New-York tribune., 1905-08-17


disposition of the NIanchuran Railroad. inciud-
ing the TransSiberian line across Manchuria
and the Chinese Eastern Railroad running down
to Port Arthur. this subject being covered by
Articles and : Of the japanese terms. The
following official statement was issued by VI
Sato this evening
At the afternoon session of the conference
Articles 4 and were discussed. Article was
settled in principle and Article accepted unan-
tmously. The conference at $50 O'Clock ad-
Journed until $50 O'Clock tomorrow morning
The real crisis in the negotiations is expected
later The ENJOYS spent eight hours discussing
the railroad question to-day. and when they
adjourned the text Of Article had not been
completed, although no disputed point affecting
this subject remains. II is learned on tndls-
putable authority that the ENJOYS came peril
ousy near deadlock to-day, and hnal agree
ment was effected only through the Russians
yielding on several contested points and finally
accepting the terms virtually dictated by
their opponents.
The course of the Russians in this respect.
however. was not dictated by a spirit OF com
promise, but by a determination that the con-
ference should not be broken up over minor
question II is also a fact that the Russians in
anticipstfon of the ultimate necessity of insist
ing on radical concessions on the part of japan
when Articles ; o 10 and II come 70 De dis
cussed are seeking 10 place themselves in a
position where they will be able TO assert that
thus far they have been the ones 10 yield.
whereas Japan has yielded practically moth
ing. and 10 insist on reciprocity in this regard.
Moreover. NJ. Witte is convinced that. should
the current negotiations fail Of their purpose.
the greater the moderation of the Russian en-
voys the less likelihood will there be of criticism
of Russia and the more likely is the Christian
world To condemn the exacting attitude of
Japan This purpose on the part of VI Wltte
and his colleagues may however. miscarry. he
cause of the yielding of Japan on the articles
which provide for the Limitation of RIIssias
naval forces in the Pacific and the transfer to
Japan of all title to Russia's interned ships.
That Japan will yield these contentious is gen
erally believed, hut this belief is due rather TO
process Of reasoning than to anything even
approaching an authoritative statement on the
subject.
When on tomorrow or Friday the articles pro
viding for reimbursement and for confrma-
ton of Japanese title to Saghalien are reported
the crux of the situation will have arrived, and.
viewed in any other light than that of ex-
perience the prediction that negotiations would
Immediately be broken of would seem
ranted With the recollection Of the negOtia-
tions following the FrancO-Prussian War, AMI
even of those following the recent Spanish war
in mind. definite prediction must be withheld
for the present. and the public left to draw
their own conclusions from such facts as can be
positively stated
NJ Wftte has declared in emphatic terms on
more than one occasion that he would never
agree TO the cesson Of Saghalien or TO the pay
ment 70 Japan Of the total cost Of the war, al
though, be it noted he has not said that Russia
would refuse TO make any payment whatever.
Baron Komura has never been quoted by those
close TO him as having said anything. Minister
Takahira. speaking in the most general terms,
has declared that Japan would never recede
from her position, this statement being so eX-
pressed. however. as to convey the impression
that il referred to her principal terms. Nothing
which has thus far occurred has indicated any
trace of conciliatory spirit on the part OF
Japau NJ Whites manners have impressed ali
who have met him with his frankness and d.
rectness IL is furthermore. obvious that NJ
Wirte and his associates do NOT anticipate an
agreement
From these facts it may no argued thar a
deadlock might be predicted with certainty but
one somewhat more significant. il minor, fact
must he taken into consideration. NJ. Sato.
the authorized spokesman for the Japanese
delegation. has consistently declared from the
first his conviction that an agreement would
he reached reiterating that assertion this even
ing Is this conviction based on the fact that
the Russian ENJOYS have thus far yielded when
confronted with the prospect of a failure of the
negotiations. or on private knowledge that
Japans desire for peace win lead her envoyS
70 make grave concessions rather than permit
the negotiations to fail: one who could answer
this question could predict with absolute Ger
tainty the outcome Of the conference.
One more fact is worthy OF consideration ju
with this point. A member of the
Japanese encourage OF high standing declared
this evening. apparently with considerable feel
ing. that VI. Witte'S contention that Japan
had. as result OF the war. added to her terri
tory threefoId," wholly without warrant
and a grave misrepresentation Of the facts. He
pointed out that in far as COrea, 70 which
VI witte referred. was concerned. Japan has
&, ,.,,t, nj <,ad nothing hv this war which she