New-York tribune., 1905-06-13
RUSSIA'S FORMAL REPLY.
WILL TREAT WITH JAPAN.
Cassini Tells the President That The
Gar accepts His Offer.
TrRom THE TRIBUNE BuREAU.I


washington May 12-Peace negotiations ars
proceeding rapidly under the guidance Of the
President who has implicit confidence in the
good faith of both Russia and Japan Russia's
formal acceptance of the Presidents suggestions.
which had been foreshadowed in dispatches
from Ambassador Meyer. delivered verbally
to the President this forenoon by Count Cassin1,
who called at the White House and remained
three-quarters of an hour discussing the pre-
limnaries with the President. Soon after the
Russian Ambassador left the White House the
following authoritative statement was issued:
Count Cassini has called to express the Rus
sian governments assent to the Presidents
proposition and to state that they Will appoint
plenipotentiaries, to meet with plenipotentiaries
of Japan to discuss the question of peace.
The place of meeting is at present being dis
cussed
PLACE OF MEETING DISCUSSED
as soon as Count Cassini had presented the
eo~,,a1 aroriescence of his sovereign. the Presl-
DENT suggested that time might be saved by
immediate consideration OF the time and place
FOR the meeting OF the plenipotentiaries. ana cAe
Ambassador suggested that Paris wouio prove
most acceptable to his government. but ala NOT
indicate any date which must. of course deperd
in a measure on the place selected for the meet
ing. The Ambassador also mentioned tenta'i'e-
" the name of the Russian Ambassador to Paris
whom they may be only two for each OF the>
belligerents-
later in the day, Minister Takahira caHed at
++o white House and discussed with the Fresi-
dent the place of meeting and the persohIei u
tho Japanese plenipotenttaries- Ihe JapaheS9
minister suggested another European cltS'
Thought TO he London. preferable Iroil 'N7
standpoint of japan. There are goou reasons
eo baIfav;nr that The Hague will be finally
tho
sested Washington and ii is unlikely that 'ii-'
2 iu he selected unless the bell1gerehs
.1orld ba unable TO reach an agreement On 70
Iroraan CITY and be compelled to leave tns
ea1action to the President who might propose
the American capital
Unofficial information from 81. FeterSoue III
1ica+es that a formal written acceptance Oh tio
Presidents suggestions, contained in MS ldeh'ic
+a has been handed to Ambassador Meyer
and is now in progress OF transIiiiSSioii' Ou'
I,-osidart regards the verbal acceptance OF
|,+ ,,,ssini as ali sufficient. and has not con-
;5orad II necessary to await anything furtner
before proceeding to settlement OF necessary
aIir,irarfes TO the conference. That ootn pow
ers have accepted the Presidents tentative oHer
70 aid in arranging the prelnnarfes as TO time
ord Mace of meeting IS evident. from the 1act
that he is so aiding, acting as intermediary De-
tween the Russian Ambassador ana the Japan
ese Minister.
II is expected here that there viii be only one
conference Of plenipotentiaries. extending. OF
c,o,,rse over as long period as may be neces-
sarv TO reach an agreement on all points at
issue and both Ambassador Cassini and Minis
Ter Takahira regard Washington as unsuited.
during the heated term. for meeting which
will probably extend over a considerable period.
IT NAV he also said that little consideration.
~ anv is being given to the suggestion that the
peace negotiations take place in Manchuria, be-
tween the opposing armies although that might
be regarded more favorable place OF meet
ing than in Washington.
There was some discussion to-day regarding
the advisa bility of making public the text OF the
Japanese acceptance of the Presidents identic
note hut il was finally determined. after
sultation with Minister Takahira. that it would
be wiser not TO do so in view OF the fact that
Russa's acceptance was merely verbal: but
when a written acceptance is received through
Ambassador Meyer it is probable that the text
of both communications VIII be made public.
HOPE FOR AN ARMIsTICE
The effort of the President to expedite the
gotiations. while entirely agreeable to both the
Russian and japanese representatives.. some
what took their breath away. but there is every
evidence of a desire cordially 70 respond the
Presidents effort and il is expected that little
will be lost in arranging the preliTninaries,
after which. it is hoped. an arnnistice will be
declared.
After his conference with the representatives
of the belligerents. the President sent for Gem
eral George B. Davis, judge advocate general ot
the army with whom he discussed various de-
tails OF a military nature. affecting the method
of declaring an armistice, It's scope, etc. 1t is
improbable that the President will do more than
Answering your inquiry: Yes. the best way TO so
PuffoIo and Niagara Falls Is by New York