The Tupelo journal., 1905-08-18
RUSSIA HAS HEARD
FROM JAPANESE
Basis For Peace Negotiations Pre-
scented by Baron Komura.
NAUGHT ANGELIC ABOUT THEM
They Arc Simply Cold, stern Propo-
sitiOns Believed by Japan to BE
Warranted BY Her
ON Land and sea.

Portsmouth, N. H., Aug. 11.-Russia
has heard from Japan in unequivocal
terms.
Reimbursement for the expenses
war and the cession of the island
Of SaIhalin constitute the main fen-
lures of the peace conditions hand
ed by Baron KOmura to Mr.. Witte
at the conclusion of the morning
session OF the Observation-Disclosures in
the enera stores building of the
Portsmouth navy yard. The word
"~indemnity'' was carefully avoided,
the term employed being "reim-
bursement" for the cost of the a
No sum is fixed, the amount being
distinctly adjourned for mutual adj
justment between the two countries
after the Japanese expenditure has been
ascertained. These are the two all
important conditions, and those which
the Russian plenipotentiaries find abb
solutely unacceptable. Unacceptable as
they are, however, it can be stated that
these two principal conditions did not
come as a surprise to the Russian
plenipotentiaries. The friendly fashion
in which Baron Komura explained the
conditions before handing them to Mr..
White, and the avoidance OF the use OF
the word indemnity" in the presenta-
ton of Japan's bill for the cost OF the
war without fixing a sum, leaves the
J-a nnop for noUntiafinnC and PCnGtl
tutes the main hope that a final agree
ment is possible. Certainly the dam
ger Of a sudden rupture, no matter
what the ultimate result may be, is pre-
cluded. The other terms are subsan-
TALLY what the world expected, and
with one or perhaps two exceptions,
could hardly be entertained as bases OF
negotiations. They include the follow
ing:
The cession of the Russian leases
to the Liao TunG peninsula COM
prising Port Arthur and DnIny.
The evacuation of the entire prov
ince of Manchuria.
The recession to Ghinn of any
privileges Russia may have in the
province ahu tnC EtSOS ~
Russia of the principle of the
"open door."
The cessien to Japan of the Chi
nese eastern railroad below Hardin,
Ia main line through northern
Mnnchuria to y~ladivostok to remain
Russian property.
The recognition of the Japanese
pr~otectcrate over Korea.
The grant of fishing rights TO ia
pan in the waters Of the Siberian
IittoraI ~northward from Vladivo-
stoix to the Behring sea.
The REIMBURSEMENT to Japan Of
the Russian warships interned in
neutral ports.
Finally, a Limitation upon h ma
val strength Of Russia in far east
ern waters.
AS a whole the terms are regarded
as exceedingly hard by the Russians.
In addition to the two principal con
ditions which can not be accepted
under Mr.. Whites instructions. those
relating to the limiting OF Russian
naval power in the far east ap2 the
granting of fishing rights upo2 the
Russian littoraI are considered
particularly offensive to the amour
propre of their country. and Of such
a humiliating character as to be In
admissible. The Japanese, on the
contrary, as Baron Komura an
nounced at the conference. consider
them moderate, c%ontending that they
only represent a fair compensation
for the expenses of the war n the
victories they have achieved on land
and sea, their sole purpose being to
attain the objects for which they
have fought, the spells claimed being
only such as they are legitimately
entitled to as the result OF their army
and navy successes. The Russian
plenipCtentiaries. as o as the
Japanese terms were in their hands.
called in the five expert delegates
attached to the mission and spent
the whole afternoon In the considera-
ton of the terms.