Waterbury evening Democrat., 1904-01-30
RUSSIA HOLDS BACK
Reply to Japan Needs Grave,
 Consideration.
VICEROY'S VIEWS AWAITED BY GEAR
Answer of St. Petersbur@ Marks q Critical Stage, and Muscovfte Govern msnt, as Usual,
 PrOcrastinmtes.

ST. PETERSBURG, Jan. 3o.-The Russian reply to Japanwill not be trans-
 mitted until next week, according to high authority here. It is said that the delay was necessitated in consequence of the extreme care taken in drafting the document yiceroy Alexeieff's views are also awaited before its trans-
 mission to the czar. 1t is fully realized
 here that the forwarding of the answer
 will mark another critical stage in the negotiations, everything depending on Japan's attitude. It is feared that dc.
 spite pacific influences the hands of the authorities may be forced on account
 of the excitement of the press and people.
 An admiral who is influential in the councils of the empire when inter viewed said
 The enormous loss which the cora@
 merce of Japan is sustaining as a re
 suit of the mobilization of steamships for transport service probably accounts
 For the impa tience the Japanese are
 displaying over the delay in the Rus
 sian reply, butt reply will go to To- l kyo next week. It will be so concilIa- l tory that do not foresee other than a
 peaceful settlement, although it is difH- 1 cult to feel certain in this respect be- 1 cause of the cratic course of the Japa-
 nese government during the later stages of the negotiations.
 ] Japan has increased her demands l while the negotiations were still n l progress by insisting upon treaty recog-
 milton of Chinese sovereignty in Afan- 1 churia. Russia has declared her inten-
 tion not to annex Manehuria, therefore
 why comply with demand that is tan
 tamonnt to a humiliatlng reiteration of
 former voluntary declaration? l "It is undeniable that the attitude of
 Japan is causing irritation in St. Pe- l tersburg and that a feeling of jmpa-
 tience is growing throughout Russia. l It is hard to account for Japanss per- 1 sistent responsiveness. but this must 1 be attributed to the incendiary infu- 1 ence of the Japanese press, which Is
 acting under. foreign inspiration. The
 Japanese government must know 1t
 stands no chance of defeating Russia,
 while Japan has much to lose if Russia, 1 is forced back against the wall.
 Should Japan proceed to hostilitiess
 her first objective probably would be
 the cutting of the Siberian railroad. for which purpose she would land troops in
 Korea She could not, however. land
 more than 100, 1000 men, and Russia has an equal number of men in Manchuria l to meet this attack, which, I think, 1 would be quickly reruised. do not 1 believe in naval war. The Russian warships would make it impossible for 1 the Japanese to eHdanger Port Arthur, 1 But, let me repeat, war is improbable" 1 The British ambassador at St. Peters burg is the authority for the announces ] ment that the Russian reply, which it is expected will be delivered today, is 1 satisfactory. Although no further de- tails are obtainable, 1t is assumed if tneA information of the ambassador is cor
 rect that Russia has made certain con-
 sessions and that Great Britain will
 prevail on Japan to accept them as sat- isfactory.
 A cable dispatch from London saya
 the Statist in long article on the Rus
 so-Japanese situation makes striking
 suggestion for the solution of the difa-
 culty which seems to meet the claims
 and contentious of both Russia and Ja- pan