The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-08-20
St Petersburg Determined Not
 to Yield Either Point
POPULAR FEELING STIRRED
Promulgatlon of Manifesto Will Make War National and Will Make Suc- cess of Army Dear to Every
 Russian Heart.

St. Petersburg, August 19.-11:55 p. m) As the time approaches for the playing
 of the last cards at Portsmouth. there
 is manifested here among certain high
 officials and by the press and the public
 the unmlstakable conviction that Russia
 will not yield on the points of paying an indemnity, as such, or absolutely ceding
 Sakhalin to the Japanese.
 The Associated Press can state author
 itatively that Empero Nicholas, the day
 previous to the announcement of the new | national assembly, was firmly resolved that he would not accede to the Japan csc demand on either of these points, and
 furthermore that the reception by the
 people of the assembly project has done much to strengthen him in that resolu-
 ton. It is felt that the question of the
 transfer to Japan of all interned warships and the limitation of Russias force in
 the Pacific will be crucial points in the
 final settlement.
 Made to Humiliate Russia.
 They are regarded as terms instilled
 in tho demands by the Japanese Tor the
 purpose of humiliating Russia before the
 world. and for no very serious purpose
 of negotiation. They are also roundly
 declared to be unacceptable, but are not
 vested with the choice of the other twu unsettled questions.
 Today, as at the beginning of the Ports mouth negotiations. the conditions rela- tive to the cession of Sakhalin and in-
 demnity are universally declared to be i,npossible of acceptance. The Er>sHeror fs11 country begging him to neither cede ter
 ritory or pay indemnity, and expressing
 the readiness of the senders to make fur ther sacrifices if necessary In the Elm
 perors known state of mind the state-
 ments certainly have their effect.
 No indemnity; No SakhaIin.
 Two things were particularly noticeable here today. One was the determination
 not to pay an indemnity, as such or to
 cede Sakhalin absolutely; the other was the fact that the promulgation OF the national assembly at this time was
 clever and able move that has done more to make an issue of the war, it's continu-
 ance or the signing of peace treaty al
 Portsmouth a question of the people than has any other event since the beginning of hostilities
 The calling into being the assembly is-a
 new factor in the situation. If peace does not result from the Portsmouth negotia- lions the war bids fair to be a national enc, supported by a popular sentiment.
 serving in a great measure to unite the
 distracted country on national and popu-
 lar issues The war is to be carried on in future by the people instead of being war In which the hearts and interests of the people do not enter.
 Wave of Popular Feeling Rises. The promulgation of the national as- sembly coupled with the ten days con sideration, study and discussion Of the Japanese terms, have given the first evil
 dences of what may become wave of more or less popular feeling. The actu- ality of the national assembly has in- creased among the people their personal
 interest in the Japanese demands, and
 has resulted in strong expressions from
 practically all classes of society, especi- ally extreme radicals that the Russian
 people should not pay an indemnity, nor cede Sakhalin. An immense majority of
 the Russian people do not recognize the
 Japanese as victors, and argue that Rus
 sia already had conceded Japan evD
 more than she demanoed at the outbreak of the war, and declare that the payment
 now of an indemnity, as such would spell political death for Russia It can be sta isl ~"
 not attempting to exercise influence upon
 Russia through St. Petersburg. train made a special stop at New Ro- chelle N r., where Ambassador Rosen and the prince left 1t, and boarded the naval yacht Syiph, which the President had directed to be sent to New Rochelle to convey the Russian envoys to Oyster l Bay.
 Bearing Baron de Rosen and his secre- | tary, the Sylph entered Oyster Bay and
 cast anchor below Sagamore Hill at 4:15 | D. m Five minutes later the Presidents 8 callers were en route to the pier in the | Sylph's motor boat. As he landed. Baron i de Rosen was almost brusque in his re- | fusal to discuss his mission They en- tered one of the Presidents carriages. ! which was awaiting them, and were driven to Sagamore Hill
 Face Wreathed in Smiles. 1 They remslned with the President about | an hour At the end of the conference. | while Baron Rosen still declined to talk | of his visit, his demeanor was changed 1 absolutely. Ills face was wreathed in smiles and his manner quite genial. The interview evidently had been entirely sat isfactory to him.
 | The Russian visitors were conveyed to | the Sylph in the motor boat and shortly | before o'clock the yacht weighed anchor | and steamed out of the bay. Her destina- | ton was not disclosed, but it was sup | posed to be some point on the lower New | England coast. where Baron de Rosen | and Prince Koudacheff might catch | train that would enable them to reach Magnolia tonight
 | Could Not Discuss Conference.
 President Roosevelt said this evening | that he could not discuss in any way | his conference with Baron de Rosen. The | intimation conveyed by his remarks was | that publicity at this moment might im- peril if not wreck entirely the negotia-