The San Francisco call., 1904-08-21

TOXIC. Aug. 2o.-The japanese Gov
eminent to-day gave to the press a
statement defining its attitude in the
capture Of the Ryeshitelni and declar-
ing its position on the entire question
Of Chinese neutrality. as follows:
The status OF China in the present
struggle is wholly unique. Nearly all
of the military operations are carried
on within her borders. She is not
party 10 the conflict, nevertheless her
territories are in part belligerert and
in part neutral That condition Of
things. in the contemplation Of interna-
tional law, is an anomaly and con-
tradiction In this case il is creature
OF q special understanding to which
the beIligerents have given adhesion.
with a view to limiting the area Of
hostilities in the interest OF foreign in
tercourse and the general tranquility
OF China
The japanese Government engaged
TO respect the neutrality Of China out
side Of the regions actually involved
IN war, provided that Russia made
similar engagement and carried it cut
IN good faith. The japanese Govern
nent considered that they were pre-
cIuded by this engagement from occu-
pying or making use for warlike pur-
poses OF any kind Of territory or ports
Of China outside Of the zone which had
been made the theater Of war, because
II seemed 70 them that any such occu-
patton would ipso facto' convert the
places thus occupied and used from
neutral 10 belligerent territory. 1t
equally seemed TO them that any such
occupation and use OF neutral Chinese
territory or ports by the Russian forces
would give effect to the proviso in the
japanese engagement and justify her
IN considering territory or ports so oc-
cupied and used as belligerent-
RUSSIA BREAKS FAITH.
IN other words. the japanese Gov
ernment holds that China's neutrality
is imperfect and applicable only to
those places which are not occupied
by the armed forces of either belliger-
ent and Russia cannot escape the
consequences of an unsuccessful war
by moving its army or navy into those
portions Of China which by arrange
ment had been made conditionally
neutral
a Russian warship from Port Ar
thur sought in the harbor Of Chefu
asylum from attack, which her home
port had ceased to afford her. In
taking that step she was guilty of a
breach of the neutrality of China, as
established by the agreement of the
. belligerents, and Japan was fully jus
tifed in regarding the harbor of Che
fu as belligerent, so far as the incl
dent in question was concerned. With
the determination Of the incident the
neutrality Of the port was revived.
The action taken by Japan at Che
fu was direct natural consequence of
Russia's disregard of her engagement
but il is not alone in this matter, nor
alone in Chefu, that Russia has flag
rantly violated China's neutrality and
ignored her own engagement. Shortly
after the investment and isolation of
Port Arthur a system Of wireless tel
agraphy was installed between the be-
leaguered fortress and the Russian
consulate at Chefu. The system is
stiu in operation, Notwithstanding the
repeated protest Of the Japanese Gov
ernment
CITES MANDJUR INCIDENT.
AT Shanghai, at the beginning of
the war. the Russian gunboat Mand-
5ur, in defiance of China's neutrality,
remained in the port for weeks after
receiving notice to leave. Finally, af-
ter long negotiations, she consented to
disarmament.
Again. the Russian cruiser Askold
and the destroyer Grozovoi have now