Durango semi-weekly herald., 1905-02-16
END OF
WAR A
POSSIBILITY

contains the following interesting re-
view OF possible peace between Rus
sia and Japan from It's Washington
| correspondent. VIM. e Curtis:
Leaving the Russian embassy out
OF the question. 1t is the unanimous
opinion Of the officials OF the De-
partment of State and the members
Of the diplomatic corps at Washington
| that the czar and his advisers have
had all the war they want aud are on.
| ly waiting for an opportunity to secure
| advantageous terms of peace. This
impression is formed upon lntangi.
Bile evidence. however, though all
signs point that way, and where there
Is so much smoke there must be some
fire There is no doubt that the tone
of the Russian newspapers. which
usually express the sentiments of
the grand dukes and the ministry,
Is much more softened since the in
ternal outbreaks than 1t has been at
any time before, and II IL known from
private correspondence that since the
fall of Port Arthur the peace party
at st. Petersburg has been gaining
rapidly in strength and influence,
while the war party has been In dis
tress. Telegrams to the London pa
pers from correspondents who are
usually reliable, point out various
straws which show the way the wind
is blowing Contracts for military sup
plies have been Cancelled by Russian
officials, and all of the orders for the
mobilization OF the reserves OF the
army have been revoked since the
news OF General StoesseFs surrender
has been received. A letter received
by former resilient OF st. Peters
burg now in Washington, dated Jan.
8, states that the movement of troops
and supplies to Manchurla had then
been suspended, much to the con
sternation of the friends and families
of the military officials who are re-
sponsible for the success of the Rus
sian forces in Manchuria. The writer
who Is an American doing business
In Russia, describes the government
as "in state of collapse, because OF
the fall of Port Arthur" and he said
that there was "strong talk" of recall
ing the Baltic fleet TO the Mediterra-
mean.
Up to the present writing there mas
been no suggestion or intimation
from either Russia or Japan that the
good offices of the United Staes are
desired for peace negotiations. and
1t Is equally certain that no other gov
ernment has been approached. There
has been more or less correspondence
between the foreign ministers of Eng
land, Germany and France, however
and there seems to be no doubt that
the Kaiser of Germany and the
King of Englan d have exchanged
views on the subject But further than
that nothing il known here. The Jap
anese minister at Washington and
the members of his legation do not
conceal their desire for termination
OF hostilities. provided 1t can be ar
ranged In manner honorable to ia
pan-but, being victors thus far, 1t
| is not possible for them to take the
Initiative The JapanseB government at
Toxic mas never hesitated to express
It's hopes for an early peace, and has
| frequently declared It's willingness to
negotiate on liberal terms. Russia.
however. being worsted, must be the
| first to cry Enough"
The terms Japan will insist upon
are pretty well understood among
diplomats, and have been frequently
| Disguised. The war has been fought
| for certain purposes. and will be con
| tinued until thost purposes are ac-
| complished. Otherwise, the enormous
sacrifices OF life and labor and money
and the unlimited risk which Japan
has undertaken would be wasted
She has already accomplished almost
everything that was in the mind oil
the mikado at tine beginning OF the
| war, viz:
4. The Russian influence In Korea
has been entirely destroyed. All ol
the many Russian officials connected
with the Korean government have
been dismissed and sent AWAY. al
Russian interests in the Hermit King
dom have been abandoned. and there
are no Russian troops In the Korean
peninsula, where Japan is now su
prenfe.
2. Port Arthur has been capturet
and the Russians have been driver
from the Lao Yang peninsula. Th'
Japanese hoped and intended to drive
still further back before winter sc
In. and that is the only feature o
their campaign in which they nav
failed It was their plan to force th
enemy through the Tia Pass and fol
tify 1t during the winter. so that |
would be impossible for them to re
cover any portion Of the territor,
south OF that point. But the stubborn
resistance OF Kuropatkin was to
much for the Japanese army. He still
occupies Mukden and considerabl
area to the southward Of the noun
} tains.
3. The naval power Of Russia In tn
. East has been destroyed and vlad
vostock will be blockaded by Japar