Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-07-17
JAPAN RfCOGSizEs BRAVERY.
Two Handsome Vases Presented to
Ensign j. b. BcrnardOu of the Navy.

From the New York Tribune
One OF the acts Of Congress approved by the
president few days ago was that which
authorized Ensign j. B. Bernardou of the
navy to accept two handsome bronze vases
presented to him by the Japanese government.
That an act Of Congress should be necessary In
such case may seem strange to
some people, but that it is SO is due
to the fact that the United States
statutes and the navy regulations forbid any
officer from accepting ''any present, decora-
ton or other thing" unless he is SO authorized
by Congress. Hence these two vases could not
be accepted by Ensign Bernsrdou until the act
had been approved by the President which
was done few days ago. The occasion of the
gift was In recognition Of the bravery which
has characterized many other officers of the
navy i'll emergencies.
Ensign Bernardou was temporarily attached
to the United States legation at Seoul, the CAPT.
tai OF Corea, in December, 1884, when an out
break took place at that capital of such a
character as to endanger the lives of all the
foreign residents. The uprising began on De-
cember and continued for three days. 1t was
occasloned by the jealousy of rival poiti-
cal factions, which leaned respectively to-
ward the Chinese and Japanese, these two
powers long having claimed the suzerainty of
Corea. A faction Of Corean officers committed
series OF political murders, seized the king
and implicated the rival japanese and Chinese
embassies and the military forces guarding
them in their quarrel. The Chinese assisted by
the majority OF the Coreans, turned their
joint forces upon the scattered Chinese
and murdered all whom they could
reach. The Japanese guard retreated
to their legation. where also had gath
cred most of the Japanese residents of Seoul.
Bcing fired upon there. the Japanese soldiers
formed into hollow square and placed the
women and children in the center and marched
to the city gates, broke them open and then
placed themselves under protection of the GUNS
of their own vessels-of-war.
But there was large number of Japanese
who were unable to reach their legation, and
they sought refuge at the American legation.
All OF the foreign subjects had placed them
selves under protection of the various legations
and Seoul was put IN a state of military de-
Tense. The Corean Chinese mob then threat
ened to storm and burn the United States le-
CATION and to murder the people there
The minister became apprehensive of
the worst results, when Ensign Bernar-
don volunteered to take charge of a guard
to escort the Japanese refugees to Chenulpo,
80 miles away where the Japanese war yes-
sells were at anchor. Ensign Bernardou led
the company of Japanese men, women and
children though the narrow streets of the hos
tile city and through 80 miles of open country
to place of safety; and, slight recognition
of his services ill leading the weak through the
midst OF the strong, OF taking charge of
treacherOus guard III a treacherous land of
risking his life 10 the cause of humanity and of
succoring women and children in their distress,
the japanese government sent the two vases to