Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-02-20
TREATMENT OF SUSPECTS.
May Enter Army as Privates-Speedy
Construction of Warships.

ST. PETERSBURG, February 20-Ac-
cording to the terms of an imperial order,
just issued, political suspects under police
surveillance are permitted to enter the
army in the field privates, after which
the minister of the interior and the minis
ter of justice can order the withdrawal of
police supervision over such persons
Another decree appoints a special COM
mission, under the presidency of Heredi-
tary Grand Duke Michael Alexandrovitch,
brother of the cZar, to arrange for the
most speedy construction of submarine
boats, cruisers and other vessels, to meet
the expense of which public subscription
has been started by the press.
Would Rectify Jap Statements.
A Russian account of the events imme-
diately preceding the rupture with Japan
is published in the Official Messenger to-
day, with the object of rectifying certain
statements from Japanese sources" In
this account it Is stated that on receipt
of the last Japanese proposals. January 16,
the government Immediately proceeded to
examine the japanese demands.
On January % NJ. Kurino, the Japanese
minister, was informed, in reply to his in
quiry, that the car had intrusted the pro-
posals to special conference, the MEM
bers of which would meet January 2S, and
that his majeSty'S decision would probab bly,
not be given before February 2
On the last-named date Emperor Nicholas
ordered the preparation of a draft of de-
1initive instructions to Baron de Posen, the
Russian minister to Japan, based on the
declarations of this conference
Sent Identical kilograms.
On February identical kilograms were
sent to Viceroy Alexieff and Baron de
Rosen containing the text of the draft of
a proposed Russo-Japanese agreement,
with full statement of the reasons which
prompted Russia to modify the Japanese
proposals and general instructions to Bar
on de Rosen concerning the presentation
of the reply to the japanese government.
Forty eight hours before the receipt of the
news of the rupture Foreign Minister
Lamsdorf notified M. Kurino of the dis
patch of the Russian reply.
On February 5 Viceroy Alexieff notified
the foreign Office of Baron de Rosen's re-
ceipt of the reply.
On February 6. at pm, M. Kurino
quite Unexpectedly handed to Count Lams-
dorf two notes, notifying hiIn of the rup-
ture of the negotiations and of diplomatic
relations and adding that he, M. Kurino,
and his staff would leave st. Petersburg
February 10.
Hoped for Shortest Possible Time.
These notes were accompanied by a pri-
vate letter from NJ. Kurino to Count Lams-
dorf, expressing the hope that the rupture
of relations would be confined to the short
est possible time
On the same day Viceroy Alexieff Baron
de Rosen and all the Russian representa-
tves at Picking, Tokyo and the capitals Of
the great powers were informed by urgent
kilograms of the rupture of relations and
of the issue of an imperial order withdraw
ing the Russian legation from Tokyo
and laying on Japan the responsibility for
all consequences ensuing. The communi-
cation concludes:
Although the breaking off of diplomatic
relations by no means implied the opening
of hostilities, the japanese government. as
early as the night of February s, and dur
ing February 8 and February TO- commit
ted whole series of revolving attacks on
Russian warships and merchantmen, at
tended by violations of international law
The decree of the Emperor of Japan de-
claring war was not issued until February
IL.
German Agreement to Hay Note.
BERLIN, February 2O.-The foreign
office several days ago instructed the Ger
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