Page:Brinkley - Japan - Volume 6.djvu/331



(Telegram.)Tokio, January 7th, 1904.

handed to me January 6th the following reply of the Russian Government to our last propositions of December 21st last:—

"Having no objection to the amendments to Article II of the Russian Counter-Proposals as proposed by the Imperial Japanese Government, the Imperial Government considers it necessary:

"1.To maintain the original wording of Article V which had already been agreed to by the Imperial Japanese Government, that is to say, 'mutual engagement not to use any part of the territory of Corea for strategical purposes, not to undertake on the coasts of Corea any military works capable of menacing the freedom of navigation in the Straits of Corea.'

"2.To maintain Article VI concerning a neutral zone (this for the very purpose which the Imperial Japanese Government has likewise in view, that is to say, to eliminate everything that might lead to misunderstandings in the future; a similar zone, for example, exists between the Russian and British possessions in central Asia).

"In case the above conditions are agreed to, the Imperial Government would be prepared to include in the projected agreement an Article of the following tenor:

"Recognition by Japan of Manchuria and her littoral as being outside her sphere of interests, whilst Russia, within the limits of that province, will not impede Japan, nor other Powers in the enjoyment of rights and privileges acquired by them under existing treaties with China, exclusive of the establishment of settlements."

(Telegram.)Tokio, January 13th, 1904.

are instructed to deliver to Count Lamsdorff a Note Verbale to the following effect which, you will say, is intended to confirm to him the views of the Imperial Government communicated by me to Baron Rosen on the 13th January:—

The Imperial Government, in order to arrive at a pacific solution of the pending questions, and to firmly establish