The St. Louis Republic., 1904-02-08
JAPANS MOVE INSULTS RUSSIA;
BOTH PREPARE FOR WAR;


the Associated Press the following state
ment
Toxic. Feb. 6.-The last Japanese note
! uary 8. had been remitted to the Russian
| Minister at Toxic on January lS The
| japanese Government, had insisted that
! prompt response be made to il, owing to
| the gravity OF the situation.
Not receiving the answer requested.
| N. Kurino. the japanese Minister at st.
| Petersburg has made TO Count Lamst'orf
on several occasions recently representa-
tions in order to secure an answer from
Russia.
Not having obtained this answer. he
asked him to indicate the earliest date for
the reply.
Count Lamsdorf while promising to
make response as early as possible, has
not been able to indicate when the re-
! sponse could be transmitted to the Jap
anese Government.
JAPANESE GOVERNMENT
TIRED OF DELAY.
The japanese Government. having vain
ly awaited the Russian answer for more
than three weeks. and having been. more
over. informed that Russia was making
active preparations for war and was con-
centrating her troops and her naval forces
toward Korea. it IS under the necessity Of
breaking its negotiations with RuSsia and
resuming its liberty of action
The Japanese action has created dis
tinct surprise and shock throughout off,
cial and diplomatic circles here.
Only last night the representative of the
Associated Press talked with an Ambassa-
dor OF one of the great Powers who had
just received official information showing
that the German Government expected the
prolongat:on of the negotiations.
"You can say positively and confidently"
the Ambassador said. that Russia's re-
sponse is certain to necessitate a reply
from Japan and that the diplomatic nego-
tiations must therefore continue
Officials of the Foreign Office shared this
belief that further negotiations were GER
tain. SO that to-day's announcement that
Japan had actually terminated her diplo-
matte relations with Russia caused the
most profound agitation.
Foreign Minister Delcasse varied his
usual custom by spending most of the day
at the Foreign ONCE. where he received
direct dispatches announcing the with
drawal of Baron de Rosen from Toxic and
that Russian interests had been confided
to the care of the French Minister.
At noon VI. Delcasse received NJ. Mo-
tono. who bore the lengthy official an
nouncement from the Toxic Government
that decisive step had been taken in
breaking of relations. NJ. Motono ex-
plained that this was not the result of
Russia's last answer. WHICH. in fact, had
not been received by Japan when this
determination had been reached. but. on
the contrary. the breaking off Of her re-
lations was due solely 10 Russia's pro-
crastfnation and her concentration Of mil |
itary and naval forces toward Korea. No
further effort was made to disguise the
seriousness of the situation, and NJ. Mo-
tono himself made public the declara-
ton of his Government that relations Ia d
been severed.
STILL SLIGHT CHANCE
OF AVERTING CONFLICT.
1t ia admitted. however. that long step |
has already been taken toward war by |
Japan's having broken OF relations. In
the opinion of officials and diplomatists |
here there still is slight chance of |
avertina hcstilities.
The japanese Legation here has been |
the center of much excitement since this |
morning. and throughout the day it was |
Corps eager to obtain copies Of Japan's |
official statement in order to notify their
respective Governments