The San Francisco call., 1905-08-23
NfIkado's Concession
May Nor PreUent
Rupture.
Cars Instructions TO
De Wine Said to
Be WaylIke.
Iext Of Combromise
Suggested by Mr..
R0oSeUeH.

PORTSMOUTH, y. H, Aug. "a long
oablegram from st. Petersburg, which is
believed TO be the Russian reply, arrived
al 10 O'Clock last night, and NJ. de Whites
secretaries Immediately began decipher-
ing it.
Considerable excitement was apparent
10 the annex, where the Russian head
quarters are located. Sheet by sheet the
translation was taken TO NJ. de Whites
room. The rumor is that it is a refusal
g reiteratlon Of the Russian position that
she has given ample proof Of her desire
tor peace in the articles already accepted
and that more she could not yield with
dignity and honor.
No confirmation OF the report that Rus
sia's reply is negative can be obtained,
sno IL must be accepted with all reserve.
ano Baron Rosen were burning long after
midnight
MIR. RoOSEVELT'S PROPOSITION.
President RooseveIt's suggestion for
breaking the existing deadlock in the
peace negotiations and rescuing the con-
ference from failure was designed TO per-
NIT the satisfaction of the japanese de-
mands for reimbursement for the cost Of
the war and at the same time enable
Russia TO face the world with the
declarations that she had not ceded a
foot Of territory or paid a kopeck OF
war tribute to the victor
Tersely stated, It consists in an agree
ment by Russia TO repurchase possession
OF either all or one-half of the island
OF Saghalien, now IN the military occu-
patton OF Japan, for a sum the amount
OF which, If the two countries cannot
agree, shall be decided by some method
Of arbitration hereafter to be determined.
The purchase money, together with the
oh ~
sion OF the Chinese Eastern Railroad and
the maintenance Of the Russian prisoners
IN Japan would, IL is estimated, about
equal the amount claimed by Japan as
her bill for the cost Of the war.
Practically therefore the solution Of
fereo by the President involves recession
by japan upon article (the cession Of
Seghalienl and recession by Russia upon
article Indemnity. II seems practi-
cally certain, though this cannot be
affirmed positively, that the President
to-day was able to give Mr.. de Witte
substantial assurance that Japan would
be willing 10 accept such compromise
This is apparently supported by the au-
thoritative japanese statement made to-
night in reply TO a question as to whether
Japan had not decided to make substan-
tisl concessions:
1T al depends upon Russia"
SENDS ENVOY TO DE wITTE.
1t was the Presidents message to Mr.
&c Witte which caused the sensation Of
the day. Early in the morning had come
the official announcement that the meet
ing OF the conference which was to have
been held to-day had been postponed un-
I'll tomorrow. The public reason assigned
Ayas that the protocols for submission at
|the sitting had not been completed. But
Q few hours later the true reason leaked
srt. J. L. McGrew, one Of the stenogra-
phers attached to the executive office at
Oyster Bay, had arrived with commu-
nication from the President for the Rus
sion plenipotentiaries. Mr.. de Witte and
Baron Rosen had left the hotel ostensi-
bly, for q ride in an automobile to York
Beach. but instead had quietly slipped
over TO the conference building at the
navy yard 10 receive the message from
Assistant Secretary Peirce
For three hours Mr.. de Witte and Baron
Rosen remained at the conference build
ing with Mr.. Peirce. Then Mr.. McGrew
hsstened. back to Oyster Bay.
Mr.. Roosevelt's message to Mr. de