Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-08-04

strange IL may seem I am getting some
very fine pictures made of Corean types
and scenes by this man. He paints as well
as sketches and Is considered the finest
artist of the kingdom. He Is a noble and II
Is hard to get him to do work quickly, but
his pictures are true to life. although they
seem strange to American eyes. He
sketched one of my soldiers for me today
and also made some pictures of the rebels
who arc making such trouble here. He
gave me a picture of an official on his way
to the palace L saw the fellow going past
the door and asked him to sketch him
The official was dressed in a long green
gown with official boots of black cloth peep
ing from under its hem. He had a great
belly band decorated with gold sticking
out from his waist and his horse-hair cap
had huge wings fastened to its back per-
sonifying ears. and denoting that he was
always ready to listen to the commands of
me king; HE sat in chair upon leopard
81 in and two Corean coolies in uniform
took him along on the dead run, while his
servant ran by his side. Behind him came
one of the kings officials. possibly gen
eral of the army from the country. He
had amber beads around his neck a bow
in one hand ard a CULVER of arrows at his
back, while other arrows were fastened to
the crown of his hat. The Coreans are
good shots and they still stick to the bow
and arrow, both for amusement and to 4
certain extent for war. The kings troops
are armed with modern guns. but many of
the rebels have bows and not a few of them
carried tridents
The Corcan Rebellion.
And this brings me to the rebellion. II is
mighty big story. and it is hard to handle
IL in a newspaper letter. l am told by those
closest to the king that the rebels did not
intend to fight against his majesty at all.
They only took up arms to GUST the officials
of their provinces They have been terribly
oppressed. Offices have been sold for years,
of lot no of off
have gone up. and the tenure of Office has
been shortened. There is one man here
who has had this matter in charge who is
worth many million of dollars today. He
was poor men ten years ago, and his
fortune has been made by squeezing. The
officials have had to pay SO much for Offices
that they have overtaXed the people to get
the money back, and they have oppressed
them to such an extent that starvation
stared them in the face. Had the king let
them alone and not come to the support of
his officials there would have been no re-
bellion against him. He sent. however. his
troops out to punish them. The rebels de-
featei the troops, and the king asked the
Chinese for some soldiers to help him put
down the trouble. The Japanese also sent
soldiers. and this walled city of Seoul now
swarms with armed man. There are qua rds
everywhere. The law against men going
out at night Is strictly enforced and any
one but a foreigner found wandering about
the streets is liable to arrest The gates
watched. The Japanese have a large camp
at the pass of the mountains between here
and the port of Chemulpo, and every one Is
excited and alarmed as to the possibilities
of a war, not only between the king and his
rebellious subjects. but between China and
Japan. The Chinese and Japanese soldiers
are by no means friendly to one another,
and the japanese are ready and anxious
for pretext to fight. The Baltimore is
still in the harbor OF Chemupo, and our
marines are ready to march from there at
moments notice to protect our legation
and the missionaries. The Coreans to q
large extent look upon the matter as
great joke. They walk about in their fine
white gowns, smoking pipes as long as
themselves. and laughing under their big
black hats at the queer figures which the
Chinese and japanese soldiers make. They
go by thousands to the camp, and they do
not seem 10 realize that the very existence
of their government Is threaten ed. The
king, however. understands 1t very well.
He is terribly alarmed, and he counsels
with his officials night after night, under
the electric lights of the palace. He does
no work whatever in the daytime, and
there is a runor that he fears ASA ssination
and that ne lit,s no dark corners in his
palace His troops have shown themselves
unable to cope with the rebels among his
own people. to say nothing of the Chinese
and Japanese. They have been defeated
several times. and they are largely out
numbered by the forces of Japan and China
which are now in Corean soil. The kings
army consists. all told. of not more than
eight thousand troops. Some of these are
well armed, and q number have been
trained by the American officers who came
over here to organize the army. or these
all have left except Gen. William Nee. Dye,
who has been more of an instructor than
commander, but the officers are generally
Corean. and they are not fit to fight the
more experienced heads of the foreign
troops.
The Chinese In Control.
In the meantime the king is under the con-
troll OF the Chinese, and all informs ton
which IS sent out from here by the Coreans
~ dictated by the Chinese. Corea has
claired to be Independent for some time.
but she IS really under China's thumb, and
when Ii Hung Chang, of the Chinese en-
pire pulls the string she is compelled TO
dance. 1 can't give In few words my
reason for this statement. l may write OF
Ii later. There Is no doubt, however, of the
fact. The calling in of the Chinese troops
without asking the consent of Japan was
contrary to the terms of the treaty which
exists between China and Japan. The Jap
anese. naturally, were angry. They have
large colonies at the ports of Chemulpo on
the Yellow sea, Gcnsan on the west coast,
Eusan On the south coast and here in Seoul
as well. They own 4 great deal of prop
crty. and they are the leading foreign ma
ton In Corca. They will not permit China
to have this peninsula. and it is by no
means uncertain that there may not be
war met tween China and IaDan on Corean
soil. This land has been the fighting ground
OF these Two nations in times past, and If
war occirs now il will be the bloodiest
Of Asidti" history. The Corelns have
few SatliHg guns and some cannon. The
Japanese and Chimes. can supply their
troops with all sorts OF modern munitions
Ct war. They have millions of dollars in
vested i'll war material. and their soldiers
AM marines are armed with the newest
ana latest nNtnJIOnS. IS il is now il looks
as though China would, in such case
have the friendship and support Of the King.
but there is much dissatisfaction With tho