The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-08-22
AT ELEVENTH HOUR CHANGES
 FOR PEACE SEEM TO BE NIL.
sociation of Professional Uniop.S a their residences in Oudielnaie, Il St Petersburg.
RUSSIAN VIEW.
Authoritative Statement As to Whs
 Russia Wants Sakhalin.


 Russia Wants sakhalin. &
 Portsmouth, N. H., Aug. 21.--The fol- lowing statement from an authorfta- tive source represents the Russian view of the military and stragetic oc- cupation, of the island of Sakalin:
 ITO appreciate its military value II must be borne in mind that the island, which is about 500 miles long lies almost against the mainland, being separated from 1t by the Strait of Tar tary, which in some places Is only four miles wide. Physically 1t might al- most be considered a part of the Asia tic continent. To allow Sakhalin to pass into the hands or Japan would be like American allowing Lond Island or England allowing the Island of
 Wight to pass into the possession or an ambitious view.
 The danger from Sakhalin passing to Japan would Indeed be greater for Russia than the loss of Long Island by America, as the length of Long Is- land is scarcely one-ninth that of Sak- halin. There is no doubt that whoever controls Sakhalin besides being in a position to threaten and invade the to absolutely prevent communication between the mainland and Pacihc through the Sea of Japan.
 The island has an area of between fifty and sixty-five kilometers and al- though it's general shape is Of nsh
 at certain portions, its width is only fifteen miles It is therefore peculiar ly adapated for offensive and defensive purposes. It could easily be transform ed into a formidable military and naval stronghold from which expeditions might be launched and efhciently sup ported.
 Little use has thus far been made of the island. The population tnclud- ing the natives who beiong to the Aino and Guilaks races and exnes, most of whom after their terms of servttude become settlers, amounts altogether to only 96,OO0 souls, that is less than one to the square mile:
 "Exploitation of the resources of the island has been hampered by the rig orous climate, lack of communication and 1t is almost without roads and by the immense and almost inaccessi-
 ble forests. The development Of us resources by Russia was anticipated as A conseouence of the completion of the Trans-Siberian Railway Large profits were expected rom its riches, as it contains quantities of coal, coal oil, timber, naptha, iron and other min erals. Its chief resources. however thus far have been its fisheries. Enormous shoals of fish. especially herring and salmon, swarm in It's waters. The herrings at certain times of the year are exhaustless. Besides | used for food, the oil Is extracted and l the fish pressed into large blocks, have been shipped to Japan for land fer
 tiiizer The average number of her ring taken annually znounts to IiVe tiundred million"
 This Russian authority denied that
 the Japanese were prev ented from fish | ing in the waters Of Sakhalin. lie admitted that they were submitted 70 certain rules and restrictions, the oo- | feet of which was, to prevent the ex- | termination of the fish. But that was all. He also said that along the coast of Sakhalin whales in considerable i numbers were found. These have been the object of exploitation by American
 whale fishers. Since the year 1865, he said that American firms had applied to the local government for permission | to exploit the riches of the island ana
 especially the coal mines.
 Among those whose names l re- l member" said he, "are the Pacihic
 Mail Steamship Company; Head and | Company; Cliphant ana Company and Crawley and Company, but nothing much was done on account of the dlf- | ficult navigations of Sakhalin, result
 ing. as I said before, from climatic I conditions and want of roads.
 "The insignificant military forces
 which Russia had in the island are another proof of our sincere belief in
 peace. We had not made the least preparations for military operations even offensive or defensive. The few
 thousand soldiers who were there, were chiefly for the purpose of guarding the
 five thousand convicts who were kep' | in the island. and some of these sol | diers were former convicts, who, after having served their term of penal ser
 vitude, were allowed to enter kind | of local militia"