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 in reply to our definitive amendments as stated in my telegram of October 30th:—

1.Mutual engagement to respect the independence and territorial integrity of the Corean Empire.

2.Recognition by Russia of Japan's preponderating interests in Corea and of the right of Japan to assist Corea with advice tending to improve the civil administration.

3.Engagement on the part of Russia not to oppose the development of the industrial and commercial activities of Japan in Corea, nor the adoption of measures for the pro- tection of those interests.

4.Recognition by Russia of the right of Japan to send troops to Corea for the purpose mentioned in the preceding article, or for the purpose of suppressing insurrections or disorders capable of creating international complications.

5.Mutual engagement not to make use of any part of the Corean territory for strategical purposes, and not to undertake on the Corean coast any military works capable of menacing the freedom of navigation in the Straits of Corea.

6.Mutual engagement to consider the territory of Corea to the north of the 39th parallel as a neutral zone, within the limits of which neither of the Contracting Parties shall introduce troops.

7.Mutual engagement not to impede the connection of the Corean and East China Railways, when those railways shall have been extended to the Yalu.

8.Abrogation of all previous agreements between Russia and Japan respecting Corea.

(Telegram.)Tokio, December 21st, 1903.

an interview with the Russian Minister, December 21st, I pointed out the fundamental difference in territorial compass between Japan's original proposals and Russia's new Counter-Proposals, and after fully explaining the reasons which induced the Japanese Government to believe it to be desirable in the general interest to include in the proposed understanding all regions in the Extreme East where the interests of the two Empires meet, I expressed the hope that the Russian Government would reconsider their position regarding that branch of the question. I also informed