The Coming Together of Two Countries
As the war dragged on, Japan secretly asked the United States president, Theodore Roosevelt, to help bring the two countries together on May 31, 1905. Originally Tsar Nicholas did not want to stop the war until Russia had become victorious. Later on Russia agreed to have a direct negotiation with Japan. Roosevelt offered to be a mediator. A strict criteria had to be met when choosing a location for the delegates to come together. The location for the diplomatic event would have to take place on a site that had telegraph capacity, negotiation and accommodation facilities, security, and appropriate hosts for the debates.
“ Whatever the result of the meetings to be held at Portsmouth navy yard, Portsmouth itself and the towns in its vicinity will be more famous than ever before.....Portsmouth is in the world’s eye and is likely to remain there for weeks to come.” -Herald, August 2, 1905
Thinking that it would bring great publicity, the owners of the Mount Washington Hotel, in Portsmouth, New Hampshire wrote to Governor John McLane offering the use of their hotel for the conference. Portsmouth was chosen to hold the conference because it met all the necessary requirements. After meeting with Roosevelt on August 5, 1905 at Oyster Bay, the delegates traveled to Portsmouth and arrived on August 8. The Japanese delegates, who included Jutaro Komura, Kogoro Takahira, Kentaro Kaneko, Prince Mutsuhito,and Henry W. Denison, traveled in the USS Dolphin. The Russian delegates, who included Sergius Witte, Baron Roman Rosen, and Tsar Nicholas II, traveled in the yacht USS Mayflower.
"I drink to the welfare and prosperity of the sovereigns and people of the nations whose representatives have met one another on this ship. It is my most earnest hope and prayer, in the interest not only one of these two great power, but all of civilized mankind, that a just and lasting peace may speedily be concluded between them." -Theodore Roosevelt , a toast to the delegates at Oyster Bay.
“ Whatever the result of the meetings to be held at Portsmouth navy yard, Portsmouth itself and the towns in its vicinity will be more famous than ever before.....Portsmouth is in the world’s eye and is likely to remain there for weeks to come.” -Herald, August 2, 1905
Thinking that it would bring great publicity, the owners of the Mount Washington Hotel, in Portsmouth, New Hampshire wrote to Governor John McLane offering the use of their hotel for the conference. Portsmouth was chosen to hold the conference because it met all the necessary requirements. After meeting with Roosevelt on August 5, 1905 at Oyster Bay, the delegates traveled to Portsmouth and arrived on August 8. The Japanese delegates, who included Jutaro Komura, Kogoro Takahira, Kentaro Kaneko, Prince Mutsuhito,and Henry W. Denison, traveled in the USS Dolphin. The Russian delegates, who included Sergius Witte, Baron Roman Rosen, and Tsar Nicholas II, traveled in the yacht USS Mayflower.
"I drink to the welfare and prosperity of the sovereigns and people of the nations whose representatives have met one another on this ship. It is my most earnest hope and prayer, in the interest not only one of these two great power, but all of civilized mankind, that a just and lasting peace may speedily be concluded between them." -Theodore Roosevelt , a toast to the delegates at Oyster Bay.