The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-08-03

Driven to the st. Regis and Passes
Under the Japanes. Flag At waldorf.
Serge de Witte, as the members Of his
| suite write his name, or plain Witte, az tho
| world knows the great Russian, arrived
| yesterday afternoon with his suite Of nine
| on the Kaiser Wilhelm der Crosse Of tho
North German Lloyd Line. The senior mem-
ber OF the Russian peace commission got
lively reo option from the moment the Kaiser
reached Quarantine until he was com.
fortably In the Hotel st. Regis
Thousands of people gathered at the
steamship pier In Hoboken and chcered
him In At least four Ian guages; delegation
Of enthusiastio Slsvs gave him bread and
salt to eat in the pier house, following an
ancient Slavonio custom: newspaper 70
porters swarmed around him like bees,
every reporter a Calling gun Of questions;
he got lost from the members Of his suite
at the pier, and HE elec. tc hanson, In which
he was riding with his colleague, Baron de
Rosen, broke down on the sway to the st.
Regis
Through all these exoitements and annoy
anoes he was imperturbab le Nothing APP
peared to bother him, nothing seemed to
wear on his q inability, but his face wore an
expressi on Of relief when Baron de Rosen
escorted him into the big hotel at Fifth
avenue and Fifty-fourth street, where the
Russians are making their he adquarter.
DENIES THAT WIRELESS INTERVIEW.
Tho very first words the envoy uttered
when the reporters met the Kaiser at Quar-
antine was an emphatic REPUTATION OF an
interview printed by local newspaper
yesterday morning, widely copied by even
ing papers and sent broadcast over the
country. The alleged interview, sent by
wireless correspondent on board ship, put
these words in Mr.. Whites mouth:
II am afraid the negotiations will he
ended within week, as the Japanese condi-
tions will be 80 intolerable az not to admit
of discussion
MIR. Witte does not speak English fuently,
but through Prof. Martens and Ivan Koro-
stovetz Of the Russian Foreign Office mem
bers Of his suite. he declared that there
was absolutely no truth In the so called
interview, and that he had stated neither
for publication nor privately anything
which could be construed int such an
utteranoe.
1t may be true, as some Of the members
Of the suite believe, that Mr.. Witte Is not
optimstic as to the result Of the forth
coming conference at Portsmouth, Me-,
with the Baron Komura and Minister Taxa
hira, the Japanese ENJOYS, but 1t would
be the height Of abeurdity, they declared.
to believe that a diplomat accredited on
such a mission would forget himself suifl-
GENTLY to utter words not merely undiplo-.
matte but absolutely senseless.
q D
II have not discussed the coming peace
conference or its possibilities In any way
said Mr.. Witte. Il am exceedingly sorry
that 80 baseless report was given out to.
the American people
The correspondent who gave out the state,
ment, after Mr.. Whites sharp denial said
that the envoy had made the statement!
to him in private conversation. although,
said the correspondent, there was no under
standing between him and Mr.. Witte that
the substance Of theetatement was not to b
given to the public. When this was told Mr..
Witte he asked Mr.. Korostovetz to say to
the newspaper men that not even In private!
talk had Mr.. White made such a remark.
In all probability said Mr.. Korostovets,
shis Exoellency remarked that perhapsi
there was less hope Of favorable termfna-
ton Of the conference than he would deeireN
certainly he said nothing more than that.
How could hep He does not yet know
what the Japanese terms are, and no diplo4
mat will discuss terms or conditions Of which,
he has not been informed"
When the reporters asked Mr.. Witte for an
he handed Prof. de Martens
an address to the American people which,
he said was the only statement regarding
the peace conference he felt free to make.
Here 1t Is:
Mr.. Whites Statement.
For the friendly greeting Of the Ameri.
can newspapers on my first visit to tho
hospitable shores Of the United States I
offer my heartfelt thanks This kind At
tention touches me all the more profoundly
In that realize the vastnees Of the power
vi elded by the press Of the United States
and admire the keen intelligence with which
It il uniformly directed. l arm glad to b
able to add that also appreciate the ethical
worth Of the aims for the attainment Of
which that power IL 30 often and 40 sue
cessfully employed.
'One Of the noblest Of these aims Ia tho
Of peace and friendsht,
among nations, and II L. to the praiseworthy
efforts Of the people Of the United States
In this direction that my visit to the New
World Is attributable. For 1t Is In COM
pliAnce with the American peoples desire
for peaoe Of which President Roosevelt
was the authorized exponent, that his Mai
esty the Gar has empowered me to come
hither and ascertain the conditions which
our gallant adversary deems necessary
and adequate as q basis for peace nego-
tiations.
PLEASANT WORDS FOR JAPAN.
II need hardly point out that 1t u my
ardent desire that the two chivalrous foes
who first became acquainted on the field
Of battle may have found In each other's
startling qualities motives powerful enough
70 cultivate that acquaintanoeship until