New-York tribune., 1905-08-10
PEACE CONFERENCE BEGINS.
Russian and japanese ENJOYS Informally Excha
Credentials
PESSINISTIC VIEWS OF THE OUTCOME.
Delegates Found Be Ampapanese May
Submit Terms To-day.

(Fron Special Correspondent OF The Tribune)
Portsmouth. y H. Aug 9-The Russian and
japanese ENJOYS made an informal exchange of
credentials this afternoon after having failed
to do so at their first formal session this fore
noon. and it is unoffcialIy announced that the
authority of each delegation has been found to
be ample to satisfy the other. Nevertheless,
there has been obvious to-day spirit of pessim-
ism regarding the outcome of the peace confer
ence which it is difficult 10 explain. in view of
the fact that the Japanese terms have not yet
bpon submitted to the Russian diplomats Some
of the most experienced observers are inclined
to attach grave import to the pessimistic views
of the respective diplomats, and somewhat
gloomy view of the situation seems certain to
characterize the dispatches, especially those sent
TO the foreign press
1t is regarded in some quarters as peculiarly
significant that certain members of the Rus
sian delegation have said this afternoon TO
friends that they do not expect to remain long
in Portsmouth. and have. without going into
details. expressed serious fOTebOdinSs regarding
the Japanese demands. ON the other hand. it
is manifest that the Russians and Japanese are
becoming accustomed to the situation and that
their intercourse with each other is becoming
easier and attended by less embarrassment than
when they first met 1t Is also recalled that In
previous peace negotiations there have been
periods of pessimism in some instances when
peace was virtually accomplished The persist
ont rumOr that President Roosevelt is less san
c,line than he was at one time has also had its
effect. and the wish has been expressed more
than once to-day that the President might be
in closer touch with the ENJOYS than is now
possible. in order that his powerful influence
might serve to promote peace. while his strong
personality infused new hope in the men on
whom the heavy responsibility of making peace
for many millions of people rests
The informal exchange of credentials which
took place this afternoon would seem TO iudi-
cate mutual effort on the part of the rleni-
potentiaries to avoid extreme formality when
possible and to conduct their business with all
reasonable expedition, while the agreement OF
the Japanese plenipotentiaries that, in the event
that a treaty shall be concluded. the French
version shall be regarded as THE letter of the
law"-an assertion for which Baron Rosen Is
responsible-must be accepted as indicating a
spirit of conclation at least in minor details
on the part of Baron kOmura and his associ-
ates
Baron Rosen explained 10 The Tribune CORE
spondent after to-days session of the confer
encc that the negotiations would be conducted
in a thoroughly businesslike manner and that
there would he no language of the conference
each envoy expressing his views in the tongue
in which he possessed the greatest facility of
expression When the treaty comes TO he drawn,
if such shall he the fortunate outcome of the
negotiations the baron explained it will be
formulated in French that being the language
Of the Russian Foreign Office and while trans
lations into Japanese, and probably into English.
will he made. the French version viii he ''the
letter of the law" should any question arise re-
carCling the Interpretation of the provisions.
The informal exchange of credentials this af-
ternoon was caused by misunderstanding on
the part of the Japanese ENJOYS To the pur
pose of this mornings session When the en-
VOWS met in the conference room this forenoon
NJ Witte laid the Russian credentials ON the
table with the remark that he presumed that
an exchange and approval of these important
the conference Baron Komura replied. how
ever that he had assumed that only the hours
of meeting and similar unimportant details