Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-11-21
JUST BEFORE THE WAR
Correspondence of Japan and China Pub
lshed by the Former.
The Events Which Led Up to the Hos
tilitics-DOth Nations Sent
Troops to COrea.

The Japanese government has anticipat-
ed the recent offer of China to the foreign
powers to furnish the complete official cor
rospondence leading up to the present war,
and has itself made public the correspond
ence. 1t is published in full as part of
the recent proceedings of the Japanese
diet, which have been received by the jap
anese legation here. The gist Of the con-
troversy has already been made known to
the public, but the official letters between
China and Japan give the first account of
the sharp diplomatic fencing between the
countries up to a few days before the war.
The letters run from June to July Ii, and
are numbered from 1 to o.
No. is from Wang, Chinese minister to
Japan. 1t informs Japan that telegram
has just been received from Ii Hung
Chang stating that the Corean government
has requested China to send troops to sup
press a rebellion of the Tong Haks. Vice
roy Ii, 1t says, considers the rebellion seri-
Gus, and therefore complies with the re-
quest for troops to protect "our tributary
state" first notifying Japan, in accordance
with treaty provision that each shall
inform the other before entering Corea.
No. is from Mutsu, minister of foreign
affairs of Japan. 1t very pointedly states
In reply, i beg to declare that although
the words tributary state appear in your
note the japanese government have never
recognized Corea as tributary state OF
China"
No. is a notice from the japanese gov
ernment that it intends sending troops to
Corea to suppress the rebellion.
In No. China shows her teeth" for the
first time 1t Is a letter from the Isung Ii
Yamen, the Chinese cabinet, to the Japan
ese minister at Pekin. The letter express
es surprise that Japan should send troops
to Corea when 1t has not been so requested
by Cores 1t adds the following significant
language:
THE sole object of your country in send
ing troops is evidently to protect the lega-
ton, conSulates and commercial people in
Corea, and consequently 1t may not lie
necessary on the part of your country to
dispatch a great number of troops, and,
besides, as no application therefor has been
made by Corea, IL is requested that no
troops shall proceed 10 the interior Of Co
rea, so that they may not cause alarm to
her people. And, moreover since 1t is
feared that in the event the soldiers of the
two nations should meet on the way cases
of unexpected accident might occur, owing
to the difference of language and military
etiquette, we beg to request in addition
that you will be good enough to telegraph
the purport of this communication to the
government of Japan"
No. D is Japan's answer to the Tsung Ii
Yamen, In which Japan also shows her
teeth. 1t says:
LAS to the number CT troops to be sent to
Corea, the japanese government are COM
pclled to exercise 6neir own Judgment Al
though no restriction Is placed upon the
movement of the Japanese troops in Corea,
they will not be sent where their presence
Is not deemed necessary. The Japanese
troops are under strict discipline and the
Japanese government are confident that
they will not precipitate a collision with
the Chinese forces. 1T Is hoped that China
has adopted similar precautions"
No. is an offer of the Japanese govern
ment to join China in joint readjustment
of Corea on modern lines. No. Z is China s
rejection of the offer. in which she says:
THE idea may be excellent, but the meas
ures of Improvement must be left to Corea
herself" r..----..
No. Is from Japan to China, stating
that Japan can no longer disregard the law
of self-preservation. which impels her to
reform the deplorable conditions of Corea
as the root of her frequent rebellions. No.
8 is also from Japan to China, stating that
as China has declined to join in the admin
istrative reform of Corea, the only conclu-
sion deducible is that the Chinese govern
ment lis disposed to precipitate complca-
tions."
This closes the correspondence the last
letter being dated eleven days before japan
sank the Chinese transport kow Sh.ng,
carrying the Chinese troops to COrea.
Japan's declaration of war followed six
dayS later