Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1905-08-10

tomorrow. will in the future be asked
to take part in the conference only
when the two parties shall judge it
necessary to have their opinion on some
subject before the meeting"
Baron Komura, in accordance with
this mornings agreement, has chosen
Mr.. Sato, Mr.. Adachi and Mr.. Otchiai
to participate daily in the conference
as the official secretaries of himself and
Mr.. Takahira.
TIL" plonipotcntarieS did not get down
to serious work. today. but they feel
We'll satisfied with their work as far as
IT went Extreme cordiality character
lied the session. this morning. and so
well guarded were the plcnipotcntlarles
that they were enabled to return to the
hotel by a private entrance before their
presence became known. A correspond
cnt of The Associated Press was re-
ceivcd i,y one of the plenipOtentiaries
within 10 minutes after the missions
returned and in reply to questions
about the conference. he said:
"You can say that this morning s
meetings. was entirely satisfactory as
far us il went; we exchanged creden-
tials. but please do not write nonsense
about credentials. the plenipotentia-
ries ana the President have known
from the outset that the plenipotentia-
RES oi both governments came clothed
with plcnary powers and the anxiety
on this subject has never been shared
nv lie ENJOYS on either side.
"Our next meeting will he held, to-
morrow morning. Provided all goes
we'll We will get down to business
then"
HAS either side committed itself
about terms2" the envoy was asked.
mo, terms We're not discussed at to-
days meeting"
That NJ. White should have brought
his credentials to the conference and
Baron Konura should have left his at
the Hotel Wentworth, appears to have
been entirely due to a misunderstand-
ing. 1t was the understanding of Baron
Komura that this mornings session
would be entirely informal, as indeed
it was, and therefore he did not think
i6 necessary to bring with him to the
navy yard his credentials. Soon after
the session convened, however, M
Wittc drew out his engrossed Gre
dentialS and it was then that the mis-
take became evident. Baron 1\Omura
was able, however, to give in detail the
nature of his powers and this incident
did not i'm the slightest degree of the
however. there was no other business
to transact and because it would have
taken an hour or more to get the Off
Ia e.
worth TO tho navy yard.
NJ. Whites credentials after being
thoroughly examined We're returned tC
him and, tomorrow morning. Baron
komura will be on hand at go with
the full credentials for himself and Mr.
Takahira and NJ. White will then again
present the credentials of himself and
Baron Roscn which will not need again
to be examined. 1t was not desired that
this incident should be commented up
oil as the ENJOYS are 50 we'll satisfied
that the powers of both sides are en-
tircly satisfactory that they regard the
cXchanGe Of credentials as practically
Il completed formality.
When ii became known about the no.
tel that the Russian credentials had
been presented and examined and the
Japanese had not been presented there
WAS cOnSidrra bic comment. In quarters
friendly to Russia an attempt was
made To make much of this incident as
Indicating that Japan had scored nj
the first meeting. There IS, however. Of
fetal authority for the statement that
Baron Komura was entirely sincere in
his understanding that there were to
he no f0rmalites at this mornings Sos
sion ana hence did not think it neccs-
sary to bring his official letters. 1t is
pointed out that the offer of Baron no
mura to send for his papers and the
assurance rendered by NJ. White that
the verbal account Of their contents
was entirely satisfactory indicates
clearly that the whole incident was due
to Il misunderstanding. the occur
renee Of which is not at all unnatural
in view of the formality with which the
prclininarics for this mornings meet
ing were arranged.
Vt this mornings meeting, Baron k"-
MUIR spoke in Japanese. his secretary
Mr.. Honda, TRANSMITTING it into French
while NJ. White spoke entirely i'll
French.
After the plenipotcntiaries left the
hotel for the navy gard, this morning,