, 1894-10-10

nlaiOus III It's way from Il service point OF
view as the retention of an official OF the
standing of Lord Cromer in the nominal post
of Consul. General in Egypt, was significant
enough to have drawn more attention from
the interested Powers than it seems to have
done. Mr.. Otori was not idle in Soul. There
is in Korea a considerable Japa"eSe party.
including men in high places, through whom
information reaches the Minister of an exact
and intimate description and through whom
japanese ideas may be propagated without
the knowledg &c Of the other forei n represent
~tatives. It was also an important function
Of Mr.. Otori's to collect and eitt such griev-
ancos as Japanese merchants and adVenturers
might have against the Korean Administra-
ton. The inference is inevitable that ont Of
these various materials Nj. Otori prepared
the G. Sc which was to serve as the basis OF
his Governments action. During his term of
office in Soul, and after he left that capital, he
is known TO have held repeated conferences
of & serious character with various officials
who are actually playing important parts in
the present military operations. Journeys OF
these officials from their posts to Soul to con-
fer with Mr.. Otori, and to Toxic TO confer
with the authorities there, were not for no
thing. This exceptional activity among ia
panese officials connected with Korea during
the early spring of 1o94-beforet the rebellion
was heard of-though not altogether unob-
served, was apparently RELOCATED to he cate
CORY of things which no fellow could be ex-
peeted to understand.
The decision Of the japanese Government
to send the expedition was publ ely, though
informally, announced on June 3; and within
one week Of that date the troops were landed
on the western coast of Korea with their
AIMS, stores, and equipment complete, and
with q large supply If charcoal, flewood,
and rven water. Az a mere exercise the rapl-
ditv and precision Of the movement we've phe-
nomenal and would have been utterly I'M
possible without elaborate preparation.
Though sudden in execution, therefore. the
Japanese descent On Korea was deliberately
planned, and the yaii us pr etcnccS Ivy which
Mr.. Oto1i contrived to deceive the Chinese
Resident as we'll MS the Korean Government
and the foreign representatives as TO the cha
rscter of the expedition ale now seen to have
been ruseS de 9Uerre to evade opposition to
the landing Of the troops. Flst. 1t was a
bodyguard Of marines that escorted the Minis
ter on his return to S0nl, and they would be
Immediately withdrawn, which was done; but
the marines were promptly replaced by troops
only GO0-for the protection of the Japa-
nese Legation in case of trouble. Transports
with more troops were announced, but Mr..
Otori assured his colleagues they would not
land, it was not necessary; then the inconve-
nience Of keeping the men cooped up on
board ship in hot weather was pleaded, and q
run ashore WAS considered beneficial to their
health and SO ON until the whole forces had
had been securely landed on Korean soil.
The capital and all the approaches to ii hav-
ing been securely occupied BY the Japanese
troops, and every military Precaution being
observed as if hey we've in face of an active
enemy, the diplomatic campaign opened on
June 20. On that day the Japanese Minister,
Mr.. Otori, sent "a note to the Korean Foreign
Office respecting the tributary relations be-
tween China and Korea. He pointed out that
in the Treaty of Kanghwa Of 1876, ana sub
sequently, the King had represented himself
as all independent Sovereign competent to
make treaties, like the Emperor himself.
Recently, however, the Japanese Government
had been much surprised by the language
held by the Chinese Minister in Toxic in
contradiction Of this view. In notifying the
despatch of Chinese troops to Korea i'll terms
of the LigIto Convention of 1885, the Minister
had declared that this was done III fulflment
of the obligation which lay upon China to pro
tect her vassal State. The Japanese Govern
Bent now. therefore, demanded Of the King a
clear definition of his relation to China.
After considering the matter in Council for
1L r