| Show representative of japanese government confers with the president russia refuses to acknowledge defeat in present war portsmouth N H aug 21 the emperors reply to mr transmitting the proposition of president roosevelt has not been received up to noon today and was not expected until tomorrow at the earliest it is therefore likely there will be a final show of hands at tomorrows session of the plenipotentiaries the japanese today notified the firm from which they rented a common safe tor their papers at the hotel to take out the sate and render their bill this afternoon both the russians and japanese have almost finished the preparations of the protocols to be at tho meeting of the conference tomorrow afternoon the feature of the protocols Is the presentation of resolutions advanced by both sides tor the divergence of views upon the articles upon which no arge ement was reached in article five the cession of sakhalin Sak halin the japanese claim that they aro entitled to the island as well by reason of their natural rights to its possession as because of its present occupation by the japanese forces the russians on the contrary insist that up to 1850 japan had never claimed any right to sakhalin Sak halin and at that time only 25 unmarried japanese lived in the south of the island during the fishing season admiral opened the eyes of the japanese to the value of lin when he went there is 1854 and initiated negotiations for the possession ot the entire island by russia it was then that japan in order to make good her claims tried to colonize the island and stated that the alno race which lives there belonged to the same family as the original inhabitants ot he northern islands ott japan in 1859 governor general of amur tried to persuade japan to yield her claim to the south part ot sakhalin Sak halin but did not succeed as the americans had already bagun to support the japanese in their attitude against hussla the reports of all the russian consuls in sakhalin Sak halin up to the year 1870 stated that the japanese efforts to colonize he island haa failed because of the rigorous climate the negotiations between russia and japan started in 1855 and continued for 20 years ending with the treaty of 1875 by which the sovereignty of russia over the whole island was recognized with regards to article nine the protocol repeats the arguments already set forth several times in the associated press dispatches the japanese claim reimbursement for the expenses of tho war on the ground that they were forced by dussias Rus sias aggressions to resort to arms for self preservation and having been victorious at all points on sea and land are entitled to reimbursement russia on the contrary daniea absolutely that japan Is in a position to dictate such a condition as russia does not acknowledge defeat and appeared at the conference not imploring mercy but because of ler love of peace and her lo 10 conclude on an honorable basis russia declares that a claim tor indemnity under the circumstances Is unprecedented and reviews the historical occasions where indemnity was ald in support of her contentions most of these precedents have already been made public in connection with a recent interview with mr de martens the protocol also states that russia throughout her history has never paid a war indemnity not even when napoleon the great invaded the muscovite empire in 1812 and occupied moscow with regard to article ten the interned warships japan insists that the surrender of interned warships which have sought refuge in neutral ports as a spoil of war is not contrary to international law russia however asserts that international law affords no precedent for a claim for the possession of property in the safekeeping ot neutral powers finally with regard to article eleven the limitation of the russian naval power in the far east the japanese abert that it is to secure a lasting peace russia rejects the whole idea as being offensive to russian honor and dignity while declining however to place such an article in a treaty she is willing to make declaration that she has no intention 0 attempting to threaten the naval position of japan or any other power in the far east |
