A DIPLOMATS DIARY.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1891, 28 October 1913, Page 4

A DIPLOMATS DIARY.

OF THE ANCLO-JAPANEBE TREATY COUNT HAYASHI'S STQRYj l Recent English files givo very fully • the principal incidents connected with • the Anglo-Japanese Treaty, as disclosod in tho personal diary of Count Hayashi, , tae Japanese diplomat. The reminiscences begin in April, 1901, when Count Hayashi was tho Imperial Japanese i Minister in London. He recounts that i in that month Baron Eckhardstein, tho German Cliarge, suggested to him a tn'plo alliance of Germany, Great Britain, and Japan. When lie acquainted tlw Japanese Government of this he rei ceived a reply authorising him to sound i Lord Lansdowne. Preliminary Pourparlers. In tho preliminary pourparlers which' ' followed, with the approval of Aluruui-i 1 (afterwards Prince) Ito, then tho Japanese Premier (an important faoV ia view of the Marquis's subsequent attitude). Lord Lansdowno twico suggjsKid that it might be advisable to introduce a third Power. This led tho Japanese M mister to_ believe for a timo that some understanding already existed between ( Gieat Britain and Germany. it is clear from tho reminiscences that in tho ; early stages of the negotiations Lord Lansdowno was keeping Baron Eckhardstein informed of their progress. On July 15 Sir Claude Mac Donald, the British Minister at Tokio, who was at home on leavo, told Count Hayashi that. King Edward had personally expressed to him the wish tor a permanent understanding with Japan; while the Promior, Lord Salisbury, was desirous of a definite alliance, as ; otherwise it was feared that Japan might get over Mr difficulties with Russia and form an alliance with that country. "Tnsaid Sir Claude, "the German Minister came to the Foreign Office and told mo that there was a possibility of an-alliance between Japan and Russia." "To this," writes Count Htvyashi, "I answered: 'Tho sentiments of Jap\n are e-r-tirely against Russia, and are al! in favour of Great Britain. Ce'taraly, sentiment should he subordinated to actual material questions, and if Russia should surrender to us some substantial privileges, then our hard feelings might be smoothed away.' I gathered from Sir Claude's remarks that England really wanted an alliance with 1 Japan, atul feared an alliance between ' Japan and' Russia, I thought that if : we could utilise this apprehension on 1 tho part of England and pretend that 1 a convention might bo concluded with 1 Russia, this might hasten the conclusion ' of a treaty. I telegraphed all this to • Tokio." • i Referring to subsequent conversations 1 about Manchuria, Koroa, and tho open 3 door in Chins, Count Hayashi writes: "I believo tlio Marquis (Lord Leans- ] downe) wanted to nail us down before- ■ hand to prevent us from entering into I any other agreements after, tho conclti- ■ sion of the alliance." "Tho'Marquis," goos on Count Haya- ■ shi, "then, promised to consult Lord : Salisbury and lay my views before him; ' I asked him what ho.thought about in- ') eluding Germany in 'tho alliance, m«l i he said: "'First wo shall negotiate with < you, and then, in the course of the < negotiations, wo may invite Germany I to come in,'' c 1 Tho Negotiations With Russia. Now follows, perhaps, the most extra* 1 ordinary part of Count Hayashi's roeitaj tho'..story of the- negotiations c with Russia" cohaticte'd R " parallel • with J those proceeding in London. ' ■ * When Count Hayashi telegraphed the first draft.of the Anglo-Japanese Treaty to Tokio he received a repiy instructing ? him to go to Paris to meet Marquis 1 1 Ito, who was (jti liis Way 1 to Russia. ? "Marquis Bo informed mo," ho states, ~ "that before leaving Japan ho had con-' . suited with .Marquis Yamagata and other Elder Statesmen (the men behind the throne in Japan), with the Minister c President, the Marquis Katsiira, and J with tho temporary Foreign Minister,' ' Viscount Sono. They had agreed that T a compromise with Russia about Korea " was urgent, and it had been decided 1 that Marquis Ito should go to Russia * to discuss tho matter. According to " Marquis Ito's diplomatic assistant (Mr. " Tsutsuki), Mr. Ivuriuo , (afterwards Barori) had accepted tlio post of Am- v bassador to Russia .on condition that * ho should bo entrusted with the mission a of effecting a compromise with Russia. P "The Marquis was much puzzted when '{ he heard that tho negotiations with V Great Britain had progressed so far. I *' considered that if what the Marquis and his diplomatic assistant, Mr. Tsutsiiki, c had told me was true, the action of my s Government in dispatching tho Marquis 6 on a mission to Russia was (Outrage- t ous." n "After seeing the Marquis I tele- k graphed to my Government, and ro- «■ ceived the following telegram From the 6' Foreign Minister: 'Government not F changed policy at all.' Then the Mar- 1 quis Ito was oven more puzzled. However, ho saw that tho Japanese Gov- p eminent could not withdraw from the g negotiations with Groat Britain, and, f finally, as tho result of my eloquenoe, % I pained tho Marquis Ito to support in. g principle tho Anglo-Japancso Alliance. t< 1 Lord Lansdowne's Warning. t] "On the 20th I saw Lord Lansdowne. I Ho referred to th 6 Marquis Itols trip V ■ to Russia and warned mo against any is attempt to make a convention with t Russia while the negotiations with f England were in progress. 1 assured p him that Marquis Ito s visit to Russia ii had no spccial significance. I said that ho could not eome to London as the U weather was bad. Lord Lansdowno, a however, p'ointe'd out that ho had re- fi cently crossed tho Atlantic, landing in- si France, and if ho was travelling for T his health he surely would not go to Z Russia. Lord Lansdowno.was not sat- F isfied with my explanation; that was 1> obvious. f "After leaving the Marquis I was h met by tho Under-Secretary, Mr, Bar-* t( tie (now Sir Francis Bertie, British ]c; Ambassador in Paris), who said: 'If news of the Anglo-Japanese negotiations should get to tho -ears of Russia sho_ might come to .you with a more attractive proposal and our coiirso would thereby be blocked. I warn you, ' however, that tho Russian pledges a ' would bo repudiated without compunction and I advise you to bo most care- P ful.' " Germany anil the Treaty. l> In regard to the disappearance of £ German)' froifi the negotiations. Count Hayashi points out that Lord Lausdowne's intention was to complete the ° negotiations between Japan and Great Britain, and previously to tho signa- c ' turo to invito Germany to participate. Ho even wont so far, a couplo of days n before signature, as to inform Count lloyasbi that the Marquis IComura 3 ' could show tho draft treaty as decided to tho German Minister in Tokio. Count Hayashi telegraphed this to Tokio. y Lat-o that night, however, Lord Lansdowno changed his mind, and sent a b messenger to tho Japanese Legation requesting Count Hayashi to telegraph v< to lokio that the treaty should not be shown to tho Gorman Minister until te after signature. A telegram was dis- T' patched', but arrived too late, as the Marquis IComura had already disclosed oi the contents. Lord t Lansdowne, therefore, showed ?' tlio'treaty to tho Gorman Ambassador ? in London. According, however, to Count Hayashi, Princo von Bulow refused to participate in the treaty owinf to tho umbrago with Great Britain over ~ other questions. c j, Tho "Reminiscences" conclude with th very bitter criticism of the Japanese ! M

Government. Count Hayashi reiterates his protest against tho dispatch to tho Marquis Ito to St. Petersburg during tho negotiations with Groat Bntain. Ho describes it as a breach of faith and a lack of honour. Ho Sums the matter up by saying that Japan won tho support of England 0 cost of tho respect of Russia and other Kmopcati countries." Most Astonished Man In the World. Count Hayashi says that when Count Latnsdorir, tlio Russian Foreign Minister, saw tho text of tlio treaty ho was tho most astonished man in tho world, im • " J ' st *' W0 instalments of tho Reminiscences," which dealt with tho opening st-agos of tho treaty negotiations, had. appeared, tho Japanese i'orojgu Oflico forbade the publication of any further portion of them. In spite of this, on August 21, tlio "Jiji fehimpo produced a four-pago supple--n £°xi containing a further instalment of the reminiscences. Within a few hours of publication most of tho issue had been seised by the police under tho provisions of the 1 ress Law, and under instructions of the Homo Department, acting at the request' of tho Foreign Office. Notice' was served' on the metropolitan, newspapers not to reproduco tho "Reminiscences," and telegrams summarising them sent on August 21 and 22 by Router's correspondent wcro stepped by the telegraph authorities.