Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1905-07-12
TO MEET At PORTSMOUTH
Navy Yard in New Hampshire Is
Selected for Conference.
OFFICIAL ANNOUNCEMENT
All the Sessions Held Outside of Wash
ington Will Take Place in New
Government Building.

Washington, D. c., July 1O.-Assist-
ant Secretary PIERCE today announced
that the plenipotentiaries of Russia and
Japan had agreed upon Portsmouth, n.
H., as the meeting place for the sessions
of the peace conference to be held out
side of Washington.
The sessions will be held in the govern
ment navy yard at Portsmouth in the
new building just completed there.
Japs on Russian Soil.
st. Petersburg, July 10.-With the
japanese flag hoisted for the first time
on Russian soil after eighteen months Of
the island OF Sakhalin is admitted gen
orally, both in newspaper comment and
in government circles. Complete occu-
patton of the island is regarded as q
lOregOne conclusion.
The NOvoe Nremya voices the general
sentiment III holding that the control OF
Sakhalin puts a powerful lever in the
possession of japanese diplomacy, which
finally has something tangible in its
hands to throw upon the scales with the
sword in the coming conference.
There is a divergence of opinion with
regard to the effect it will have upon the
negotiations at Washington, some Of the
peace at the present juncture more i'm
possible than before, as Japan will be
able to demand the cession of the island
and q heavy indemnity as well, making
the terms too costly, but the more preva-
lent view is that Japan has now in her
hands enough trumps to take the game.
Small Indemnity Hope Gone.
The attack on the island certainty dis
sipates one of the hopes of the peace
advocates, who have been suggesting
that its voluntary cession might be an
railroad, against the payment of a large
part or all of a monetary indemnity.
No further report of the landing opera
tons has been received.
NJ. Muravieff, the Russian ambassador
at Rome and one of the peace plenipo-
tentairies, has arrived in St. Petersburg
and called upon Foreign Minister Lams-
dorf yesterday. His sailing arrange
ments have not been perfected, as they
are dependent upon the date Of his audi
ence with the Emperor, which probably
will take place OH Tuesday. His suite
has been completed by the selection of
secretaries from the foreign office
The Noyoe Vremya joins in the press
chorus against NJ. Muravieff, saying it is
hard TO tell how good a diplomat he will
prove, as he certainly was not Il success
at The Hague. The paper says that
baron hOSen, the other plenlpOtentlafy
on the contrary, is a Skillful diplomatist
and has been socially successful.
No Chinese Representation Wanted.
Washington, D. c., July 1O.-China' s
request to be represented in the Wash
ington conference on the ground that
she is vitality interested in its proceed
ings, has been received by the Presi
dent and informally transmitted to the
belligerentS. Whether the formal re-
plies have been received cannot be
learned, but it can be stated that while
RUSSIA is inclined to favor the sugges
ton, Japan will not consent to it.
Japan already has made public her as
surance that Manchuria is to be restored
to China. That is one of the principles
for which, she says, she has been fight
ing. Japan regards herself as fully capa-
bic of executing this promise without the
| assistance of China, and in view Of the
latters inability before the war to cope
with Russia in Manchuria, the Mikado's
government is unable to see what posi-
ble service Chinese representative
would be in the Washington conferences
Moreover, Japan has taken the posi-
ton all along that when peace negotia-
tons were begun they would be conduct
ed directly with Russia. 1t is altogether
unlikely that the Washington govern
ment will press the claim of China and
the official view here fails to sympathize
with the idea