komura. Japanese Foreign Minister.
If is expected that Viceroy Alexieff
will respond without any delay and
send the answer to reach Japan on
Monday.
While the contents of the response
are carefully guarded they are known
to be in a conciliatory spirit and form,
4 and TO contain what are regarded here
as important concessions, although
maintaining Russia's former position
on some Of the main points covering
Manchuria and Corea.
A diplomat, who probably is In
closer touch with the Russian side of
the negotiations than any other per-
son informed the Associated Press
that Corea had again become the most
difficult matter for adjustment. Rus
STA, he said, could not agree to Jap
anese Notifications in Southern Corea.
IF the japanese government is sin
eerely DESTROYS of avoiding war" he
added, lit will find in the reply, when
it arrives, a basis for an. arrangement,
but if the authorities have made up
their minds to remain unyielding, the
negotiations must end in an impasse.
In any event, l do not see how JS pan
can break off the negotiations without
replying to the Russian note and set
ting forth her minimum demands"
Russians Become Anxious.
The news that the note had been sent
to Viceroy Alexieff became public here
this morning, and caused an appreci-
able increase of anxiety over the flu
ture. On the bourse this was reflected
by further fall in the prices of Sc
curities, particularly imperial per
cents. and lottery bonds, in which the
public invests heavily. The announce
ment also created a stir among the
members of the diplomatic corps, where
there was much activity and confer
ring.
The people, for the first time, seemed
noticeably moved at the prospect of
war, and gathered in groups to dis
cuss the situation. Increased activity
also was apparent at the various min
istries, but the high officials, while not
attempting to conceal the gravity of
the outlook, remained calm, insisting
that the steps taken by the govern
ment in the way of military and naval
preparations have been forced on Rus
STA by the open and hurried demon
STATIONS of Japan, and add that mis-
interpretations are being constantly
placed on Russian movements in
the Far East, which represent Russia
as already engaged in aggressive tao
ties.
Naval Chiefs WarIiI<e Plans.
As an illustration they cite dis
patch published in London reporting
the alleged mysterious departure of the
Russian fleet from Port Arthur. The
chief of the naval staff said this move
ment was utterly without warlike sig
nifcance. He authorized the Assoclat-
ed Press to say that the warships
merely left the harbor in the course
OF cruise around the end OF the Ia
Lien-Wan peninsula, to try their en-
gines, so as to be in readiness to meet
the Japanese warships in case OF an
attack, and added, that the vessels
Which had returned to Port Arthur
would not re-enter the harbor because
the entrance was so narrow that tney
could be bottled up"
The chief of the naval staff point
ed on a map to the Manchurian and
Russian territory between Port Ar
thur, and Vladivostok as being the
russian strong line of defense.
The Japanese will have a hard JOB
10 beat us there he said. This is
pad country for fighting. With squa-
ufon at Port Arthur, four powerful
cruisers at Vladivostok, and strong
army massed between them-such is
'ne RUSSIAN plan for defensive cam
pdlen from which there is no likelihood