The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-01-31
JAPAN'S SPICY DENIAL
TERMS RUSSIAN CHARGES BASE
 LESS AND MIsCHIEvOUs.
Takes up Each Charge and in Doing so Raps Czar's Ofncers for Many Alleged Neutrality Viola
 ttOnH.

Washington, Jan. 30.-The Japanese Government has made verbal denial
 to the State Department here, and it | Is understood to other governments, of
 the Russian charges of violation of Chinese neutrality during the present war.
 The Japanese statement, just made public. is couched in strongf language. It says that while it is not Japan's duty to defend China in this case. yet
 so far as the good faith and loyalty of Japan are called in question the gov ernment of that country feels bound
 to repel the charges. These are taken up seriatim, beginning at the Ryeshi- telni incident which the verbal note | declares was nothing more than the | adoption by Japan of just and inevita- ble measures of self-defense made nec- | essary by Russia's violation of Chinese neutrality.
 The charges that Chinese brigands were commanded by Japanese officers and enrolled in their army and that Japan military instructors were with Chinese soldiers on the border, is de- clared to be without any foundation
 whatever and Russia Is challenged to produce any evidence in support of this charge. It is denied that Japan has | used the Miatoao islands as a naval base, but 1t is declared that Russia has
 so used the islands and that a Japanese
 merchantman was sunk in the island
 waters last March by a Russian man | of war.
 War Supplies from ChefoO. The Japanese admit they have pro-
 cured war supplies from Chefoo, but
 insist that these came through private
 parties and that the transactions were
 legitimate while Russia, 1t alleged, has | fitted out and loaded a ship in Chinese
 waters in fragrant violation of the
 Chinese neutrality.
 It Is denied that pig iron was sup piled to the Japanese army Chinese l Government shops at Hanyang and this
 Is also said to have been a legitimate
 transaction betweef individuals. Res pecting the charges that China is seri-
 ously preparing to engage in the war,
 the note says: 7.f
 "It Is difficult to imagine how it
 would be possible to frame charges
 more mischievous or more remote from
 actual facts than these. That the
 Chinese are making preparations of
 this kind Is entirely destitute of truth and there is no antl-foreign movement in China. From the beginning Japan
 has urged China to maintain neutral | ity and protect foreigners It is abund- antly clear that the motive Of the
 Russian government in formulating baseless accusations was to relieve themselves of an engagement, the terms of which. with the progress of
 the war no longer inured mainly to their advantage"
 Counter Charges Brought.
 The note is supported by a deter
 mined statement under eight heads in- 1 tended to show wherein Russia on her part. has violated Chinese neutral I ity. Briefly stated these incidents are ! connected with the alleged appropria- tion by Russia of Manchurian military stores and provisions, the charterine
 of the German merchant steamer Foo-
 ping at Chefoo to carry Russian arms:
 the dispatch of S.6OO.O0O small arm cartridges from Kalgan to Port Ar
 thur: the establishment of wireless | telegraph communication between Port Arthur and Chefoo, the unwarrantabIe delay of the Russian gunboat Mand- jur in disarming at Shanghai; the flight of Russian officers and soldiers from the Ryeshitelni when they were supposed to be interned; the aid ex- tended at Chefoo to Russian soldiers fleeing from Port Arthur and the main