a 13th January.
We print in another column the substance of Russia's reply to Japan's irreducible minimum, as published, according to Reuter, at Berlin. It is decidedly a conciliatory reply, and a very specious one, but careful perusal shows that it must be unsatisfactory to Japan. It a by implication takes ives up southern Corea to Japan, an northern Corea for Russia; while Russia knows very well that Japan is bound to protect the independence and integrity of Corea as a whole, and that she (Russia) is bound by an engagement in which we are interested to occupy mo port in Corea. Under these circumstances all the nominal concessions in Corea are valueless, and if Japan accepted them she would be; merely handing over northern Corea to Russia, Russia declines to accept any conditions regarding Manchuria, but she makes a few more promises, all based on the supposition that Manchuria is part of her territory, which is precisely one of the main points that Japan is disputing. All the world knows the value Russian promises that she refuses to} make conditions. If Japan is, as we believe she is, determined to adhere firmly to her irreducible minimum, she cannot accept the conciliatory proposals of Russia, and it will be seen from our "exclusive service" telegram that she has officially communicated this to China. A very few days will end the present uncertainty, and it is hoped that Russia havin, conceded so much will very shortly bring herself to accept the whole of Japan's terms.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.