, 1885-06-07
TEN YEARS GETTING rue NEWS.

under all circumstance
TEN YEARS GETTING THE VIEWS.
Several days g the Associated Press
report from WASHINGTON brought the
news Of an attack by the natives Of
Corea upon an American vessel and the
killing Of the crew, whcreupon the com
nander Of the Asiatic station seut two
war vessels to that place which were fired
upon by the natives. The ships returned
the fire, landed a large number Of ma
rines, and 700 Coreans were killed and
50 captured.
It now appears that the report, in be-
ing transmitted, became somewhat mixed,
aud a part only reached this section Of
the country. The affair related occurred
ten years age, and it has only just been
found out.
The mail now brings the full details Of
the case, and Us they are interesting we
give them in full, as follows:
The navy department has received a
very interesting letter from Corea con.
tanning Information for which the govern
ment has been seeking nearly nine years.
Lieut.. George Foulk sends the letter, and
says he got the facts from a reliable Core
40. a Christian. They relate to the de
struction Of the American schooner Sher-
man, lost on the Yellow Sea coast in 1865.
The lieutenant is one of the very few
Americans who speak the Corean su-
vuage. He accompanied the rainbow
hued embassy to this country " years
ago, and returned to Corea with it. In
his letter he says;
The Sherman arrived in the Felong
river In August, and anchored q short
distance below Phyong Yang city, the
capital Of Phyong an Dc che northwest
ern province Of Corea. l. was then the
time Of the midsummer heavy rain, when
the rain falls almost necessarily for ten or
fifteen days, the lowlands arc flooded, and
the river rises many feet. The Sherman
was seen IRON the walls OF Phyong Yang,
but on account of the dangerous condi.
ton OF the river no boat ventured near
her for some time. When the water be-
gan to subSide the provincial governor
sent officers to inquire her mission.
The common people took advantage OF
the departure OF these officers to crafty
their wi curiosity, and went with them,
the whole party being in a large fleet Of
small boats. The Sherman's people con.
sidvred the movement as a hostile demon
s~tration and fired several shots in the air.
The officers, accompanied by all the other
people, at once returned to the city. The
river fell rapidly after this. and in a few
days the Sherman went aground and
carecned over. This was seen from the
city walls, and again the people became
greatly excited. Another fleet Of boats
came toward the schooner, this time with
hostile intent, the people being armed.
Shots were again fred from the Sherman,
and the Coreans turned back us before.
Both officers and people of the city were
now enraged Boats were loaded with
combustible material and taken to points
above the schooner's anchorage. Here
they were fred and allowed TO drif down
upon her. The Sherman Ssas soon in
flames. Her people jumped overheard
to save themselves, but most Of them were
drowned. A few were picked up by Cor
eau hcs,s- AmonEthese was a European
who was able to Communicate with the
officials. The prisoners were brought be-
fore the Kamas aud examined. All efforts
to save themselves were useless, however,
and in a few days they We're let out Of
prison and beheadcd-
Up to 1870 the United States govern.
ment could learn nothing of the Sher-
mans destruction. In that year Rear
Admiral John Rodgers, in command Of
the Asiatic station. was ordered to inves.
tigate her loss. Commodore Schley. Of
Greeley relieffame, was at the time con
nected with the station as lieutenant com
mander Referring to the expedition to.
day. he said:
The Asiatic squadron went TO the
Yellow sea and to the mouth Of the Sale
river. our object being 10 learn, il possible,
something of the Sherman's loss. In or
der to ascend the river we obtained per-
mission from the Corean officials to make
a survey Of Il. This squadron assembled
the nves for some distance. The Palos
and Monoeacy continued still further.
They were fired upon from the Corean
Qualifications Admiral Rodgers gave the
Corean officials ten days in which they