The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1905-09-01
Japan Has Agreed and Formal
Steps Are Taken
WITTE ANXIOUS TO FINISH
Rapid Progress Is Being Made In Draft
lnq the Treaty-An Hour Is
Spent on One
Word. Z

Portsmouth. N. H., August 31.- s.
through Baron Komura, has agreo y
immediate conclusion of an arm %
At Il o clock tonight Mr.. TAX mt
to Baron de Rosen's room an 0 .9.ned
that he and Baron Komura @seived
instructions to arrange ter 4 arm
istice. Baron Rosen immedias commu-
nicated with M. witte, and 1t is probable
that a meeting will be held tomorrow
morning for the proclamation of COM
plete suspension of hostilries, preliminary
to the arrangement of the details by the
two generals upon the battle field.
Rapid progress has been made today
In the drafting of the treaty of peace.
Baron Komura at M. Whites request, to-
morrow will probably Ak a day for its
signature, Russia's consent to suspen-
sion of hostilities reached M. Witte to-
night in a cablegram from Count Lams-
dorff, whom Emperor Nicholas has en-
powered to deal with the important phases
of the negotiations.
LInevItch Ordered to Be Ready.
Although General Linevitch has been
informed of the pracHca1 conclusion of
peace and directe - hold himself in
readiness to open with Field Marshal
Oyama the negotiations for an armistice.
the order for the suspension of hostlities
and the signing of the truce will not go
forward from st. Petersburg until M.
witte has bef,g informed by Baron Ko-
mlra that the Emperor of Japan has
also given his consent.
So rapidly and well is Mr.. de Martens
with Mr.. Dennison, performing his deli
cate and important task of drafting the
treaty, that he was able to return from
the navy yard tonight to report TO M.
articles of the treaty. 1t is expected the
treaty will consist of fifteen articles ex-
elusive of the preamble.
Japans original demands are said to
have numbered thirteen. Only twelve,
however, were presented to the Russians,
as President Roosevelt Is credited with
persuading the Japanese pienipotentiaries
before the convening of the conference
to withdraw one of the conditions which
he regarded as unjust Whether this thir-
teenth demand dealt with the fortiicatioI
at Vladivostok cannot be laerneo.
Having waived three of the demands
presented-the indemnity, the interned
ships, and the limitation of Russia s
naval strength in the far east, the Japa-
nese final conditions were nine. Several
of these, however, will be divided in
the treaty, and grouped into two or more
articles.
Witte Anxious to Get Home.
M. Witte is exceedingly anxious to
sail for home on September r. In this
meantime he will take leave of President
Roosevelt and personally present the
thanks of his Emperor for his assist
ance. He is therefore doing what he can
to hasten the signing of the treaty, which
he would probably be prepared to sign
by Tuesday or Wednesday of next week
at the latest. unless some obstacle should
arise
The only difficulties Witch have thus
far appeared have been due to the am
biguous language of certain parts of the
daily protocols which form the frame
work OF the treaty. 1t is here that the
long experience and recognized author
ity of the famous lawyers are proving of
assistance to Japan as well as Russia.
Both Mr.. de Martens and Mr. Dennison
who is also we'll grounded in interna-
tional law, are selecting with great caro-
the language of each article, in order
that the treaty may furnish no ground
for differences in the future and accurate
ly record the exact spirit as well as the
substance of the agreements concluded
ir the conference by the plenipotentiaries
1t thus happens that the trainers some
time spend an hour In the selection of one
word, to find finally that they are both
striving to express the identical idea.