The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1905-09-06
(By Associated Press.l N

PORTSMOUTH, Sept. 5.-The Treaty
( OF Portsmouth was signed shortly bef fore
"A O'clock this afternoon In the conferences J
room In the general store ut the navy
department. The firing OF q national sa-s
lutte efSsnneteSr " rtt VIZ s " the =. Anx.t
which told the peoDit q Al II Drtsisio uk.i;g
Kittery and Newcastle that the peace II
OF Portsmouths was all ccompllsh ed fact 4
and the church bells In the three TOWING
were soon peallng forth a ii joyful 81 re- IN IN
q frain. {ss sf3
For AZ minutes those outside the cons
B ference room anxiously awaited the s IS
nal. Suddenly. an orderly dash ed to the 4
entrance of the peace building and waved \
his hand to the gunner a Few feet away
and the opening shot Of the salute rang D
out on the clea #alrs of the soft Septcn1-$Sss
ber afternoon, proclaiming peace bess8
tween Russia and Japan. is:5 =, ~ 55
Clasped Hands Across Table. tsss .35s5;
Up to the momcnt5of signing the treaty
no word had broken the silence Of the
conference room. Throwing his pen asi q e..sSA
Nj. Witte. without a word. reached across
tho table and grasped Il Baron Komura's 4
hand.s His conferees followed, and 8tllef 4
!. Russian and Japanese delegates remained If
for a moment In silence, their right hand 4
tightly clasped across The conference ft a.
BILE. The war. was 4 oyer--1a ussi ia and $5Ja-fY:
pan were once more friends. fsiS
~ This simple ceremony rang TRUE nrid @
deeply impressed tho attaches and Sec
rctarics OF the two missions, who, with
the Invited witnesses, had formed a large u
circle around the delegates sitting at the
table. X Baron De Rosen was the II first N
to break tho silence. # Rising 81 from his
seat the. ambassador. looking Baron ko-sR
mura and Mr.. Taknhira3 straight IN the
eye, said a few words which one had u
only to hear to know that they came n
from his heart. fre began !. by saying 4
that he wished on behalf ofiHA1 Wltte.S.
Russin,s first plenipotentlnry, ,aand IN, his y
own nnme to sny n few words. IIe cons
tlnued: "a
1--WE have lust signed an act which fss
Will have forever place In the an ~
mails OF history. AS neaotlators on N
behalf Of the Empire OF Russia as Sss
we'll as the Empire Of Japan, We n, ay
with tranql conscience say that we :93l;
have done all that was IN our powe s5
In order to bring about the peace for
which the whole civilized world was 8$sa2s
IonuInq. We earnestly hope that
frIendsJy relations between the two oa488s a4 81
empires will henceforth be firmly es-,.
tabIshed and we trust that His Ex-
ceency Baron komura, as minister
or foreIan affairs, and one Of the lead
y Ina statesmen OF his country, viii
appIy to the strengthening of these y 4
relations the Wide experience and III
wise statesn,anshlp he so conspIcu.
ously displayed during these nelotia- III
tIons which have now been so auspl u: s
cously concluded" !" n 3st
Komuas S Response.
Baron Komura replied that he shared a
entirely tho views OF Baron De Rosen.
The treaty OF Portsmouth, which they
had lust signed, he said was In the in-{4
terest OF humanity and civilizations and 4
he was happy to believe that 1t would
F bring about flrm lasting peace between ss
the two ncghborjng empires. He begged &
to assure the Russian plenpotentarles
that 1t would be his duty as we'll as his 3s
pleasure to do everything In his power ia s'
make the treaty In fact what It pr0-
fesses to he In wor,ls-a treaty OF peace
and amty.
Al the conclusion OF Baron Komura's \;
remarks, NJ Witte arose and said he ,da- a
sired to sec Baron De Rosen and the X
Japanese plenipotentiaries alone FOR ~
few moments. The four retired to the II
Russian oince and We're closeted for ten (
minutes. What transpired In that final
conference OF tho peace makers the world @
may never know The plfn'potentlaria2 4
have refused to discuss II. even to thslr G
secretaries 3 III u
Signing Treaty, 81.
The actual signing of the treaty by the
representatives of the two empires pc-5
CURED AT SAT r. NJ to-day. nj. Witte,
accompanied by Baron de Rosen and III. 7F
Plancon, left hotel for the navy yard