No. 134.] Mr. McCormick to Mr. Hay. AMERICAN EMBASSY, SIR: With reference to the Department's cable instruction of yesterday requesting that I telegraph the full names of certain Japanese officers and men captured May 2 and 3, while taking part in the Port Arthur blockading party, and also of those taken prisoners when the Kinshu Maru was sunk, I have the honor to state that I had already asked the ministry for foreign affairs to furnish me with the full names of these officers and all of their fellow-prisoners, and that His Excellency Count Lamsdorff had already caused a telegram to be sent to Admiral Alexieff requesting that these names be telegraphed as soon as possible, and I hope to receive them within a day or two. On behalf Japanese Government, ascertain whether about 280 Japanese, detained at Nikolaivsk by ice, are still there, and if so, obtain consent for Japanese Government to send neutral ship to Caparison Djaore, about 70 versts distant, to bring them back to Japan. HAY. Mr. McCormick to Mr. Hay. [Telegram.-Paraphrase.] AMERICAN EMBASSY, St. Petersburg, June 22, 1904. (Mr. McCormick reports that the viceroy, for considerations pertaining to the war, declines to grant the request for the return to Japan of the crew of the Hagino Ura Maru.) Mr. McCormick to Mr. Hay. No. 164.] AMERICAN EMBASSY, St. Petersburg, June 30, 1904. SIR: In compliance with your instruction No. 92, of April 1, 1904, I have the honor to inform you that I have forwarded to the Japanese minister at Berlin a list of Japanese prisoners of war transmitted to me by the imperial ministry for foreign affairs. I have, etc., FR 1904 M- -46 ROBERT S. MCCORMICK, No. 131.] Mr. Loomis to Mr. Eddy. DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Washington, July 20, 1904. SIR: Referring to the Department's telegram of June 11 last, I inclose copy of a note from the Japanese minister at this capital, stating that, in view of information received by his Government that the Japanese subjects at Caparison Djaore had been transferred to the interior, his Government no longer deems it necessary to send a neutral vessel for the withdrawal of the people in question. I am, etc., SIR Referring to my note of the 10th ultimo, in which I had the honor to request that the necessary steps should be taken to secure the permission of the Russian Government for the dispatch of a neutral vessel to Caparison Djaore, I beg to inform you that I am in receipt of telegraphic instructions from his excellency the minister for foreign affairs, in which he informs me that it has been learned from the Russian Government Gazette that the Japanese subjects who were at that place have been transferred to the interior. Under these circumstances the Imperial Government no longer consider it necessary to send a neutral vessel for the withdrawal of these people, and I am therefore instructed to inform you of this decision, and at the same time to express to you the cordial thanks of the Imperial Government for the trouble which you have already taken in the premises. Accept, etc., K. TAKAHIRA. Mr. Hay to Mr. Eddy. No. 156.] DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Washington, October 14, 1904. SIR: I inclose herewith a copy of a note from the Japanese minister at this capital conveying the thanks of his Government to Mr. McCormick for his good offices in bringing about the return to Japan of some 800 Japanese subjects, who have, until lately, been remaining in Russia, and who are to leave Bremen for home about the 20th instant. I am, etc., JOHN HAY. (Note. See No. 75, October 11, 1904, from the Japanese Legation, p. 436.) NEUTRALITY OF CHINA IN THE WAR BETWEEN RUSSIA AND JAPAN. Mr. Hay to Mr. McCormick. [Telegram.-Paraphrase.] DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Washington, February 10, 1904. (Mr. Hay instructs Mr. McCormick to express to the minister for foreign affairs that it is the earnest desire of the Government of the United States that the neutrality of China and her administrative entity be respected by both parties in the course of the military operations which have begun between Russia and Japan, and that the area of hostilities be localized and limited, so that undue excitement and disturbance of the Chinese people may be prevented and the least possible loss may be occasioned to the commerce and peaceful intercourse of the world.) Mr. McCormick to Mr. Hay. [Telegram.-Paraphrase.] AMERICAN EMBASSY, St. Petersburg, February 11, 1904. (Mr. McCormick reports that he personally presented to the minister for foreign affairs the proposal of the United States, as expressed in Department's telegram of the 10th instant, who stated that he could give no answer thereto before consultation with the Emperor and the military authorities.) Count Cassini to Mr. Hay. [Translation.] WASHINGTON, February 15, 1904. Mr. SECRETARY OF STATE: By order of my Government, I have the honor to advise your excellency that, in consequence of the laying of torpedoes in the waters of the Kwantung, all vessels which desire to approach the coast or enter Port Arthur shall observe the following rules: After heading for the entrance of the port on a strictly northern course, all vessels shall stop at a distance of at least 5 miles, hoist their national flag and call by signal for a pilot, who will be at once sent to them to steer them to their assigned berth. Be pleased, etc., COUNT CASSINI. Mr. Hay to Mr. McCormick. [Telegram.-Paraphrase.] DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Washington, February 15, 1904. (Mr. Hay transmits to Mr. McCormick the reply of the Japanese Government to the proposal of the United States relating to the neutrality of China.) (NOTE. See inclosure 2 to dispatch No. 45, February 15, 1904, from Japan, printed on page 420.) No. 89.] Mr. McCormick to Mr. Hay. [Translation.] AMERICAN EMBASSY, St. Petersburg, February 17, 1904. SIR: I have the honor to inform you that in accordance with your telegraphic instruction of the 15th instant, I called upon Count Lamsdorff and personally communicated to him the reply of the Japanese Government to your note, on the subject of the neutrality of China during the existing war, transmitted therein, and in further keeping with that instruction and at his request I handed him a copy of that reply. ** * Count Lamsdorff said immediately after glancing at the copy that the Japanese response accorded with his ideas, but that a formal response to the desire already expressed by the Government of the United States with reference to this question could not be made at once, as it was necessary to define the territory which fell within the limit of the Chinese Eastern Railway concession or agreement, which gave Russia the right to maintain such body of troops as were necessary for the defense of the property of the railway and the rights acquired under the agreement, which territory would naturally be excepted in any declaration made by the Russian Government. Count Lamsdorff said further that he would shortly give formal response to the desire already expressed by me in accordance with your telegraphic instruction of February 10. His manner indicated to me both the wish and purpose on his part to meet that desire, with the exception above noted, and with as little delay as the consideration of the limit within which this exception shall fall would permit. I have, etc., ROBERT S. MCCORMICK. Mr. McCormick to Mr. Hay. [Telegram.-L'araphrase.] AMERICAN EMBASSY, St. Petersburg, February 19, 1904. (Mr. McCormick transmits the reply of the Russian Government to the proposal of the United States relating to the neutrality of China, which states that the Russian Government shares completely the desire to insure tranquillity of China; is ready to adhere to an understanding with other powers for the purpose of safeguarding the neutrality of that Empire on the following conditions: Firstly. China must herself strictly observe all the clauses of neutrality. Secondly. The Japanese Government must loyally observe the engagements entered into with the powers, as well as the principles generally recognized by the law of nations. Thirdly. That it is well understood that neutralization in no case can be extended to Manchuria, the territory of which by the force of events will serve as the field of military operations.) Mr. Hay to Mr. McCormick. [Telegram.-Paraphrase.] DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Washington, February 19, 1904. (Mr. Hay informs Mr. McCormick that the United States Government considers the reply of the Russian Government as responsive to the proposal of this Government and will at once communicate it to the Governments of China and Japan, which have already signified their adherence to the principles of the proposal.) Memorandum of the Russian embassy left at the Department of State. [Translation.] WASHINGTON, February 29, 1904. With the object of preventing misunderstandings arising, the Imperial Government considers it its duty to define more definitely the limits of the border regions in Manchuria which may be used as the field of military operations, and to which, consequently, the neutrality of China is not applicable. Besides the portion of Manchuria actually occupied by the Russian forces, the following will be outside of the neutral territory: A portion of the region situated on the right bank of the Liao Ho, the boundaries of which are formed by the Liao Ho, by the railway line Ying-Kau-Gou-tau-tze, afterwards by the railway line to a point. where this line crosses an affluent of the Liao Ho, the Liou Ho (a little south of Sin-min-thun) and finally by the said affluent, the Liou Ho, as far as the frontier of Mongolia. The occupation of this region is solely indispensable for the object of protecting the railway line built by Russia against the attacks of the numerous bands of Hunhuses, the presence of which to the west of the Liao Ho is acknowledged by the Chinese Government itself. The portion of the province of Mukden outside of the abovedefined region and extending as far as the great wall might be recognized as inviolable by both belligerents. It appears from the above that, in anticipation of the fundamental idea which inspired the powers in their efforts to localize the war, the Imperial Government is ready to considerably restrict the theater of military operations in Manchuria if China observes strictly her neutrality. The Imperial Government would on its side consider itself released from all obligation taken in case the Chinese Government should allow the Japanese to violate the inviolability of the neutral territory within the above-mentioned limits. Count Cassini to Mr. Hay. [Translation.] WASHINGTON, March 26, 1904. Mr. SECRETARY OF STATE: By order of my Government I have the honor to bring to the knowledge of your excellency that, owing to |