New-York tribune., 1905-08-13
SPASTAT PORTSMOUTH
Increased Belief That Mutual Concessions VIII Lead
to Agreement.
JAPANESE RECEIVE RUSSIAN ANSWER
Propositions Be DnusedMay Take Three Weeks-Amshce
Proposed the Russian

pubic buildings and improvements at DalEr.
which fell into the hands If the Japanese prac-
ticaIly unharmed, probably with the value Of
her captured naval vessels nd doubtless with
other amounts for the payment of which there
are precedents in international Law, and the
total of which would materially retuee the sup-
posititious S1.o00o0o0Co
II will be remembered that ut the Close OF
the Franco-P -Prussiau War. Germany allowed
France n credit of S6u0OnOOo for the railroads
in the captured provinces of AIsace and Lof-
raine and it is of interest in this connection
that the Russian diplomats in Washington took
pains to post themselves ON this point almost aS
soon as Russia had forwarded favorable reply
10 the Presidents identic note and that the
figures ready for submission 20 Baron
EoSen when he paid his brief visit to the ua-
tional capital in the carly part of July,
CREDENTIALS UNQUESTIONED
1t may. be asserted also on the highest an
thority that there remains no question regard
ing the credentials % the Japanese ENJOYS this
question having been completely disposed Of on
the first day Of the conference. The dissemina-
ton of reports TO the contrary grew ont of a
desire ON the part Of Mr. W;tte TO have the
world realize that the credentials Of himself
and his colleague were even more ample with
regard To the powers conferred than those with
which the Japanese envoys were provided. The
simple assertion Of Baron KonUra that the lap
anese credentials ve~c in accord With diplo-
matte usage in Tokio was, however, accepted as
entirely satisfactory hy Mr.. Wit;e and his asso-
ciate and the protocol Of the second session Of
the conference sets forth this fact.
so variable is th.. general sentiment regarding
the outcome of the negotiations that the CORE
spondent who attempts to adhere TO a single
policy must necessarily ncur the grave risk %
misleading his paper Not only does sentiment
in Portsmouth change from day to day. but
even from hour to hour. Thus far. however
the pendulum has swung from peSsimiSm to
optimism with great regularity. approximately
completing its are. each twenty four hours. Nor
is this surprising. in view of the fact that even
the plenipotentiaries themselves more notably
Mr.. Witte have manifested radical changes az
view concerning both the ultimate outcome ami
the daily developments.
This morning Mr. Witte declared 20 an in
Guirin2 corresI IOndent that the peSSirnism which
dominated most of last nights dispatches was
created hy the newspaper correspondents. AMI
vet no one could have cOrversed for m0ment
last evening with the senior Russian envoy
without becoming convinced thai the diplomat
was under great nervous strain anI almost
hopeless regarding yhe outcome Of the negot.a-
tious That Mr.. Witte's views had Undergone
n radical change uy this morning j. etpally
true. and it is striking compliment to the
mannness Of EUssia's leading representative
that there is a practically unanimous DISPOSE
tion 10 attribute these t.auEeS of attitude 20 Il
Somew hat volatile temperament rather thau 20
what is amost proyerbiaIIy known in this coun-
try as Russian diplomacy"
PURPOSE REACHING AGREEMENT
The imperturbable representatives of Nippon
are less given TO variability OF view bat even
BURGLARY THEFT AND LARCENY