Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1905-08-31
DRAMATIC AND TRAGIC
Scenes Follow Settlement Of Moment
Gus Question Of Peace at Portsmouth.

uFInlitlc ana ITdSic "eit tiiS
circumstances at the stores buiidihgS
i'm the navy yard, yesterday. when Nj.
White came from the secret conference
room i'm which peace was decided up
on and made the announcement to his
secretaries. Upon the words he was
TO utter TO them depended perhaps the
immediate fat. of Il hundred thous-
and lives. Every preparation had been
made at st. Petersburg and at the
front 10 continue the war.
The military party was Determined
and Lincvitch WAS to try conclusions
with oyana. If a rupture had come
the signal was to be given TO Line
witch and an imperial manifesto, al
ready prepared. would have been is
sued proclaiming To the Russian peo-
pie the inpossibility of accepting the
conditions asked by Japan and calling
upon the Russian people to support
the car and the government III its
decision not To pay tribute to the foe.
Neither NJ. White nor any nleinbe"
of the Russian mission believed 1t
possible that Baron knmura by giving
way upon all disputed points, would
place il in the power of the Russian
acting within their
instructions, to conclud" peace. Every
preparation for departure had been
made. The Russians had not only
packed their trunks but special
train had been engaged To take the
party t. New York.
NJ. Witte went to the navy yard
would accept tn, utmatum given by
hi
cision and it can be imagined with
what anxiety they awaited in an ad-
joining room the result of the secret
conference A code had been arranged
to cover the contingency of Il rupture
and if the fatal words were uttered
when NJ. Witte emerged from the
room one of the secretaries was to go
hastily to the private telephone which
connected directly with the Russian
headquarters. announce the rupture,
which was to be cabled instantly to
st. Petersburg and flashed along 10
Manchuria as the signal for Linevitch
Ito attack
| TIL, phrase agreed upon was Il con-
Iventiunal one. For almost an hour,
the secretaries waited. their nerves at
| high tension. Suddenly the door was
thrown open, and NJ. White stepped
out His face was flushed. He seem
ed to be restraining himself as he ad-
vanced. The secretaries held their
breath. Suddenly. he stopped. In
stead OF the words so fraught with
| life and death far away on the battle
| field of Manchuria which they expect
ed he exclaimed:
"Gospoda. mir" Gentlemen peaceD
The secretaries could hardly credit
their senses. Then suddenly they
realized the great victory their chief
had won and imp"llcd by single i'm
pulse they FASTENED forward. NJ.
Witte held out his arms. Mr. korosto-
vetz was the first to reach the chief
whom they all adore. He threw him
self into NJ Whites arms ana en-
hraced and kissed him on both cheeks
after the Russian fashion Then in
turn. NJ. Witte embraced and gave tn"
kiss of peace to NJ. Naboukom ana NJ.
PlanCon. All were oyerpoWrred with
emotion.
| In the midst of the preparations
| that had been made at 81. Petersburg
for continuing the war which included
mot only plans for an immediate at
Itack by I.inevitch and the issue of an
| Imperial manifesto bat orders for new
lmobiliZations, the stunning effect Of
NJ. Whites announcement 10 the En-
peror that he had agreed upon terms
lof peace can be imagined and will help
Ito explain the GOODNESS with which 1t
was received by the official world and
Transformation il caused In the ranks
Iof the war party"