The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1905-08-31
DRAMATIC AND TRAGIC.
Fate of Thousands Decided by M.
Whites Success.


Portsmouth, Aug. Wonderfully
dramatic and tragic We're the circum-
stances at the stores building in the
navy yard yesterday when NJ. White
came from the secret conference room
in which peace was decided upon and
mace the announcement TO his secre-
taries. Upon the word he was to utter
to them depended perhaps the immedi-
ate fate hundreds of lives. Every
preparation had been made at ct. Pc
tersburg and at the front TO continue
the war The military party was de-
termined and Linevitch was to try con-
clusiOns with Oyama. If rupture had
come the signal was to be given to
Linevitch and imperial manifesto al
ready prepared would have been issued
proclaiming to the Russian people the
impossibility of accepting the condi-
tons asked by Japan and calling upon
the Russian people to support the car
and the government in the decision not
to pay tribute to the foe.
Believed impossible.
Neither NJ. White or any member of
the Russian mission believed il posi-
bic that Baron KOmura. by giving way
upon all disputed points would place it
in the power of the Russian plenipoten-
tiaries, acting within their instructions
to conclude peace Every preparation
for departure had been made. The Rus
but special train had been engaged to
take the party to New York. Nj. White
went TO the navy yard without hope
that his adVerSaries would accept the
ultimatum given by the car. His sec
retaries knew his decision and il can
be imagined with what anxiety they
awaited in an adjoining room the re-
suit Of the secret conference
Code Agreed Upon.
a code had been arranged to cover
the contingency of a rupture and if the
fatal words We're uttered when NJ.
Witte emerged from the room one OF
the secretaries was to go hastily to a
private telephone which connected di-
recty with the Russian headquarters
and announce the rupture, which was
TO be cabled. instantly to St. Peters,
burg and flashed along to Manchuria
as the signal for Linevitch to attack.
At High Tension.
The phrase agreed upon was 9. con-
ventional one. For almost IN hour the
secretaries waited. their nerves at high
tension. Suddenly the door was thrown
open and NJ. Witte stepped out. His
face was flushed. He seemed 70 be We
straining himself as he advanced. The
secretaries held their breath until sud
denly he stopped. Instead Of words that
might mean death TO those far away on
the battlefelds Of Manchuria. which
they expected, he exclaimed "Gospoda,
mir" (Gentiemen, peace)
Embraced Each Other.
The secretaries could hardly credit
their senses. Then suddenly they real
lied the great victory their chief had
won, and impelied by a single impulse,
they FASTENED forward NJ. White held
out his arms. Mr.. KorosetoVetz was
the first to reach the chief, whom they
all adore He threw himself into NJ.
Whites arms and embraced and kissed
him on both cheeks after the Russian
fashion. Then in turn NJ Witte en-
braced and give the kiss of peace to
Mr.. Naboukoff- and Mr.. Plancon. All
were oVeryv helmed with emotion. In
the midst of the preparations that had
been made at St. Petersburg for con-
tiuuing war, which included not only
plans for an immediate attack by Line
witch and the issue Of an imperial man
ifesto, but orders for q new mobiliza-
tion, the stunning effect Of NJ. Whites
announcement TO the emperor that he
had agreed upon terms Of peace can
be imagined and will help 10 explain the
cOldness with which it YVES received by
the official world and the CONSERVATION
it caused in the ranks Of the war
party"