The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-08-08
W|TTE |S FIRST AT PORTSMOUTH CIty Disappointed by Delay of
 the EnV0ys COMMENTS ON JAP REPORTS Says If All Stories Sent Out of Toklo Were True Russia Would
 Have No Army
 Left
COMMENTS ON JAP REPORTS

was great disappointment in this city over the delay in the arrival of the Rus- sian and Japanese peace envoys. AL though notice was promptly given yester- day by Rear Admiral Meade of tho Portsmouth navy yard upon learning that the United States war ships bearing the representatives of Japan and Russia has been delayed by fog at Newport, the news of the postponement of the functions had not reached many of the citizens of Poris- mouth and its enyirons.
 Consequently this section of New Hampshire was astlr early and by o'clock every electric line from the coun- try was bringing many sightseers. When the fact of the postponement became generally known there were many ex- pressions of disappointment but upon tho circulation of rumors of the possible arr rival of ships most of the crowd decided to have a holiday anyway.
 Hurry Orders Sent Out.
 The postponement of the functions ne- cesstated hurry orders to the state troops which were to arrive here from all parts of the state. Governor McI.ane was up at daylight dctating telegraphic orders to the troops to remain away until tonnor- row. Information was also dispatched to the congressional delegation of the state, the members of which had been invited to participate. During the forenoon Gov ernor McLane received telegram from Third Assistant Secretary Pierce at New port stating that on account of fog last night the Mayfiower and Dolphin and the Galveston, their convoy, would not arr rive until Tuesday morning and that the proposed exercises should be postponed twenty-four hours without Any change In the programme already arranged For. A formal notice was thereupon given to that effect.
 Tonight an answer to the numerous calls was received from the Dolphin stating that at dark she was of Cape Cod, seventy-five miles away. She was steaming slowly and those on board thought the cruiser would reach the har- bor about o'clock tomorrow morning. Witte Arrives in Portsmouth.
 Mir. Witte arrived in this city tonight at 11;15 o'clock. He was enabled to avoid crowd of several hundred people as- sembled at the railroad station through the train stopping at a crossing about q quarter of q mile from the depot. Three automobiles were awaiting and the party was at once taken to the Hotel Went worth, about four miles distant. Mir. Wittes automobile had gone about half a mile when 1t met with an accident. and was obliged to stop abruptly. Mir. Witte was transferred to another automobleand then started for the hotel, arriving there at II :45 o'clock
 On the way from Boston Mir. Witte dic- tated a statement concerning dispatches from Tokio. Mr. Witte's statement Is as follows:
 Discredts the Reports.
 'I have read the telegram from To- kio that the Japanese captured 10000 Rus sian soldiers in the island of Sakhalln during the recent operations there. Now. so far as I know, the whole garrison in Sakhalin does not consists of more than 4000. It is a known fact that the Rus sian soldiers don't surrender, and if we take into consideration that some of the soldiers of the garrison were killed. then the number of captured could not even reach 4000. I don't wish at all to minimize the success or bravery of the Japanese, but at the same time all the people of Russia and myself cannot help being sur prised at the cables which have reached us during the war from Tokio. According to them, If all those Russian soldiers which have from time to time been re- ported from Toklo as captured, killed or wounded by the Japanese, Russia would not at this time possess any army at all. and then my journey to the United States would be quite supernuous. Read ing these cables q well-known Russian proverb comes to my memory. l might translate 1t thus:
 "'One exaggerates fact, but there is limit to exaggeration
 Mir. Witte since his arrival in this country has shown much interest in tha dispatches from the seat of the Japanese government. His statement was made after reading recent report issued by the authorities of Tokio
 Mir. Witte was asked if he cared to make any statement concerning the ques- tions to be considered at the peace con ference. He answered that there was nothing he wished to say on the subject. because he believed the present was not an opportune moment.