Weekly journal-miner., 1917-01-24
REBOUNDS ID THE BENEFIT
 OF JAPAN
MATERIAL ADVANTAGES GAINED BY THE NIPPON ESE IN R A P P R O A C H. MENT WITH RUSSIA.
Associated Press Correspondence.

Associated Press Correspondence.
 LONDON, Jan. 22-According to information through Russian sources,
 the recent rapproachment between
 Russia and Japan is likely to have more far-reaching effect than is
 shown in the formal treaty signed at Tokio and made public. The formal treaty had plantonic assurance that neither country will attack the other, and in case of difference both coun-
 tries will consult with a view of ad-
 justmcnt. But Russian officials who were in Japan at the time of the nc- gotiations, and are now here en route homeward, say certain collateral agreements made in conjunction with the treaty, give it real and practical bearing and arc really moro important than the treaty itself.
 One of these collateral features as described by the Russian officials, is the withdrawal of Japanese troops stationed as a guard in Central and Western Manchuria. The presence of these troops, while not an aggressive move, has been considered sufficient menace to require the presence of a like Russian force in Eastern Siberia, along the border of Manchuria. The withdrawal of the Japanese troops is said to be of great advantage to Rus sia, as it now permits the large force of Russian soldiers, hitherto held in active, 10 be transferred to the west ern fighting front. This feature, which is not expressed in the treaty, is said to be one of the chief corrollaries from the formal agreement not to at tack each other.
 Other features agreed upon are said to be in extension and development of the terms Japan received under the treaty of Portsmouth. Following that treaty the great trunk railway running north from Port Arthur and Dclncy through Southern Manchuria passed under Japanese control This control is now to be further extended northward, from Shangtung to Har- bin, thus giving Japan authority over practically all of the great trunk lines through Manchuria.
 Another extension of Japan's com mcrcial authority will be on the Sum gari river, one of the great branches of the Amur, heretofore restricted in trade to Russia, but now to be open throughout its length to the conn mercc of Japan. The Sungari is 800 miles long and its adjacent commerce is so great that the region has the distinctive name of Sungaria.
 The Portsmouth treaty also gave Japan onc-half of the Island of Sak- halin lying off the Russian Pacific coast, and practically a part of the Japanese group of islands as it is sep ,ratcd from Yczo only by a narrow strait. Under the new agreement it is said that Japan will acquire the other lalf of Sakhalin at the conclusion of he war, thus extending her authority ,vcr the entire island, with an area ,f some 30,000 square miles, and com- 'leting her control of all the islands n the Japanese groups.
 Referring to the effect of the treaty not only the formal text but the effects of the present and uture as above summarizcd-a dis Russian said:
 Russia gets immediate advantages n the release of her Siberian troops or her western fighting front. But T commercial and territorial advan- ages Japan secures exceptional ad- antagcs, her extension of territory eing greater than any of the bcllig- rent allies has secured during the ar"