The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1905-08-26
Associated &prees


PORTSMOUTH, NJ IL. Aue,st 25.-
The s peace Il conference seems headed
straight for tho rocks. Despite the fact
. that every question Of principle involved
Y IN the Quarrel between the two coun;- ou,,;.
tries has been settled in favor OF the
victor and that In reality only words
and money still separate them, the me-
gotiations seem on the verge of a final
rupture 55l 45s 5si sa (, '5s
Tho air was filled o-night with
gloomy forebodings II MS, superflcially.S5
everything Indicated that /to-morrow's
session Of the conference will prove the
H"seance d'adleu." III the most positive
fashion It Is declared that mo new in-8
structlons had reached M. Witte up to
this evening which would permit him to
entertain the consideration OF the com
promise proposition submitted by Baron
Komlra on "Wednesday. and therefore
unless Japan has q new Il proposal to-
mako tomorrow all that seems to re- E
main is for the plenlpot tentlaries to meet.
sign q declarnt tion that the conference
has completed its labors, shake hands
and part as enemies, not as friends.
Unknown Factor at Work.
But there are still unknown. factors
in the situation which In a twinkllng
might change tho situation. The result
of President Roosevelt's second appeal ~
direct to Emperor Nicholas has not been
announced, and the result Of the pres
sure on Japan to alter the form OF her
proposal by the elimination Of purchase g
price OF tho northern half OF Sakhalin
is not known.
The indications on both scores how
ever, are not reassuring, The press dis-
patches from Toxic and st. Petersburg,
read with the most intense Interest here,
Indicate an intransingentsatti on the
part OF both governments. Yet both are h
anxious for peace and only words and
money" bar the path. Probably It Is
not a matter OF more than $500, ,000, 600, Yet K
tho Japanese cling. loggedly to their de- s
mands. Their people at home insist upon
IT. The most competent japanese author
ity who did not conceal his pessln.lsrn
when asked tonight whether for the
sake of peace Japan would yield further,
replied:
"Read the dispatches from Toxic and
draw your own conclusions, 5$ n
Nevertheless there IL warrant for the
statement that they are not as lmplaca-
BILE as they appear, and from " conyerssl-
tion had by the Associated Press tonight. Fl
the distinct impression was gathered that
they would scale their money demand
md use any formula" which would be
acceptable to Russia. It Is not believed
tHey propose W tee Nlle coHIeteHCe eHu IS
tomorrow,
On the Russian side all pretense of
claiming that NJ. Witte ls$any longer me-
gotlating has heen abandoned. He has
gone to the fnrther-most limit OF his
imperial masters orders, More, he cam
not do. sincerely as he personally may
desire to bring the negotiations to a sucr
cessful conclusion, 5s&
Japan Must Yield M
Shortly before midnight NJ Witts gave 4
absolutely no encouragement to the idea
that there would be Il change OF faart
- st, Petersburg, Unless Toxic was
ready to recede further, he expressed the \
opinion that all was over He used the
following words to Gle Associated Press:
~ have received no telegram from
ST. Petersburg which changes tho
situation, Indeed. | do not expect
any. have not asked Instructions, S
SO that cannot receive any. II to-
morrow there is to be a change, II
must come from the Japaness slde."
This would seem to Indicate that the 4
Presidents second effort had failed !. at
ST, Petersburg What. " anything, be