The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1871-08-25
THE CoREAN WAR.
How II Originated - What Il Il
AbOut-PTGsent Situation

HOW IL OlIsluulcu - Vhhh "
AbOut-PTcsent Situation
From the N. Y. Times.
Five years ago an American trading
schooner, the General Sherman, landed
ut the Chinese port Of ChCfOO and pro-
ceeded with general cargo, across the
Yellow Sea TO the opposite peninsula OF
Corea. She Is said 10 have had on board
three American citizens in the persons of
her owner, master and mate, two English
subjects, two Portuguese, and n crew or
Cinnamon. At the mouth OF one OF the
large rivers which flow from tho eastern
mountain ridges Of COrea into the Yellow
Sea, the General Sherman fell In with D
Chinese trading junk. The master was
taken on board to act rs II pilot up 10 IN
inland mart Of COrean commerce. This
cautious Oriental began to discover
as they assembled the river, that the 20
reans considered tho intrusion Of the
foreigners rs nm act Of hostility, and
that there was every probability
of their resentment assuming u
highly disNgeeable form. On some
pretext or other, tho pilot threw up
Ills charge, and carried To Chcloo story
about tho burning Of the General Shcr-
man and the massacre Of all on board. 1t
Inns never been accurately asccrtained
whether the pilot drew entirely upon his
imagination Tor the materials of this tale,
whether he constructed 1t by the aid OF
threatening intimatiOns received from the
natives, or whether, before leaving the
coast, he had actually received authentic
news of the iato Of the schooner. liz
stated the date OF his abandonment Of the
Sherman to have been September II
1865, aud II was about the end OF October
when he reached CheioO. This would al
low time enough to rendcrit prObablC'that
he had remained on the Corcan coast for
week or two after leaving the American
trader. Beyond the doubtful story oil the
pilot, and some COnIlrmatory statements
elected by subsequent inquiries in Corcn
the lNtC of the General Sherman has re-
manned mystery from that day TO this.
In 1867 hostile reprisals began to be
thought about, with reference TO the
lost trader. 1t was pretty well under
derstOod that the CorCans adhered with
great tenacity TO the barbarous doctrine
that vessels wrecked upon their coasts
became the property Of the Government
They were also known to be rs bitterly
hostile MS Japan or China Ind ever beer
Ia the admission Of foreign trade The
country was u tributary Of the CHINESE
Empire, and Mr.. Burlingamo exchanged
dispatches with the Prince Regent, Kung
with reference to the Sherman affair Ii
the reply Of the Chinese Prime Minister
Il was stated among other things, thu
the Corcans merely paid nominal tri
buto TO China, In accordance with Gus
tom some two or three hundred years old
and that "tllG people Of the United State!
were perfectly at liberty TO resort TO anl
measures they might deem necessary L
punish the people Of the Corea," since hi
august master would view the act will
perfect Indifference. In 1867 Commander
Shufeldt, in the WaChusett, and Ii
1868 Commander Sebiger in the Shenan
dOal, endeavOred, without success, to eX
tract from the COrean Government sOmC
Ineligible account OF the late Of the Gen
Gral Sherman. When Admiral llOdger,
sailed last year TO take command of The
AsiatiC Squadron, the CoTean difficulty
was as far from settlement as ever. In The
special instructions received by the Adj.
miral upon tho subject, he was distinctly
referred ~ Mr.. Low, the diplomatic rep
resentatiye OF the United States in China
for Instructions as TO the course he shoult
pursue. In spite Of tho disclaimer on tn
part Of Prince Kung OF any interest In tn
Corean quarrel, 1t was still hoped that tn
Government at pekin might be able 10 In
tluCe Its tributary to make some explana
ton Of the outrage which, there was ever,
reason 10 believe, had been perpetratel
upon the American trader. II was ais
hoped that diplomatic pressure might In
tluce the Coreans TO make treaty prOVid
ing In the future for hehumane ireatmen
Of shipwrecked crews and for the property
Of foreigners in shipwreckel vessels beini
duly respected.
The instructions sent from Washington
TO Minister Low were dated April 90
1870, and simply announced thai Il hat
been decided to authorize negotiation,
to DO had with the authorities of Core,
for the purpose Of securing treaty TO
the protection Of shipswreCked mariners.
A display OF force was rightly considered
to be essential, but anything like hostil
measures seems hardly TO have been con
templated. The squadron, having OF
board Mr.. Low, and commanded by AID
miral Rodgers, arrived at the mouth o
the Salee River at the end Of May. Or
June 1 occurred the survey OF the rive
channel, undertaken with the complete