Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1905-08-25
Not Considered Hopeless, How
ever, Despite the Prevailing
pess'mism at Portsmouth
PRESIDENT HAS NOT GIVEN UP
Has Failed Twice, But Still Continues
His Efforts to Bring BeIliserent
Government, Tosether-Meyer's Au.
dience at Peterhof Not Satisfactory,
But 1t Was Not an Outright Rebuff.

PORTSMOUTH, n. H.. Aug. 24.--
The prospects of peace seem desperate.
hut they are not hopeless. despite the
prevailing pessimism. There is still II
chance and the forces working for
peace are continuing their labors. The
President failed twice, but he is fight
ing on.
The result of Ambassador Meyers
audience ut 'etcrhof yesterday was un.
satisfactory. hut at least it was not Il
rebuff. 1t left the door open and with.
in fcw3hnursi after the receipt at Oys-
ter Bay Of Mr. Meyers account of his
audience the President had sent new
appeal through NJ. White, who received
il from Mr. Poirce about 3 O'Clock this
morning.
The Emperor had already in effect
declined the proposed compromise OF
Tered by the Japanese. He refused il
because, under Il disguise. Japan offer
ed TO withdraw the article asking re-.
muncratiOn for the cost of the war on
condition that Russia rcmlrchasc from
the military possession of Japan the
northern part OF Sakhalin at ii fixed
price Of loo. 100000 ycn-thc cstimat.
ed "frais dc gucrrc."
Inflexibie on That Point
Every message received from Peter
hof, including those that came carly
today, was inflcXiblc upon that point
Had Japan not inserted the sum; had
that been left for future adjustment,
the proposition would undoubtedly
have proved more palatable. And the
Associated Press is in IA position to
hof hI, n 4,
promise MS suggested by the President
and as offered by Japan at the confer
ence which was mentioned in these dis
patches last night touched this very
point.
The President diH not suggest any
price or the fixing of price and il is
believed, although this cannot he af-
tirmcd. that his latest effort is to Sc
cure the consent of the Emperor TO
agree to accept the Japanese PROPOSE
ton with the amount subject future
adjustment by an arbitration board or
otherwise.
According to the Japanese NJ. White
has already offered to divide Sakhalin
If the rcplrchase of Sakhalin was plac-
ed upon purely business basis the fol.
lowing few lines from the authorized
statement Of the Russian position Civ
en- to the Associated Press last night
should be horne in mind:
Japan's Latest Proposition.
"All that Japan does is to join the
question of Sakhalin with that of n
cash payment and to insist upon war
costs under the name of II cash pay
mcnt. The transaction is fictitious and
tho terminology is misleading. If
what is proposed be IN truth n pur-
q MI cal civ Ian,
such; and, therefore. should Russia de-
cline to buy the territory Japan should
keep it and conclude peace on tho basis
of the concessions already made"
Japan it is believed. would make the
further concession suggested II En-
pcror Nicholas would commit himself
to this solution. This statement is
based upon the words of the Japanese
authority most competent to speak
When asked if it was correct as report
ell that the .Iapancs had said their last
word and that all hope was over, he
replied:
NO we have not declared our propO
Sition of Wednesday was our irreduc!-
BILE minimum. Wo are not assuming n
threatening attitude. This is not the
way to make peace"
But the plcnipotcntiaries them
selves no longer control on either side
The negotiations have passed from
their hands to their principals at Pc.
terhof and Toxic.
Emperor William Stumbling Block
Most porsistently the report con.
tinues to be circulated here that En-
peror William has been one OF the
main obstacles to peace, that while
ostensibly i'll sympathy with the Presi-
dents efforts. he is advising Emperor
Nicholas not to yield The foundation
for this belief is the fact which ap.
pears fully confirmed, that NJ. Wittc's
instructions were made more impcra.
tive upon the question of indemnity
and cessiOn of territory after the
Kaiser's interview with the Russian
Emperor in the Gulf of Finland. BE.
yond this no evidence is offered
It is significant that M. Witte made
it point tonight to express his disbe-
lief in the report from ST. Petersburg
which caused considerable consterna-
tion here that Count Lamsdorf hnd all
thori2ed SReuter's agent to declare that
Russia under no circumstances would
pay contribution either direct or in
direct or make any cession of territory