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Show t.v.::::: , ir-.n:i 2.-- .- lowir.j au.horl t'.it?:r.:r.t receive 1 'trora Ms C 3 e r:.rr.r r.t Is lvei cut ty the Japanese I'lr.Iier: "The r.ustlaa Government ta charged Japan with havlrj treacherously treacher-ously obtained a victory by a sjilen attack upoa r.ussla. who was tent oa raalntalnlry race. It la further aa- ; i ; ;it .:'.;.! t -t t:.ice a tj;: .s cf t '. it: 3 r.::.t::rs can never l:c'-?i v;oa es t'..e c;r.lr.r cf I fcor ar.l i!n-e Jar -.a not la-i la-i sue a O.v'. rat!-a cf wtr ur.t.l the. 11th cf rev-uary. it has tea r :'-ty cf a f.atra:-t trei-h cf the princes cf la-ternatloi la-ternatloi il law la makirr, as early as the 8th cf February, most unwarrantable unwarrant-able attacks on Russian men-of-war and merchant vessels. The answer to these charges may be found in the action of Russia herself. That her Government never entertained enter-tained any sincere desire for peace can be clearly seen from Its own conduct Throughout the whole course of the negotiations ne-gotiations Russia persistently refused to meet the proposals mada by Japan in a moderate and conciliatory spirit. These delays could not be construed aa otherwise than wanton and unnecessary unneces-sary She put off the settlement of the questions at Issue, while at the same time busily extending her naval and military preparations. NAVAL STRENGTH INCREASED. "Her warlike preparation In the far East had been underway since ' last April, when she failed to carry out her treaty engagements. During that time the Increase made In her naval strength In the far East was as foUows: ' "Three battleships, tonnage 88,488; one armored cruiser, tonnage 7727; five cruisers, tonnage 2S.417; seven destroyers, destroy-ers, tonnage 2460; one gunboat, tonnage, 1234; two vessels for laying mines, tonnage. ton-nage. 6000; total number of vessels, nineteen, with a total tonnage of 82.415. In addition to these vessels the Russian Rus-sian Government sent torpedo destroyers destroy-ers In sections by rail to Port Arthur, where the work of putting them together to-gether has been hastened and seven of them have already been completed. Furthermore, two vessels of the volunteer volun-teer fleet were armed at Vladivostok and hoisted the Russian naval ensign. The Russian Government also ordered to the far East one battleship, three cruisers, three destroyers and four torpedo tor-pedo boats, of a total tonnage of about 30,744, which would have Joined the Russian squadron In the far East had not circumstance subsequently compelled com-pelled Russia to recall them. These vessels, If added to the others brought to the far East during the progress of negotiations, would have made a total Increase in Russia's naval strength of about 113,000 tons. "During the same period the increase of Russia's land forces In the far East has been equally marked. Since the 29th of last June, when under the pretext pre-text of trial transportation' on the Siberian Si-berian railway, the Russian Government Govern-ment sent to China two Infantry brigades, bri-gades, two artillery battalions and' a large force of cavalry; troops have been constantly sent by military train from Russia to the far East until the Russian Rus-sian force was over 40,000. At the same time plans were being made for sending, send-ing, if necessary, over 200,000 men more. "During the same period there has been the greatest activity possible at Port Arthur and at Vladivostok, and work has been carried on day and night to strengthen the fortifications of those naval ports; while forts have been built at Hunchun, Llao Yang and other oth-er strategic points, and large quantities quanti-ties of arms and ammunition have been sent to the far East by the Siberian railway and the vessels of the volunteer volun-teer fleet "In the middle of October last a train of fourteen cars was hurriedly sent from Russia laden with the equipment of a field hospital. From these military mili-tary and naval preparation of every description, made during the progress of the negotiations. It Is quite evident that Russia was not Inclined to a friendly settlement of the questions then under- discussion between Japan and herself, but sought solely by her military preponderance to force Japan into submission. During the latter part of January and up to the beginning of February Russian military activity was still further Intensified. "On January 21st about two battalions bat-talions of Infantry and a detachment of cavalry were sent from Port Arthur and Dalny to. the northern frontier of Korea, and an January 28th a formal order to prepare for war was given by Admiral Alexleff to the forces which were stationed In the vicinity of the Yalu. On February 1st the military commandant at Vladivostok, under the order of his Government, requested the Japanese commercial agent at that port to notify his nation that a state of siege might be proclaimed at any moment and they must make immediate imme-diate preparations to withdraw to Habnrovsk. About the same date all of the warships at Port Arthur, except a battleship then under repairs, made a naval demonstration by leaving port, while troops were advanced In large numbers from Llao Yang toward the Yalu. In view of these facts who can say that Russia had no war-like intentions inten-tions or that she was unprepared) for war? "Seeing that the situation had become be-come so critical that It admitted of no further delay, .the Japanese Government Govern-ment was compelled, to break off negotiations nego-tiations that had proved .abortive and to take the necessary steps for self-protection. But the responsibility for the challenge to war rests not with Japan, but solely with Russia. "On the 6th of February Japan announced an-nounced to Russia her decision to terminate ter-minate the pending negotiations and to take such independent action aa she might deem best to defend her position menaced by Russia, and to protect her established rights and legitimate Interests. In-terests. At the same time the Government Govern-ment of Japan Informed the Russian Government that as Its moderate and unselfish proposals in the interest of a firm and lasting peace in the far East had not received the consideration which was' their due, Japan had resolved re-solved to sever her diplomatic relations with Russia, which for the reason named had ceased- to possess value, and to withdraw her legation. "The term Independent action' naturally Included the opening of hostilities hos-tilities The fact that Russia was unable un-able to understand it In that light Is. of course, no reason why Japan should be responsible for the misinterpretation made by Russia. It is the almost unanimous - opinion of international jurist that a declaration of war is not an indispensable prerequisite to the opening of hostilities. Indeed, It has been the common practice in recent wars to declare war after hostilities have been begun. Japan's action, therefore, is not open to the least criticism criti-cism In this regard. From the standpoint stand-point of International law it must be understood! that the charges made against her do not come with good grace from Russia, Inasmuch as there ara not only many historical Instances of Russia herself resorting to hostilities without declaration of war, but one case, that of her invasion of Finland In 1808, when she began war before there had even been a rupture of diplomatic diplo-matic relations." I |