China the United States And the Anglo Japanese Alliance

ake time by the forelock and have it renewed immediately. The Anglo-Japanese alliance of 1905 bore little or no resemblance to that of three years ago. It was virtually a new instrument altogether. Designed for an entirely different set of purposes and objects, and intended to meet diplomatic contingencies not provided for in the original document, the second alliance could hardly be said to be a renewal of the old. The alliance was negotiated at London between Lord Lansdowne and Count Hayashi prior to the meeting of the Peace Conference at Portsmouth between Japan and Russia. When President Roosevelt offered the good offices of the United States, and when the belligerent Powers agreed to treatfor peace, the statesmen at Tokio were quick to see the advantages of a new and strengthened alliance with Great Britain, which would not only fortify her position at the forthcoming peace conference, but also insure her against the revival of any combination of European Powers such as that which she was confronted with at the conclusion of the Chino-Japanese War. Count Hayashi, under instructions from the Government at Tokio, immediately began negotiations with the British Foreign Minister, the result of which was the signature of the second Anglo-Japanese alliance on the 12th of August, 1905, exactly three days after the peace negotiations at Portsmouth were commenced. Although the text of the agreement was not published at the time, it was no secret with the Russia...