The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-08-27
don his efforts to clear away tho obstacles
that threatened the success Of the Ports
mouth conference.


that threatened the success Of the Ports
mouth conference.
TIN ENJOYS Hxs1TATI.
II = tho great respect for his opinion and
his enthusiastic endoavor to bring about
peaos that has caused the ENJOYS, With the
approval Of the powers that be at Toxic
and st. Petersburg, TO hesitate in taking
tho deciding step toward . continuance
Of the war. Tho Russian and Japanese
0overnments were actuated also in this
conservative course by realization Of the
condemnation which they would risk from
tho civilized world II they rejected the plan
which tho President IL now urging with
all his might and main. Had It not been for
tho influence Of tho President the Ports
mouth conference would have ended to-day
and tho war would have gone on.
To their high regard for Mr.. Roosevelt
and their desire to show appreciation for
tho friendship Of the United States must be
attributed the oonciliatory spirit which
has been shown by the Japanese in Offering
to sell back the northern part Of Sakhalin
Island to the Russians for an amount ap-
proximating $500, 100000. The President
was greatly pleased over this action Of
the Toxic Government and has not hes
itated to say 30 to the Russians. as was
indicated in the Portsmouth dispatches
printed In THE Sun this morning. He
spoke OF the Japanese proposal as 'mod-
erate,' this being the exact word used,
and showed that he believed It should be
accepted.
A RUSSIAN OFFER.
Since then he has devoted his efforts
almost entirely to an attempt to bring
the Russians to make concessions, and
demonstrated again to-day through the
suggestion by the Cars representatives
Of willingness on their part to cede the
entire island Of Sakhalin to Japan il the
latter Government would waive all claim
to indemnity. 1t cannot be said that this
counter proposal to the Japanese sugges-'
ton with regard to the purchase Of
Sakhalin waa offered officially. The I'M
derstanding is that 1T was made known
to the Japanese pIenipotentiaries.'
WHITE AND KoMURA HAVE TALK.
To-day's formal conference was de-
voted almost entirely to perfecting the
protocols that had not been compared
and signed at the last meeting of the en-
voys, but afterward. Mr.. Witte and Baron
Komura had a private conversation at
which no others were present except the
Even Baron Rosen and Mr.
Takahira did not attend.
The Russian and the japanese envoys
met at o'clock this afternoon; after .
recess since Wednesday. On that day
Baron Komura had proposed that RussiA
buy back half Of Sakhalin Island for $780,
o0o, 900, and Mr.. witte had said very plainly
that tho suggestion was not aooeptables
although his words were not taken a.
formal and final.
Accordingly the three days recess was
agreed upon to enable the Russians to
consider the situation and determine, II
advisable, upon counter proposal. When
the ENJOYS met again to-day at the Ports
mouth Navy Yard they started in without
delay to finish the three protocols Of pre-
vious sittings that had not been signed.
Tho work Of comparing the French texts
made by the Russians and the English
texts made by the Japanese occupied about
an hour, and the protocols were then
signed.
When the last signature had been affixed
an awkward pause occurred. according
to information obtained from one Of those
present, who 10 authority for the account
that follows.
Evidently each side expected the other
to make the next move. The understand
ing Of tho Japanese was that Nh. Witte
would submit the counter proposal Of
Russia at this point, but he did not. Mr..
White. however, relieved the situation by
suggesting that a recess be taken for fifteen
minutes and the Japanese readily agreed.
What was done during the reoees has not
been clearly explained, but when the time
for reassembling came only Baron Komura
and Mr.. Witte appeared In the conference
room. They talked for more than half an
hour. and when their conference was over
the announcement was made that the en-
voys had taken an adjournment until .
o'clock on Monday afternoon.
JAPAN NAY MAKE ANOTHER PROPOSAL
The motion that tho adjournment be
taken was made by Baron Komura, and
Mr.. Witte promptly assented. =.
In some quarters the fact that it was at
tho suggestion Of the Japanese envoy that
another session was arranged for is taken
10 mean that Japan will offer . now pro-
posal to oounteract Russia's willingness to
oede Sakhalin II Japan does not insist upon
m indemnity.
THE ozAR's MESSAGE.
Emperor Nicholas. In response to tho
solicitation Of President Roosevelt, has ex-
pressed willingness to code half the Island
A.