The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1894-08-17


possible without some knowledge of
the national aspirations, policy and
secret motives, of China, Japan and
Russia.
The Overbearing pride and ancient
conservatism of China, the ambitious
marshal spirit and characteristic con-
ceit of Japan, and the crafty designs
and traditional policy of territorial
ACKNOWLEDGMENT of Russia are the
prime factors in the impending con-
flict. The Russian policy is at once
the unknown quantity and the most
potent factor in the Korean problem.
From attentive observations of past
and current political events in the far
East, and from more or less familiar
ity with diplomatic action and inter
course between the three great orien-
tai powers, extending over "a long
series of years, venture the assertion
that Russian diplomacy, rather than
Chinese suZeTainty over Korea, is re-
spOnsible for the present war.
1t will be found, if the Korean chap
ter Of oriental diplomacy is ever iii
vulged, that the present crisis has been
adrOitiy assisted by INSCRIPTIONS di-
plomatic juggling and double dealing
on the part of the Russian official
agents at st. Petersburg, Toxic and
Pekiug; that the ambitious vanity of
japan has been systematically and
selfishly played against the sTpercili-
Gus and stupid pride of China, and
that il is one more object lesson in the
same school of Muscovite statecraft
which led the first Napoleon to make
the sneering remark that "wherever
YOU find Russian you will catch "a
Tartar
1t requires but a glance at the map
of the eastern hemisphere to cOmpre-
bend the transcendent Importance OF
the geographical position which the
peninsula bf Korea holds to the whole
of maritime Asia. In many respects
it occupies a position to the eastern
world analogous to that of Turkey
in Europe. Its political relations
with China and Japan ever since
the establishment of the Manchu Tar
tar dynasty has been anomalous and
unique, acknowledging at the same
time allegiance to both China and
Japan. he same double allegiance
was submitted to by the Loo Choo
Islands until the settlement of the
Formosan difficulty in 1873, when
China, with ill-concealed mortifica-
ton, was compelled to pay a heavy
war indemnity and to relinquish for
ever her claim TO the suZerainty of
Loo Choo. IL was predicted at the
outbreak of the Formosan affair that
il il came to an issue China would
finally crush Japan by her sheer
weight and inertia. Before she was
able to strike blow, however, Gen.
Saigo, with an army OF 10000 men,
invaded Formosa, crushed the natives
and reduced the island to submission.
Two wears later an unprovoked at
tack by some Koreans upon the ia
paDese steamer Unokan, while seek
ing coal and friendly shelter in a
Korean port, aroused intense excite
ment throughout Japan and afforded
the preteXt which the MikadO's Gov
eminent really desired, TO try con-
illusions with Korea A naval expe-
dition was hastily fitted out and dis
patched thilher under the command
OF Count hurOua, WHO was also pTu-
IDENTIFY armed with full plenipOten-
tiary powers, after the fashion of Com
modOre Perry.
Gen. Kuroda's negotiations proved
immensely successful. To the aston
ishment of the world, treaty was
negotiated by him February q, 1879
throwing open the trade and COM
merce, for the first time in history,
the principal ports of the Hermit
Kingdom. The most astonishing fea-
ture of the neutrality-suspicious.
convention was the voluntary relin-
ouishment of al claim to japanese
suzerainty over Korea and the distinct
recognition of her as a sovereign and
independent nation. Such terms TO a
weak, defenseless enemy bespoke a
liberality and breadth of statesman
ship such as is not generally credited
TO Asiatic statesmen
The suspected ambition of Japan for
territorial conquest, her rising power
and influence, and her leaning toward