The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1905-06-25

First. Baron Suyematsr, writing TO the
London "ouuook.' declares that his coun-
try will never enter into peace with
Russia, the terms Of which do not stlpu-
late the payment by the conquered Of an
Indemnity. He thinks this should
amount to at least $500 900.
Second.--Czar Nicholas II. is reported
as having said that he would never
agree toany indemnity; that he could not
sign such documents and also remain
autocrat Of all the Russas.
Third. The Toxic press thinks the very
question Of an indemnity already closed;
all that remains in that direction In the
opinion of these loyal Journalists Is the
fixing Of the amount.
Fourth Tho Petit Parlslan.' regard
ed. In France as well informed upon all
Russian matters, learns" that "the Inn
peral government will consent to indem-.
Nifty Japan only so far as military ex--
penses are concerned; she Will refuse to
pay any actual indemnity"
Here are the four most available
sources of public information upon a
question which is day by day looming
iargc.'- ana larger above the troubled po-
litical horizon of the Far East. They
cannot be said to harmonic, what farth-
err light do the written records OF past
history throw upon the matter?
Only the other day, 1t seems. NS96),
| tho latest of the wars upon tho European
| continent drew to n close with turkey
| victor and Greece vanQulshed. The ancl-4
ent land Of King George was bankrupt,
| but the Sultan demanded m indemnity
| OF $50, 900, 900. The Powers promptly In
| terposed, said that the sum was ridi-
| cllously excessive and Abdul IInmld H..
| cut 1t down four-fifths. III the nine years
! that have since interviewed he has re-
| ceived something more than half OF his
| $4,000, 900.
That same sum. s10,OooOOo, was tho
payment which China made England at
| the close OF the TAPPING rebellion CISCO
! 1861, but this was nominal merely and
| insisted upon more because OF the effect
| 1t would have upon tho mpressionable
| Orientals than for the actual repayment
| OF Britan's fighting expenses for she
had paid out fully s25.o00,0o0 to win.
| Earlier than this uS40-1s42) when the
| relocated warriors OF "rhe Widow OF
| Windsor" had won for her that briefer
| struggle with the Chinese, recalled to-
day as the Opium war the yellow EN-
| peror agreed to pay s25. 900 a goodly
| portion OF this Indemnity. however, went
to British merchants by way OF compen-
sf,ion for the destruction OF their property
4 by the natives and as the war had cost
the home government all OF 1900, 900 the
| victors scarcely found highly profitable
/ the bargain which peace brought them.
4 In 1866, Germany Tor Prussia. as the
nation then was better known closed q
little row. with Austria much more ad-
! vantageously. All told the fighting had
not lasted two months nor WAS warfare
then tho expensive thing It has come ia
be to-day, yet Austria with her Ave less
err allies were forced to agree to an In
demnity OF sS2.5Oo 900. II a difference Is
to be found In the distinction suggested
BY the quotation from the Petit Pari-
Sian" already given. this was "indennii-
cation for military expenses plus actual
indemnity
Eleven years later QST7, on the other
hand, Russia, having beaten the Turks,