Chargé Wilson to the Secretary of State.

[Extract.]
No. 446.]

Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of the department’s telegrama received the 28th ultimo, directing me to forward a copy of certain regulations governing a naval armistice arranged between the Japanese and Russian admirals last September.

In order that the department might, if desired, immediately secure a translation of the protocol of naval armistice signed September 18, 1905, I have had the honor to call attention to the fact that a copy thereof was sent to the Navy Department in October. A translation made at the legation is submitted herewith.

At the same time I have the honor to forward with the present dispatch a translation of the protocol of military armistice, which was signed on September 14, 1905.

I have, etc.

Huntington Wilson.
[Inclosure 1.—Translation.]

protocol of naval armistice.

[From Official Gazette of September 22, 1905.]

In order to determine the terms of the armistice in accordance with Article V of the Japanese-Russian protocol of armistice, Rear-Admiral Shimamura, representative of Admiral Togo, commander in chief of the combined fleet, with a part of the fleet, met the squadron under Rear-Admiral Essen, representative of the Russian navy, outside the port of Rajinpho on the 18th of September and agreed upon the following sea areas of the naval armistice:

Agreement concerning the determination of the sea area of the naval armistice.

The undersigned, Rear-Admiral Shimamura and Rear-Admiral Essen, having been duly empowered by the commanders in chief of their respective squadrons, have concluded the following agreement:

Along the coasts of the belligerent powers the sea area shall be defined as follows, viz: The line of demarcation shall start at Rogeonaff Cape and shall run 30 nautical miles to southeast, connecting the points at north latitude 42° and east longitude 136°, north latitude 46° and east longitude 140°, north latitude 48° and east longitude 141° north latitude 50° and east longitude 141° 23′, north latitude 51° 48′ and east longitude 141° 23′. The narrowest part of Mamiya Strait—that is, from the last-named point to the point at north latitude 53° 27′ and east longitude 141° 27.5′—shall be a neutral zone. The line of demarcation shall start again from the point at north latitude 53° 27′ and east longitude 141° 27.5′, and pass through the points at north latitude 56° and east longitude 142°, north latitude 56° and east longitude 148°, and the middle point of Shumushu Strai (Strait of La Perouse), joining the parallel of north latitude 50° 50′.

The narrowest part of Mamiya Strait shall be a neutral zone.

[Page 1086]

The navies of the belligerent powers shall not cross the lines of demarcation indicated above.

This agreement shall take effect from the day of its signature and shall be in force during the period of armistice.

In witness whereof the respective representatives have signed their names to this protocol.

  • Shimamura, Rear-Admiral.
  • Essen, Rear-Admiral.

September 18, 1905.

Apart from the above agreement, since the inhabitants of Kamchatka Peninsula are short of provisions and might starve to death on account of the closing of maritime communication two weeks hence, Rear-Admiral Shimamura has complied with the urgent request of Rear-Admiral Essen that permission be given to dispatch immediately from Vladivostok to Petropavlovsk a transport laden with foodstuffs and daily necessaries for the purpose of relieving the inhabitants of Kamchatka in accordance with the dictates of humanity, and he has issued a special permit, as the time is extremely short.

[Inclosure 2.—Translation.]

protocol of military armistice.

The commander in chief of the Manchurian armies has issued an order to-day (September 14) concerning the armistice between the Japanese and Russian armies in Manchuria, the substance of which is as follows:

order.

I.
At 10 a.m. yesterday, September 13, the commissioners of the Japanese and Russian armies for determining the condition of armistice held a conference at Shahotsz (about 5 miles north of Changtu Railway Station), and at 7.20 p.m. of the same day signed the following protocol of armistice, consisting of five articles:
  • Article 1. Fighting shall be suspended throughout Manchuria.
  • Art. 2. The district, indicated on the accompanying maps exchanged together with this protocol, lying between the first lines of the Japanese and Russian armies shall be the dividing zone.
  • Art. 3. No persons having any relation with either army shall be allowed to enter the dividing zone on any pretense.
  • Art. 4. The road from Swangmiaotsz to Shahotsz shall be common to both armies.
  • Art. 5. This protocol shall take effect from noon of September 5 (Russian calendar), 1905, or the sixteenth day of the ninth month of the thirty-eighth year of Meiji.
II.
The respective armies shall carry out the terms of the armistice in accordance with this protocol by noon of the 16th at latest.
  1. Not printed.