The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-08-09
THE.2NVOYS
 <,MEET TODAY 4
 6eginning of Conference
 at Portsmouth. THE EARLY PROBABILITIES Reception of Distinguished
 PlenipOtentiarieS. An Imposing Ceremony, Rcplete With Dignity and Good will-Gover- nor McLane welcomes For
 eign Diplomats.

ckBM DIRfOuutS.
 Portsmouth, N. H., Aug. s.-The Rus sian and Japanese peace missions have
 submitted themselves to introduction and otherwise to all the ceremonies of
 welcome and reception on the part of
 the United States government and the State of New Hampshire, and are to- night on the eve of facing each other for the purpose of ending the war in the Far East, and, If possible. consum- mating a permanent peace between the two great nations.
 Tomorrow they will meet in the na- val stores building of the Portsmouth navy yard. The Russian plenipotenti- aries will examine the credentials and powers which the Emperor of Japan has delegated to Baron Komura and Minister Takahira, and in turn the Jap anese plenipotentiaries will scrutinize the powers which the Russian Emperor l has conferred upon NJ. Witte and Bar on Rosen.
 The second days sessicn, to take place Thursday or Friday. 1t is expect
 ed will be devoted either to consfd- eration of the Japanese peace terms or to a proposition for an armistice by the Russian envoys It has been estimated
 that if basis of negotiations for peace Is found the actual negotiations
 will consume something like five weeks time before a treaty will be perfected and signed
 The landing and reception of the en-
 voys today was a function replete with
 ceremony. The dignity of the nation
 salute was contrasted with the hearty exclamations of good will on the part of thousands of persons who thronged the streets of Portsmouth and sur rounded the court house. where Cover nor McLane pronounced his cordial words of welcome.
 The envoys of both Japan and Rus
 sia were much affected by the demon stration of the American public, M | wftte rode through the business section
 of the town with his tall silk hat rais-
 ed above his head in constant acknowl- | edgment of saiutes. Ambassador Roser | in $the same carriage was also uncov- | cred in honor of the cheering crowds ] Inzthe carriage following were the tx { l Japanese envoys and they. too, were | not remiss in responding to the hurrahs of the crowd. Three carriages were
 occupied by each mission and in the
 procession through the streets of l Portsmouth the Russian and Japanese | envoys were given alternate positions | the first, third and fifth carriages were | Russian and the second. fourth and | sixth Japanese.
 The Public Excluded.
 The public was vigorously excluded from the navy yard. where the envoys came ashore. The landing was effect
 ed most expeditiously and everything
 moved without the slightest interrup'
 tion. The Russian suite was proceed ing to the breakfast room from tho | landing when the salute from the bat
 tery announced the landing of the Jap anese.
 The envoys were met at the court l house by Third Assistant Secretary oi
 State Pierce, who first presented MT
 Witte to Governor McLane and ther
 Baron Komura. The senior Russian
 presented his suite to the chief execu- tive of New Hampshire and the Japan
 ese plenipotentiary did likewise. Gov
 ernor McLane's formal speech of wei
 come was responded to by a profound bow of both parties. At the conclu'
 sion of the ceremonies the Russian:
 were arranged on the right of the | Governor and the Japanese on the left
 with MT. Peirce on the immediate right ] The group was then surrounded bS l the Governors stan and council anc the entire party was photographed.
 No one but the Governors stan anC | United States Senators Burnam anc
 Gallagher. Representatives SullowaS and Courier and Assistant Secretary Peirce were present at the courthouse
 function. although crowds surrounded the building. .+.~'..s ...'
 When the hotel Wentworth wat
 reached shortly after o'clock there
 was an outburst of applause carried or fin good natured rivalry. The Russian suite ignored the elevator and climbed the stairs to the second floor The
 Japanese. who arrived moment later
 were lifted to their floor. Although private dining rooms had been pro vided for the plenipotentiaries. botf
 suites took dinner at the same time in the main dining room of the hotel One of the interesting preliminary questions to be settled by the confer ence Is the language in which the ne I RottatIons shall be conducted. NJ Witte speaks only French and Russian
 while Baron Rosen has also a command of English. Both of the Japanese art proficient in the English tongue but Baron Komura speaks very little French It Is realized that if English shall be chosen as the medium of the communication, translations must be made to NJ witte. Should French be the language decided upon, translations will have to be made. preferably into
 English, for the Japanese.
 While there are no official statements or predictions regarding the outcome of the forthcoming negotiations to. night. the prevalence Of a general good feeling is noticeable throughout thA environs of the peace missions. An Important Day.
 With one of the foreign peace en- VOWS within Its gates and the ether three practically at the harbor's mouth Portsmouth today awoke to the reali-
 zation that one of the most important days in its history was actually at hand
 The Russian envoy. M. Witte, arrived
 last night and early today a wireless
 message was received from one of the
 fleet which left oyster Bay on Satur- day with the other envoys that the yes
 sells were not far from the Isles of the | Shoals and that the little vessel fleet
 would anchor in the harbor Just before | 9:3O o'clock.
 1 Al an early hour the streets began
 to fill up as steam trains, trolley cars | and private conveyances brought visi- ! tors from all parts of southeastern l New Hampshire The famous old sea
 nort was elaborately draped with flags and bunting and presented an attrac- | tive appearance.
 The fleet bearing all the envoys ex-