This is evidently an error. The Count spoke to Mr. Kurino, at 8 p. m., February 4, about the probable contents of the reply purely as the former’s personal opinion. It was not an official statement of the exact contents of the reply.—_N.-R._, No. 50. See p. 340, above. Footnote 672: This statement is incorrect and misleading. Referring to the text of the Japanese note (pp. 342–344, above), it will be seen that it did not say that the Japanese Government would break off the negotiations because Russia had been evading a reply to the Japanese proposals. A reference was made to the prolonged delays of Russia before giving replies, but the note did not state that the delays were the only reason, still less that the delay of “a” reply—i. e., the last reply—was the ground, for the rupture of negotiations. Footnote 673: See a vigorous statement of this charge made by Count Cassini in the _North American Review_ for May, 1904, pp. 681–682. Footnote 674: The London _Times_, February 22, 1904, p. 5. Footnote 675: Translated from the statement published in the Japanese press on March 3, 1904. Professor Sakuye Takahashi enumerated in the _Kokumin_ (February 27–29, 1904) some of the modern European wars in which declarations of war did not precede the opening of hostilities. He mentioned twelve such cases between 1715 and 1863, besides ten cases between 1700 and 1853 in which Russia was on the offensive. For these latter instances, he refers to Colonel J. P. Maurice’s _Hostilities without Declaration of War_, pp. 12, 16, 22, 34, 38, 49, 50, 55, 64. Footnote 676: See p. 322, above. Footnote 677: The London _Times_, February 24, 1904, p. 7, and other papers. Footnote 678: The diplomatic correspondence in connection with this affair has been published, in the _Kwampō_, February 15, 1904, pp. 275–276, which supports the literal truth of the statement contained in this paragraph. Footnote 679: The _Kokumin_ (March 9). The above has been taken from an authoritative English translation, which was published in the London _Times_ (March 9), p. 5. CHAPTER XX CHINESE NEUTRALITY AND KOREAN INTEGRITY No sooner had the war broken out than the Japanese Government notified other Powers, on February 9, that it had advised the Chinese Government to observe a strict neutrality during hostilities. Below is a translation of the identical note addressed on that day by the Minister of Foreign Affairs to the Japanese Representatives at London, Washington, Paris, Vienna, and Rome:—