The daily morning journal and courier., 1905-08-30
PEACE AT LAST Sudden and Very Dramatic End to the Negotia- tions at Ports
 mouth.
JAPAN YIELDS EVERYTHING

WAITEs INDEMNITY AND THE
 CESSIoN OF SAKHALIN.
 Gets Only the Southern Half of the
 Island and the Cost of Maintaining
 Russian Prisoners of war-M. Witte
 Surprised 1t Japan's ActIOn-Ex-
 pected Rupture--Mr. sato Says the
 lHilkado Merely Responded to the Die
 tates of Humanity and Civilization
 Preliminary Arrangements for Armis-
 tice Already Concluded.
 Portsmouth, N. H., Aug. 2S.-The long and bloody war between Japan and Russia is ended. The terms of peace were settled by M. Witte and Baron Komnra at the session of the conference this morning, and this aft ernoon preliminary arrangements for an armistice were concluded and the actual work of framing the treaty of Portsmouth" was, by mutual agree ment, turned over to M. de Martens, the great Russian international lawyer, and MT. Dennison, who for twenty-five years has acted as the legal adviser of the Japanese foreign office. The treaty is expected to be completed by the end of the week.
 Sudden and Dramatic.
 This happy conclusion of the confer ence, which a week ago would have been sl1ipWrecked had it not been for the heroic intercession of President Roosevelt, was sudden and dramatic. For the sake Of peace, Japan, with the n1agnanimity of a victor, at the last moment yielded everything still in is- sue. Russia refused to budge from the ultimatun Emperor Nicholas had given to President Roosevelt through Anbas- sadGr Meyer. Nh indemnity under any gufse, but an agreement to divide Sak- halin and reimburse Japan for the maintenance of the Russian prisoners, were his last words. They had been repeatedly reiterated in M. Witte's in structions, and in the form of a written reply to the Japanese compromise pro posal of last Wednesday they were de- livered to Baron Komura this morning. Witte PowerIess to Change Instructions
 M. Witte went to the conference de- rlaring that he was poWerless to change the dot of an "i'' or the cross of a ''t'' in his instructions. Emperor Nicholas word had been given not only to him, but to President Roosevelt, the head of 9 foreign state. When Baron Konura, therefore first offered the new basis of compromise outlined in the Associated Press dispatches last night (the com plete renunciation of indemnity, coupled with a proposition for the re- demption of Sakhalin at q price to be fixed by a mixed tribunal consisting of representatives of the neutral powers, in fact. if not in words, the solution of- fered by President Roosevelt), M. Witte again returned 8 non possumus. It was what M. Witte termed in his inter- view with the Associated Press the psychological moment" M. Witte did not finch. He expected a rupture, and, as he expressed it afterward, he was stunned by what happened. Baron Komura gave way on all the disputed points. With the prescience that has enabled the Japanese to gauge the men, tai processes of their adversaries on the field of battle and upon the sea, they had realized in advance that peace could be obtained in no other way. ,.-
 Japanese Government Warned.
 They had warned their government. President Roosevelt had also, it is be- lieved, advised Japan that 1t was bet ter to meet the Russian position than to take the responsibility of continuing the war for the purpose of collecting tribute. The 1nikado, at the session of the cabinet and elder statesmen yes- terday, had sanctioned the final con- cession. When Baron Komura yielded the rest was mere child's play. Arti- cles 10 and Il (interned warships and the limitation of Russia's sea power in the Far East) were withdrawn. Japan agreed that only that portion of the Chinese Eastern railroad south of Chi udtLu, the position occupied Dy Oyan1a, should be ceded to Japan.
 Just and Lasting Peace.
 Both sides, once the deadlock was broken, wanted a just and lasting" peace, and in that spirit it was decided to practically neutralize Sakhalin, each country binding itself not to fortify its half of the island, and Japan assuming an obligation not to fortify the La Perouse strait, between Sakhalin and Hokkaido, which would bar Russias commercial route to the Pacific.
 New Treaty to be Wonderfully
 Friendly Document.
 The plenipotentiaries went further They decided to add a new clause in the nature of a broad provision for mutual commercial privileges by which each country will secure for the other the benefit of the most favored na- tion' clause and the "open door," The new treaty will, therefore, be a won- derfully friendly document of char acter almost to raise the suspicion that the two countries have not negotiated
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