The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1905-02-24
NEITHER SIDE
SCORES VICTORY
North Sea Commission Sought Mid.
die Ground.
ADMIRALS GIVE BANQUET
REAR ADMIRAL DAVIS STARTS
HOME MARCH q.

n ARTS, Feb. 2S.-The international
commission appointed to inquire
into the North sea incident prac-
tically concluded its work tonight by
finally agreeing to the report. which
will be publicly announced at the clos
ing session, to be held at O'Clock next
Saturday Concerning the general ma
ture of the report the following state
ment was made in a. most authori-
tative quarter to the Associated Press:
when the text of the decision be-
comes known it will be more accepta BILE
to the press and public than they have
been led to believe. The semi-official
summaries appearing. while more or
less accurate, tend too strongly TO show
Russian success. but as a matter of
fact the admirals have sought a middle
ground, and the decision is not a pro-
nOunced victory for either side. 1t is
of such character as to preserve Rus
sia's Self-reSpect and at the same time
give the British public much ground
for satisfaction If anything, the de-
cisiOn is rather more favorable to
Great Britain than to Russia
The Havas Statement.
On the other hand, the Havas agency
tonight confirmed it's semi-officiaI
statement of last night. 1t says:
The conclusions, as a whole, are
quite favorable to Russia, recognizing
that Admiral Rojestvensky could Ie-
ultimately consider himself i'm danger
and act as he did However. the report
contains reservations calculated to
satisfy British susceptibiIities. the
most important being that the commits
sion esteems that the Russian fire
lasted too long and also that Rojest-
vensky should have speedily notified
the British maritime authorities of the
deplorable incident. Upon the ques-
ton of the presence of torpedo boats.
the commission frees all navies from
the imputation.
Questions and Answers.
THE commission rejected a motion
of Admiral Beaumont Great Britain)
blaming the Russian crews. The con-
illusions are said to be in the form of
questions whereto the commissioners
state their answers either unanimously
or as a majority
The American officials are strongly
inclined to accept the view first stated.
that the decision is more favorable to
Great Britain than to Russia.
The four foreign admiraIs gave a
banquet tonight in honor of the pre-
siding officer Admiral Fournier
CFrance). The latter will return the
compliment on Saturday. President
Loubet will give a luncheon in honor
of the commission at the EIysee palace
Sunday.
Rear Admiral Charles II. Davis
Omitted States). and his aide, Ensign
William F. Bricker, have taken pas
sage on the Finland, sailing March
from Antwerp. The AdmiraFs wife
and daughter remain for a tour OF
Italy.
Russians ExuIt.
St Petersburg. Feb. 24-(2 a. MI
The intimation that the decision of the
international commission on the Hull
affair will be favorable to Russia is re-
ceived with much quiet exultation i'm
admiralty circles and by the St. Peters
burg public. where it is felt to show the
baselessness of the senseless cIarnor''
against Vice Admiral Rojestvensl<y.
Naval officers always have maintained
ton as il was presented by the press
of Great Britain, and believed Rojest-
vensky was amply justified in taking
all precautions for the safety of his
fleet, especially in view of the warm
mgS, the seriousness of which appar-
emily was not realized elsewhere. and
We're convinced that a commission of
impartial experts would take the same
view. Hence the report is accepted
without surprise. though il has not been
announced officially.