The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1905-08-13
$(ByAssociated Press.)

y PORTSMOUTH, NJ. H.. August Il: =,
There is a rift In the clouds. Tho pros-s
poets for 4 successful issue Of tho WASH.
what as q result Of to-days deYelopmenta.;
The discussion Of the terms submitted by
Japan has actually begun, but this has
been accomplished by postponing the COM
slderatiOn Of tho two main Issues, in-3
leInnity and the cession OF sSakhal ln.;5 III a
so far as liz ascertainabla the Japan
ESQ were responsible for the tactics by
which this hopeful stage was entered
upon. AS the mantle of secrecy has been
thrown around the proceedings BY mutual
pledges not to dlvulge what happened
within the council chamber, there are 4
missing links in the chain Of eyldence,
and It is impossible to Judge whether
this signifies n backdown Of either side
on the main points. III K n 5s8
s. White Much Excited.
OnA5t the face lof things both sides are y
still as Ellncompromising as ever upon the Z
two Issues, the struggle over them being
merely postponed. Some kind OF a pri-g
3vate Understanding arrived at by Baron
Konluril and M. Witte during the recess |.
at the navy yard to-day is limited at, but
there Is not the slightest confirmation
Jobtninable. No evidence Of g. change OF
tho uncompromslng at tltude on the part Z
OF NJ. Witto or Baron Rosen regarding
the main points is 3obseryab BILE. s2 Never
stheless tho Japanese who are attached
to the Nippon mission, plainly manifest
lelation,a and some OF them privately as
sert thnt M. Witte would never have
consented to the discussion of the terms
had he not been prepared to Yield on
tho question Of snkhalin.
Tho Russian reply With Il It's non'5
possumus as to indemnity ana SakhaIln
had been presented In the morning. 4ei
in spite of this fact, ut o'clock the
Observation-Disclosures met ard after agreeing
+ to discuss the conditions serlatlm entel'l5
I'd upon the consideration OF the flrsi
OF tho Japanese terms. .T. l
The propos tlon to discuss the conditions,
IN this way is believed TO have cmanatet
from the Japanese side. The first con-
dltion was OF secondary importance-ontj
Of those which Russia had passed upon
as$ conditionally acceptable as a basis 81
discusson-yet little progress was MADE :
-Four hours We're spent ~ debating u
bit no conclusion was reached. As thers
are twelve conditions and This one Is OF
m nor Importance the OUTLOOK IS SUI
gloomy, Tho plenlpotentiares AZ 4 ctocH
4 nd ,ourned until tomorrow afternoon y,
3 o'clock The Japanese wanted 70 .holG
n
would not agree TO this as II was sun i
day.
roth of to-day's sessions are described
as "friendly,' but no details are diyulgedt
N Witte, however, makes no concea lment
of tho fact that the rigid secrecy Which
The Japanese insisted upon Imposing upon
the proceeding Is dlstasteful 10 Y him
with much earnestness he spoke to-nighl
to the Associated Press Correspondent upof
the subject. At the time he was labor
Ing under considerable excitement because
~ ~ the p,,hlished assertion which had beer
called TO his attention that no had
pleaded for an nrmIstice, For the dignity
AZ russia and the pride OF his country
no saked that an absolute denial should
be given to the report,
The Russian Reply.
The Russian reply to tho Japanese
terms delivered by NJ. Witte to Baron
Komura was outlined In tho Associated
Press dispatches last night. Upon tho
two ponts-indemntty and casslon OF
sakhalin--it declines to admit discus'
sion. Others 1t accepts and stu Others
it accepts condltionally It Is long
taking up the conditions seriatlm and
setting forth the reasons and argument
for the decision reached In each case
5'rhe argument against The payment o. x
an Indemnity or tho cesslon OF territory
il based upon the general theory fla!
Russia Is not responsible Tor me war, .anu &
thnt Russia Is still prepared to continue
,hn struggle, and has sought this meets
ING not as a yanquished country begging Il
fnr terms, but because she sincerely de- Il
sired peace, II honorable peace is posi-
Bic. therefore she could neither agree
10 foot Japans bill for wal e.penses
nor cede territory The argument can
DO fairly stated as follows;
"Russla is not vanIulshedH She has
CONTINUED on Third PaSe,)