"While unduly delaying to hand their reply whenever they had to make one, they have, on the other hand, eagerly augmented their naval and military preparations in the Far East. In fact, large Russian forces are already on the Korean frontier. "The Japanese Government, animated by a sincere desire for peace, have been exercising the utmost degree of patience, but now they are relunctantly compelled by the action of Russia to give up all hopes of reconciliation, to break off the negotiation, and to take such independent action as may be necessary for defending Japan's rights and interests." THE RUSSIAN CASE ST. PETERSBURG, February 9th. An official communiqué is published to-day giving the Russian account of the negotiations which led to the rupture of diplomatic relations between Russia and Japan. It says: "Last year the Tokio Cabinet, on the pretext of establishing the balance of power and a more settled order of things on the shores of the Pacific, submitted to the Imperial Government a proposal for the revision of existing treaties with Korea. Russia consented, and in consequence of the establishment at that time of a Viceroyalty in the Far East, Admiral Alexeieff was charged by Imperial command to draw up a project for a new understanding with Japan, with the co-operation of the Russian Minister at Tokio, who was entrusted with the negotiations with the Japanese Government. In spite of the fact that the exchange of views with the Tokio Cabinet on this subject took a friendly character, Japanese social circles and the local and foreign press attempted in every way to produce a warlike ferment among the Japanese and to bring the Government into armed conflict with Russia. "Under the influence of such feeling, the Tokio Cabinet began to put forward greater and greater demands in the negotiations, at the same time taking the most extensive measures to make the country ready for war. All these circumstances could, of course, not disturb Russia's equanimity; but they induced her also on her part, to take due military and naval measures. "Nevertheless, in order to preserve peace in the Far East, Russia, in so far as her incontestable rights and interests permitted, gave the necessary attention to the wishes manifested by the Tokio Cabinet, and declared herself ready, in virtue of the conditions of an understanding, to recognise Japan's privileged commercial and economic position in the Korean Peninsula, with the concession of the right to protect that position by armed force in the event of disturbance in the country. At the same time, while rigorously observing the fundamental principle of her policy regarding Korea, whose independence and integrity were guaranteed by previous understandings with Japan and treaties with other Powers, Russia insisted (1) on the mutual and unconditional guarantee of this fundamental principle; (2) on the undertaking to use no part of Korea for strategic purposes, as authorisation of such action on the part of any foreign Power would be directly opposed to the principle of the independence of Korea; (3) on the preservation of full freedom of navigation through the Strait of Korea. “The_project, elaborated in such a sense, did not satisfy the Japanese Government, which in its last proposals not only declined to accept the conditions which were to constitute a guarantee of the independence of Korea, but also began at the same time to insist on provisions affecting the question of Manchuria being incorporated in the said project. Such demands on the part of Japan were naturally inadmissible. The question of Russia's position in Manchuria concerns in the first place China herself, and then all the Powers having commercial interests in China. The Imperial Government, therefore, saw absolutely no reason to include in a special treaty with Japan regarding Korean affairs any provisions concerning territory occupied by Russian troops. The Imperial Government, however, does not refuse, so long as the occupation of Manchuria lasts, to recognise both the sovereignty of the Bogdo Khan (Emperor of China) in Manchuria and the privileges acquired there by the Powers through treaties with China. A declaration to this effect has already been made to the foreign Cabinets. "In view of this, the Imperial Government, in charging its representative at Tokio to present its reply to the last proposals of Japan, was justified in expecting that the Tokio Cabinet would take into account the importance of the considerations set forth above, and would appreciate the wish manifested by Russia to come to a peaceful understanding with Japan. Instead of this the Japanese Government, without even awaiting this reply, decided to break off negotiations and to suspend diplomatic intercourse with Russia. The Imperial Government, while laying upon Japan the full responsibility for any consequence of such a course of action, will await the development of events, and, the moment it becomes necessary, will take the most decisive measures for the protection of its interests in the Far East." INDEX Abdurrahman, 518, 520, 688-90 Abyssinia, Church of, 623 : Afghanistan army of, 519; British relations with, 512, 520, 626, 688-90; Afridis, 492 Agricultural implements, 100-1; labour, 97-9, 113, 117, 121-3; societies, Agriculture: Central Committee of, 31; importance of, in Russia, 78-80; Aigun, Convention of, 467 Aksakoff, M., 20, 43-4 Alcohol laws concerning, 296-300; State monopoly of, 274, 276, 299- Andijan, 501, 508, 511 Anglo-Japanese Alliance, 453, 464, 486, 616, 617, 682-3 Anglo-Russian Agreements, 450, 544, 647-55, 679-80, 686-7 Area of Caucasus, 577; Central Asia, 493; Finland, 334; Russia in Armenia: Church property in, 594-5; massacres in, 589, 592, 593; Russifi- cation of, 589, 591; schools in, 591; expulsions from, 593 Army disaffection in, 30; expenditure on, 278-80 Artel (co-operative labour association), 99, 185-7, 198-9 Autocracy, 23, 40 Austro-Hungarian Empire, 610-2, 620 Baghdad Railway, 5, 569-72, 621 Bahrain Islands, 548 Baikal, Lake, 207, 371 Baku, 27, 167, 207, 244, 584, 586-7 Balance free (see Budgets); of trade, 270-1, 312-4 Balkan States, 47, 613-20 Baltic Ports, 219, 227, 361-3 Baltic Provinces: agriculture of, 359-60; constitutional rights of, 356; Banking, 257-68, 435-6 Banks land, 258-62; nobles', 16, 67, 258-62; peasants', 67, 259-62; of Bannermen in Manchuria, 472 Barley export of, 103-4, 243; production of, 102, 499 Batum, 223, 506, 584-5 Beetroot, 107-8 Berlin, Treaty of, 613 Bezobrazoff, M., 71-2, 644 Black Mould zone, 83, 88-9, 134, 140 Blagovestchensk, massacre at, 451 Bogarny (non-irrigated fields), 498-9 Bogoliepoff, M., 24-5, 27 Bokhara, 207, 489-90, 496, 521, 601 Boundary Commissions, 492, 513-5, 556, 686-7, 689 Boxers, in China, 451 British foreign policy, 604, 620-34, 644-5, 703-4 Bucker (German plough), 101 Budgets: amount of, 272-4, 704-7; analysis of, 271-85, 307-9, 312; com- Bulgaria, 47, 616-20 Bunder Abbas, 537-8, 548, 553 Bushire, 548-51, 568 Bussorah, 549-51, 566 Butter trade: of Baltic Provinces, 360; of Finland, 339; of Russia, 112, 243, 247; of Siberia, 419-21 Carpets, 505, 547, 559, 568 Caspian Sea, 142, 207, 511, 526, 575 Cassini Convention, 446, 663-6 Cattle rearing: in Russia, 110-2, 117; in Siberia, 418-9, 421-3; in Caucasus agriculture of, 583; brigandage in, 580-2; climate of, 577-8; Cellulose trade, 179, 340 Chemicals: State monopoly of, 311 China British rights in, 628; integrity guaranteed, 448; partition of, : 630-1; railways in, 449-51 Chinese in Amur Province, 397, 408; in Manchuria, 474 Chinese Turkestan, 523-5 Class distinctions in Russia, 34-6 Clergy, 37-8 Climate of Caucasus, 577-8; Finland, 334-5; Manchuria, 471; Russia, 4, Coal: crisis in trade, 166-7; imports of, 166-7, 248, 342; production of, in Coasting trade, 221-6 Colonies of dissenters, 599; German, 122-3; Socialistic, 52 |