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Show JAPAN MAKES Sends Reply to Me Department. Declares False the Russian ' Charges of Neutrality Violations. , Counter-Allegations. Against Russia, . and Snys No Anu-Foreign Movement Move-ment Exists in China. WASHINGTON, Jan. 30. The Japaneso Govornment has mado verbal denial to Iho Stato department here and, It Is understood, un-derstood, to other Governments, ot the Russian charges of the' violations of Chinese Chi-nese neutrality during tho present war. Tho Japaneso 'Statement, Just mado public, pub-lic, is couched Inistrong language. It says that, whilo It Is not Japan's duty to defend China In this case, yot so far as the good faith and Joyalty of Japan arc called Into question, tho authorities of tho country feel bound to repel tho charges. These arc taken up seriatim, beginning with tho Ryeshltelni Incident, which, the verbal note declared, was nothing more than the adoption by Japan of Just and inevltablo measures of sclf-defenso made necessary by Russia's violation of Chinese Chi-nese neutrality. The charge that Chinese Chi-nese brigands were commanded by Japaneso Japa-neso officers and enrolled In their army, and that Japaneso military Instructors were with tho Chinese soldiers on tho border, is declared to be without any foundation whatever; and Russia Is challenged chal-lenged to produce nny evidence In support sup-port of this charge. It is denied that Japan has used tho Mlatoa Islands as a naval base, but it is declared that Russia has so used the Islands, and that a Japanese merchantman merchant-man was sunk In the islands' waters last March by a Russian man-of-war. War Supplies at Chefoo. The Japaneso admit that they have procured pro-cured war supplies from Chefoo. but insist in-sist that these came through private parties, par-ties, and that the transactions were legitimate; le-gitimate; while Russia, It is alleged, has fitted out and loaded a ship In Chinese waters, In Uagrant violation of Chlncso neutrality. ; It Is denied that pig-Iron was supplied to the Japaneso army by the Chinese Government shops at Hangyang. and this is also said to have been a legitimate . transaction botwecn Individuals. Respecting Respect-ing the charge that China Is scrlouoly preparing to cngago In the war, the note says: "It Is difficult to imagine how It would be posslblo to framo charges more mischievous mis-chievous or more remoto from actual facts than these. That the Chinese aro making preparations of anv kind Is entirely destitute des-titute of truth, riil thero Is no antl-for-eign movement China. From tho beginning be-ginning Japan has urged China to maintain main-tain neutrality and to protect foreigners. It Is abundantly clear that the motive of the Russian Government In formulating formulat-ing baseless accusations was to relieve Itself of an engagement, tho terms of which, with tho progress of tho war, no longer Inured mainly to Its advantage." Shows Bussian Violations. Tho note Is supported by a detailed statement under eight heads, intended to show wherein Russia on her part has violated vio-lated Chinese neutrality. Briefly, these Incidents are connected with: The alleged appropriation by Russia of Manchurlan military stores and provisions; provis-ions; the charter of the German merchant steamer Fooplng at Chefoo to carry Russian Rus-sian arms; the dispatch of 3.0W.CO0 small-arm small-arm cartridges from Kalgan to Port Arthur; Ar-thur; the establishment of wireless telegraph tele-graph communications between Port Arthur Ar-thur and Chefoo; the' unwarrantable delay de-lay of the Russian. gunboat Man'djur In disarming at Shanghai: tho flight of Russian Rus-sian soldiers and sailors from tho Ryeshltelni Rye-shltelni when they were reported to be Interned; the aid extended at Chefoo to Russian soldiers fleolng from Port Arthur, Ar-thur, and the maintenance of a large Russian Rus-sian force in the region west of Llacho, in violation of the agreement to limit tho theater of the war. |
