Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-03-06
M. BAKM { TEFF HERE
THE NEW RUSSIAN AMBASSADOR
TO JAPAN

NJ George Bakmeteff first Russian am
bassador to Japan since the Russo-Jap-
anese war, arrived in Washington last
night, where he will be for some days, and
is stopping at the home of his sister-in-law,
Mrs. John r. Mclean. NJ Bakmeteff s visit
to Washington is not official, but while here
he will see Ambassador Rosen, who pre-
ceded him in Toxic.
This is by no means NJ Bakmeteff's first
visit to Washington. His wife Miss
Mamie Beale daughter of Gen. BeaIe and
M Bakmeteff was himself stationed in WASH
ington when the Russian embassy was still
a legation. Since then he has been here
several times with his wife. He remarked
today that he found very little change in
the city since he last saw 1t, and stroll
down Pennsylvania avenue felt just as IA
miliar as ever. He will be here for ten
days, and is naturally fully engaged with
social obligations. He will call on President
Roosevelt at the White House, but that will
not be his first meeting with the President,
either, for he knew him when he was first
clVfl service commissioner in Washington.
The ambassador ard Nine. Bakmeteff will
go direct from here to San Francisco, and
sail on the I'D.
Prospects That Await Him.
Speaking of the prospects that awaited
him on the other side of the warld. NJ
war was over it would be as though it
had never happened He said:
1T was a war that did nobody any
good. Neither we nor Japan are the
better off for 1T, and it will be forgotten
as quickly as possible. My instructions
are to do everything possible to make
the relations of the two countries as cor
dial as can be, and l know that is the
spirit in which | will be received In
fact L met the japanese representatives
In Paris and Vienna when 1 was coming
on here and we were all glad to meet
and they assured me that they were glad
to see me going to take up the old re-
iations. suspect really that the re-
lations in Japan will be better now than
if there had been no war"
The ambassador was asked about the
frequently circulated report of pending
kusso-Japanese alliance, but he merely
laughed. You see he explained, that
We are allies of France and we fought
her twice, once in 1914 and again in '55.
1t does not seem there is anything in
two nations having fought that would
prevent them subsequently from becom-
ing allies"
A New Commercial Treaty.
NJ. Bakmeteff seemed to be more inter-
ested In the commercial than the strictly
political aspect of affairs and mentioned
the fact that there was to be a new COM
mercial treaty between Russia and japan
as soon as it could be drawn. This will be
done at st. Petersburg. with the assistance
of experts in the various lines that will be
aHected by It. But the work will all be
done In Russia and there will be no Japan
ese end to it except the ratification of the
document in Toxic
When asked whether Japan and Russia
might not make formidable, though lnfor-
NAL, commercial allies against the rest of
the world NJ Bakmeteff professed not to
have considered that end of the problem
He said that there was. of course an i'm
mense production of raw material in east
ern Russia, and Japan was by training and
environment manufacturing country. but
the future relations of the manufacturer
and the producer We're stiIl In the air
The new ambassador brought with him
from Paris a very fine French bulldog.
which he will take with him to Japan and
Mime. Bakmeteff is the owner of a very fine
little Yorkshire terrier which is also going
to make the long journey to Toxic