The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1905-09-09
TREATY. Of PORTSMOUTH
FORMALLY EXECUTED

Portsmouth. N. H., Sept. 5.-The
treaty of Portsmouth was signed short
" before O'Clock this afternoon in
the conference room Of the navy yard.
The firing Of a national salute Of nine
teen guns was the signal which told
the people Of Portsmouth, Kittery and
Newcastle that the peace Of Portsmouth
was an accomplished fact. and the
bells of the three towns were soon peal
ing forth JOYFUL refrain.
For AZ minutes those outside the
conference room anxiously awaited the
signal. Suddenly an orderly dashed
up to the entrance to the peace build
ing and waved his hand to the gunner
a few feet away, and the opening shot
of tho salute rang out on the clear air
of the soft September afternoon. pro-
claiming peace between Russia and
Japan. Three O'Clock was the hour
set for the final session Of the confer.
ence. An hour before that time q
heavy thunderstorm was in progress.
But as Mr.. Witte and Baron de Rosen
left the hotel in an automobile at 2:15
O'Clock for the navy yard the rain
stopped.
When Baron Homura and Mr.. Taxa
hira entered their automobile twenty
minutes later the sun suddenly shone,
which brought forth the remark from
Baron Komura:
cit is good omen for peace.
This remark was cheered by the
crowd that gathered to see the Japan
ese depart.
It was 3:45 when the plenipotenti-
aries entered the conference room from
their respective Offices. Almost i'm
mediately the copies of the treaty were
laid before them and their signatures
affixed.
Baron R0sen Speaks.
Baron de Rosen was the first to break
the silence. Rising from his seat the
am bassador said q few words which
one had only to hear to know that they
came from his heart. He began by
saying that he wished on behalf Of Mr..
Witte. Russia's plenipotentiary, and in
his ewn name, to say few words.
"We have just slgned," continued
the ambassador, "an act which will
have forever place in the annals of
history. It is not for Us, active par
Elephants in the conclusion of this
treaty, to pass judgment on it's import
and significance. As negotiators on
behalf of the empire Of Russia, as we'll
as the empire Of Japan we may with
tranquil conscience say that we have
done all that was in our power in Or
der to bring about the peace for which
the whole civilized world was longing.
cas- plenipotentiaries Of Russia we
fulfill a most admirable duty in ao-
knowledging that in negotiating with
our hitherto adversaries, and from this
hour our friends, we have been deal
ing with true and thorough gentle
men, to whom we are happy to express
our high esteem and personal regard.
We earnestly hope that friendly rela-
tions between the two empires will
henceforth be firmly established and
we trust that his exeellency, Baron
Komura, as minister Of foreign affairs,
and one of the leading statesmen of his
country, will apply to the strengthen
ing Of these relations the wide expert.
ence and wise craftsmanship he 60
comprehensively displayed during
these negotiations which have been GO
comprehensively concluded"
Baron komura Replies.
Baron Komura replied that he shar-
ed entirely the views of Baron de Ro.
sen. The treaty of peace which they
had. signed was in the interest of hu.
mainly and civilization, and he was
happy to believe that it would bring
about a firm and lasting peace between
two neighboring empires.
He added that it would always be
pleasant for him to recall that through.
out the long and serious negotiations
which they had now left behind, he
and his colleagues invariably received
from the Russian plenlpotentiaries the
highest courtesy and consideration,
and finally he begged to assure the
Russian plenipotentiaries that it would
be his duty as well az his pleasure to
do everything in his power to make
the treaty in fact what it processes to
be in words-a treaty Of peace and
amity.
At the conclusion of Baron Komura'e
remarks, Mr.. Witte arose and said he
desired to see Baron de Rosen and the
japanese plenipotentiaries alone for q
few moments. The four retired to the
Russian Office and were closeted for ten
minutes. What transpired in that final
conference Of the plenipotentiaries the
world may never know. The plenipo-
tentiaries refused to discuss It even
with their secretaries.
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