The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1904-01-22
ONLY WAY IN WHICH HosTlLl.
TIES IN THE FAR EAST CAN
NOW BE AvERTEp.
REFUSES TO REcEDE
REAFFlRMs HER DEMANDS AND
is AWAITING THE RUSSIAN
REPLY THERETO.
f V

kio, the correspondent of the Standard
says the privy council has approved
an urgent ordinance empowering the
commanders of admiralty stations to
prevent foreign warships by force Il.
necessary from entering certain ports
in times Of emergency. !
The Toxic correspondent. OF the
Daily Telegraph declares the privy
council, at the meeting today, dis.
cussed a proposal to issue an order
in the event Of war enacting q state
Of siege in certain places outside OF
Japan and a blockade.
Tomorrow's issue of the Jill Shin
l~po, the Telegraph's correspondent con-
tinues. will contain a story 81 the ne
gotiations according to which the first
Russo-Japanese divergence was limited
at in a meeting of the council held
June %, 1903. This story relates the
succeeding negotiations Until Oct. 80,
when Japan wired her proposals to st.
Petersburg. For forty days thence
forward Russia hurried or wal prepa.
rations, Japan meanwhile remaining
Quiescent and awaiting an answer.
Japan's note proposed that either
power be entitled to send police or
troops for the protection Of the rail.
ways in either Korea or Manchuria in
case Of emergency, but they must be
withdrawn directly order was restor.
ed. The Russian reply, dated Dec. IL,
vas ~overbearing and uncompromising;
It excluded Manchuria and proposed
that all territory north of the thirty
ninth degree of latitude should be
neutral. Japan %thereupon commenced
her preparations and on Dec. % she
presented a note to Russia which,
with some minatory clauses, made the
following demands:
Both powers shall %endeavor to
maintain the territorial integrity of
Korea and Manchuria; a. both shall
recognize the special concessions Of
either in Korea or China provided the
open door policy be respected"
Japan also refused the neutral pro-
zone Of twenty-five kilometres on
both sides of the Korean border.
Russia, in her note of Jan. 6, insist
ed on her neutral zone, but vaguely
limited her intention to respect Japan's
rights in Manchuria.
Reaffirmed Her Demands.
To this note Japan replied on Jan.
13, r%eafirming her demands.
The Telegraph's correspondent con-
cludes his dispatch with. these words:
Therefore, unless Russia yields, a
diplomatic rupture is certain. Rus
sia's answer is expected tomorrow"
Japanese newspapers publish a re
port from continental sources that
Russia has decided to appeal to the
powers to avert war. This is regard
ed at Toxic as proof of D Russia's un-
readiness to make satisfactory conces.
sions.
All the sepciai dispatches from st.
Petersburg reflect the more peaceful
feeling which prevails there. Little
change, however, is to be observed In
the dispatches from Toxic. which rep
resent the situation as unchanged. ST,
The St. Petersburg correspondent OF
the Daily Telegraph says, he learns
that the dispatches Of the Russian
Viceroy Alexieff now incline toward
efforts for a diplomatic settlement on
the ground that war would check the
natural course of events which must
promote Russian aspirations in the
far East. The correspondent argues
that the key to the problem is the
army n not the navy and LlaC nc
artificial barriers can long prevent
Russia from playing a-predomirant
role in the far East. Russia's main
strength lies in her land forces. the
correspondent concludes, which are
not yet sufficiently in evidence.
The Seoul correspondent Of the
Daily Mail reports the emperor o.
Korea as now favoring q resumption
Of the Chinese suzeranity, fearing thai
either the Japanese or Russians will
destroy the Koreans. His majesty
according to the correspondent, hal
invited two Chinese cruisers intt
Korean waters.
Other dispatches published here thi'
morning refer to the probable remova
OF Viceroy Alexieff to Hardin and u
the sending of a Korean officer to Por
Ar&hnr To 500 Aioxiaff On hahalf a