The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-12-20
INTRIGUING AGAINST VIHTE.
RUSSIAN FOREIGN OFFICE rs
AGAIN A STORM CENTRE.
Charges es Lack of Patriotism Banded
Over Portsmouth Treaty Fisheries
and Rivers I'm the Far East Cause Frtc-
tiOu-Germsny blamed for Boxers.

~
and Rivers In the Far East Cause Frtc-
uon-Germany blamed for Boxers.
Special Cable Despatch 10 THE SUN.
ST. PETERSBURG, Dec. le.-The upper
world OF Russian politics has 80 completely
recovered from its dread OF internal troubles
that IL has resumed its old regular occupa-
ton Of OFFICIAL intri que. It is the control
Of Russian foreign affairs that Is the prize
In the struggle which is now proceeding
as busily and as unscrupulously as in the
lays Of Count Mouravief md before the
advent OF Count Lamsdorff's colorless
personality reduced the Ministry Of For
eign Affairs to a mere clerking department.
Members of the imperial court n the
fashionable military world are assiduously
repeating that Count White has set his
mind on becoming Foreign Minister. They
nave succeeded in agitating the friends
Of Baron Iswolsky, Minister OF Foreign
Affairs, to the extent that that Ministry
is maintaining a press campaign over the
obstacles in the way Of the completion OF
a Russo-Japanese agreement. The object
in view is to demonstrate to the military
world and the class Of persons who influence
the Gar that Count Wit te proved him
self an unpatrotic and careless repre-
sentative Of Russia when he assented to
the drafting Of the Portsmouth treaty.
For the present Count Witte is placed
in such a position that for the sake of prov
ing himself as ardent a patriot as Baron
Isvolsky he will be compelled to put an
extreme construction upon that part OF
the treaty covering fishing rights and
fuvial navigation on Russia's Pacific sea-
board such as II would be difficult for
iurists to substantiate from reading the
eleventh clause as adopted at Portsmouth.
DIFFICULTIES under this head arose as soon
as the Russian and Japanese representa-
tives exchanged their proposed drafts here
two months ago, but it was only during the
last ten days, when Count White began TO
show a desire 10 Renter the public service,
that the Foreign Office chose TO raise a
public controversy unfavorable to him.
Evidently there is no final deadlock,
for Baron Isvolsky's view is given to-day
that while Russia's claim is right in law
there remains the political element in the
case. The Minister holds,
Besides Japan there are other countries
interested in depriving Russia Of the ex-
elusive right 10 navigate the Sungari River.
which she incontestably possesses. We
must therefore consider the negotiable
value Of our rights in case il becomes neces-|
sary to give new proof that we arc sincere
in our policy Of an open door
The most interesting revelation OF the
discussion is that Count Whites friends
now represent him as having been through
GU: anti-German during the times when
the Kaiser dragged the Gar after him in
establishing military posts in Chinese terri
tory. M. Feodoroff, Count Whites former
assist ant, writes that Count Witte fully
ascribed all the troubles in China to Ger
many's initiative in seizing Chinese terri
torv, which aroused the patriotism OF the
Boxers, and he opposed Russia's last Chinese
campaign.
In contrast TO this expression Of discOn-
tent with Russia following the German
lead, II is remarked that Baron Isvolsky' q
I recent visit to Berlin was a complete sue
cess fromthe German point Of view, andthai
it was a personal success in the sense that he
il already in a much more intimate position
bet ween thetwo Emperors than any Russian
Minister since Count Muravieff. II the
dissolution OF the Reichstag should result
adversely to Chancellor Won Buelow, il
would damage Baron Isvolsky's position
here