The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-08-27

HtHs 1ulnll-1WVI AUEJ
that threatened the success Of the Ports.
mouth conference.
THE HNvoYs HEslTArE.
It h the grsat respect for his opinion and
his enthusiastiU sndeavor 10 bring about
psaoe that has caused the ENJOYS. with the
approval Of the powers that be at Toxic
and, 81. Petersburg, 10 hesitate In taking
tho deciding step toward . continuance
Of tho war. The Russian and japanese
Governments wore aotuased also In this
conservative course BY realization Of Vie
condemnation which thsy would risk from
The oivilissd world II thsy rejected ths plan
which the President u now urging with
all his might and main. Had II not been for
the inhusncs Of tho President the Ports
mouth conference would have ended to-day
and The war would have gone on.
To their. high regard for Mr.. Roosevelt
and their dssire to show appreciation for
tho friendship Of the United States must be
attributed the oonoiliatory spirit which
has been shown by the japanese In Offering
to sell back the northern part Of Sakhalin
Island 10 the Russians for an amount ap-
pro1inating seoo.qooooo. The President
was greatly pleased over this action Of
tho Toxic Government and has not hes
itated to say 10 to the Russians, "a was
indicated in the Portsmouth dispatches
printed in THE suN this morning. He
spoke Of the Japanese proposal as 1nod-
crate this being the exact word used.
and showed that he believed It should be
accepted.
4 .hussIAN oPFER.
Since then he has devoted his efforts
almost entirely to an attempt to bring
tho Russians to make concessions, and
the influence which he Ia welding was
demonstrated again to-day through the
suggestion by the Cars representatives
Of willingness on their part to cede the
entire island Of Sakhalin to Japan II the
latter Government would waive all claim
to indemnity. 1t cannot be said that this
counter proposal to the Japanese sugges-
ton with regard to the purchase Of
Sakhalin was offered officially. The un-
dcrstanding IL that, 1T waa made known
to the Japanese plenipotentiaries."
wIrrE AND KoMuRA HAVE A TALK.
To-day's formal conference was de-
voted almost entirely to perfecting the
protocols that had not been compared
and signed at the last meeting Of the enc
voys, but afterward Mr.. Witte and Baron
Komura had . private conversation at
which no others were present except the
interpreters. Even Baron Rosen and Mr..
Takshira did not attend.
q, The Russian and the japanese ENJOYS
met At 3 O'Clock this afternoon, after .
recess sinos Wednesday. On that day
Baron Komurs had proposed that Russia
buy back half Of Sskhalin Island for esOo.-
100000, sud Mr.. Witse had said very plainly
that tho suggestion was not acceptable,
although hh words were not taken a.
formal and final.
Accordingly the three days recess was
agreed upon to enable the Russians to
consider the situation and determine, II
advisable upon counter proposal. When
the ENJOYS met again to-day at the Ports
mouth Navy Yard they started in without
delay to finish the three protocols Of pre-
vious sittings that had not been signed.
The work of comparing the French texts
made by the Russians and the English
texts made by the Japanese occupied about
an hour, and the protocols wore then
signed. ..s..
When the last signature had been affixed
an awkward pauee occurred, according
to information obtained from one Of those
present. who Is authority for the account
that follows.
Evidently each aide expected the other
to make the next move. The understand
ing Of the japanese was that Mr.. Witte
would submit the counter proposal Of
Russia at this point. but he did not. Mr..
Witte, however. relieved the situation by
suggesting that recess be taken for fifteen
minutes and the Japanese readily agreed.
What was done during the recess has not
been clearly explained. but when the time
for reassembling came only Baron Komura
and Mr.. Witte appeared In the conference
rom. They talked for moro than half an
hour and when their conference was over
the announcement was made that the en-
voys had taken an adjournment until 3
o'clock on Monday afternoon.
JAPAN MAY MAKE ANOTHER PROPOSAL.
The motion that the Adjournment be
taken was made by Baron Komura and
Mr.. Witte promptly asssnted.
In some quarters the fact that 1t was at
the suggestion Of the Japanese envoy that
smother session was arranged for is taken
TO mecn that Japan win offer q new pro-
posal to counteract RussiA's willingness to
,ede sakhaliu Il japan does not insist upon
m indemnity. ~
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