on the Exchange of St. Petersburgh. || Count Lamsdorff had been utterly unable to account for them, as he knew of a certainty that no military movements were likely to take place except in preparation for embarking those troops which were to be withdrawn from Manchuria by sea. He was not aware of Newchwang having been yet evacuated, and there was certainly no intention to send any more troops there. || Count Lamsdorff went on to say that he had ascertained that all these false reports had been telegraphed in the same form to different parts of the world, and, he believed, originated from some Agency at Yokohama, possibly in order to carry out some coup on foreign Exchanges, but the attempt was a most mischievous and dangerous one; equally unaccountable were the reports which hay been disseminated from Peking of Russian designs, and of the conclusion of a new Convention with China containing further detailed conditions for the evacuation of Manchuria. || Nothing of the kind was, he said, taking place; the Russian Chargé d'Affaires had simply been in negotiation with the Chinese Government in order to obtain certain indispensable guarantees in accordance with the engagements which China had undertaken under the Manchurian Convention, for the adequate protection of Russia's important interests in that province, the protection of her frontier, and of the costly railway which Russia had constructed to Port Arthur, and of the commercial interests of that important artery of trade. || There was no intention of departing from the published declarations and assurances which had been given with regard to the evacuation of Manchuria, or infringing on the Treaty rights of other Powers, and far from desiring to place any obstacle whatever in the way of foreign trade with Manchuria, the Russian Government in the interest of their own railway were only too anxious to forward its development by every possible means. || I said that I had certainly read all the sensational reports to which his Excellency had been referring, some of them of a very confused and contradictory nature, but that I had had no occasion or authority to mention them to him, still less to imply the slightest doubt of the Emperor's intentions to strictly carry out the engagements with China and the public assurances and declarations which had been repeatedly given in connection with them. || It was true, however, that these reports had created great sensation in England, and I saw that your Lordship had been grateful to his Excellency for authorizing Count Benckendorff to give him the reassuring explanations which had been communicated to Parliament. || Count Lamsdorff said that he had been glad to be able to do so, and he seemed to thoroughly appreciate the manner in which this delicate incident had been treated by His Majesty's

Government. He said, however, that as regarded public opinion and the press in England, he thought that the exercise of a little common sense should have satisfied any one that if it had been considered in the interest of Russia to take permanent possession of Manchuria or annex it to the Empire, she could easily have done so on the outbreak of the disturbances, on the just ground that China had attacked and practically made war on Russian territory. || I said that, had she done so, I was afraid no true friend of Russia would have been able to compliment her on the wisdom or value of such an embarrassing addition to her responsibilities. Count Lamsdorff smiled, and said that they would be quite right, and that it was for that very reason that he had resolutely refused ever to countenance such an idea, as the acquisition of Manchuria would be a hindrance rather than a gain, and it would not secure more protection for their frontier or railway than they hoped to secure by the arrangements which they were making with China in view of the withdrawal of the temporary occupation.

Nr. 13100. GROSSBRITANNIEN. Der Botschafter in Washington an den Minister des Ausw. Öffnung der mand

schurischen Häfen.

Peking, May 19, 1903. (May 19.)

(Telegraphic.) Manchuria. It is said that the immediate opening of the Treaty ports asked for by America is advocated by Chinese Treaty Commissioners at Shanghae. I am informed by United States' Minister that Russian Government has declared that it has absolutely no objection to the appointment of Consuls in Manchuria and opening of ports, but Russian Chargé d'Affaires has received no instructions in that sense.

(Telegraphic.) | Mr. Hay has heard from Japanese sources that the opening of the Treaty ports is still being opposed by the Russian Chargé d'Affaires. Accordingly, he has informed the Russian Ambassador here that he has instructed the United States' Minister at Peking, in view of the assurances given at St. Petersburgh, to make to M. Lessar, immediately on his arrival, the suggestion that a simultaneous communication to the effect that the Russian Government have now objection to the opening of the Treaty ports should be made by them to the Chinese

Government. || Mr. Hay has, I understand, proposed to Chinese Government, as a compromise, that the opening of the Treaty ports, instead of being included in the Treaty, shall be provided for by an exchange of notes.

Nr. 13102. GROSSBRITANNIEN. Der Gesandte in Tokio an den Minister des Ausw. Bericht über die Haltung

der japanischen Presse.

Tokio, April 30. 1903. (Juni 2).

As the date approached for the execution of the arrangements connected with the second stage of the Russian evacuation of Manchuria, the Japanese press showed no signs of excitement, and even when this date passed by without the promised evacuation taking place the papers maintained for some days the same quiet attitude. The „Jiji“, for instance, a paper always remarkable for its very moderate views, referring as late as the 19th April to the delay in the withdrawal of the Russian troops and the rendition of Newchwang, suggested that there was probably some not altogether insufficient reason for it, and expressed the conviction that Russia would not fail to carry out the stipulations of her Agreement with China. But it added at the same time, and similar language was held by other journals, that Japan could not allow Russia to obtain from China special privileges in Manchuria injurious to her own Treaty rights, and that if Russia advanced any such pretensions a grave situation would be created. And Japan's interest in the solution of the Manchurian difficulty was thus explained a day or two later by another paper, the „Asahi“: ,,The day that sees the establishment of Russia's suzerainty in Manchuria also sees that of the ,closed-door" policy. This would mean for Japan a defeat in the struggle for existence." When the rumours of fresh demands on the part of Russia in connection with her evacuation of Manchuria were confirmed, the Japanese papers generally adopted a less pacific tone.

Nr. 13103. GROSSBRITANNIEN. Der Botschafter in Washington an den Minister des Ausw. Verhandlungen zwischen den Vereinigten Staaten und Rußland über die Öffnung der Mandschurei.

Washington, June 2, 1903. (June 3.)

(Telegraphic.) || With reference to my telegram of the 23rd ultimo: || In reply to the suggestion of the United States' Minister at Peking, the

Russian Minister has informed him that Russia is not opposing the opening of Treaty ports in Manchuria, but that, without instructions from his Government to whom he has telegraphed, he cannot make a joint communication to the Chinese Government in the sense suggested.

Nr. 13104. GROSSBRITANNIEN.

Dasselbe.

Derselbe an Denselben.

Washington, June 4, 1903. (June 5.)

(Telegraphic.) || Manchuria. The Russian Ambassador here has assured the Secretary of State that his Government are not opposed to the opening of the ports, and the United States' Ambassador at St. Petersburgh, who is at present here on leave, brings similar information. || Mr. Hay accordingly hopes that the only opposition which he now has to meet will be from the Chinese Government, and he would therefore be grateful if Mr. Townley might be instructed to make a communication in support of the United States' Government's request at Peking. || Mr. Hay is making a suggestion to the Japanese Government in the same

sense.

Nr. 13105. GROSSBRITANNIEN.

Dasselbe.

Derselbe an Denselben.

Washington, June 6, 1903. (June 7.)

(Telegraphic.) || Manchuria. With reference to my telegram of the 4th instant, I learn that M. Lessar states that no instructions have reached him from his Government regarding Mr. Conger's request, but that Count Cassini yesterday addressed a note to Mr. Hay, inquiring what was the meaning attached by the United States' Government to the term „Treaty port", and what action they wished Russia to take. || In reply to the first inquiry Mr. Hay referred Count Cassini to the correspondence which passed between the Russian and United States' Governments in 1899, and in answer to the second he requested the Russian Government to inform the Chinese Government that it was not true that Russia was preventing the opening of the Treaty ports, in view of the Chinese statement to that effect. || Mr. Hay states that it is a matter of indifference to him whether the opening of the ports is secured by a Chinese Imperial Edict or by a Treaty.

Nr. 13106. GROSSBRITANNIEN. Der Gesandte in Peking an

den Minister des Ausw. Verhandlungen zwischen

Rußland und China.

Peking, June 12, 1903. (June 12.)

(Telegraphic.) | Evacuation of Manchuria. | Two days ago Prince Ching called on Russian Minister. The Prince, as I understand from a reliable source, refused to discuss any of the conditions except those relating to the establishment of a Newchwang Sanitary Board and the payment of customs duties into Russo - Chinese Bank. These might be open to reconsideration, he said. | Prince has been granted five days' more sick leave, and has returned to the Summer Palace.

Nr. 13107. GROSSBRITANNIEN. - Der Minister des Ausw. an den Gesandten in Peking. China soll die Zahlung in die russisch-chinesiche Bank ablehnen.

Foreign Office, June 13, 1903.

(Telegraphic.) || Your telegram of yesterday and my telegram of the 30th April. || Urge the Chinese Government to resist the continued payment into the Russo-Chinese Bank of the Newchwang Customs re

(Telegraphic.) || I have been informed that the Chinese Government is being pressed by the Russian Minister at Peking to consent to the conditions which the Russian Government endeavoured to attach to the evacuation of Manchuria, and that he was urging in particular compliance with those conditions which relate to the appointment of foreign Consuls and establishment of open ports in the districts which are to be evacuated. || Please inform me if any information to this effect has reach

ed you.