The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1894-08-10
CHINA Is QUITE WARY.


This seems to be progressive and
laudable idea, but conservative and
suspicious China has declined the pro-
pOsal, with thanks. Her answer was
that it is her traditional policy not to
interfere fOrcibly in the internal affairs
of a vassal State. ThereupOn Japan
replied that if China would not help
her reform the country she would un-
dertake the task herself. 1t is this
new phase of Korean affairs that may
lead to ugly complications, and make
the Pacific border of Asia, for a while,
an object of particular attention to all
the nations.
At this point Russia thought it
timely to make few remarks. She
has warned Japan that she will not be
permitted to acquire territorial rights
in Korea. This is what might have
been expected. China and Japan,
long ago, would have been at odds
over the Hermit nation if both of
them had not feared that, if they
quarreled, Russia would make the dis
turbance pretext for occupying Ko-
rea. Russia longs to include this fine
peninsula in her Asiatic domain.
Korea would give her the strategical
and commercial position on the Pa
citic which her ice bound northern
coast does not afford.
The Koreans, in considerable num-
beers, are already living in the Cars
Province of Ussiri, and Russia finds
them a hard working people, who are
helping to make the province a field
of fruitfulness. Some of the finest
harbors in the world lie along Korea's
coasts, and Russia, with only Vladi-
vostOck, ice. bound nearly half the
year, looks lOngingly southwark to
the splendid harbOrs of Gen-san and
Fou san, where her warships might
safely ride at anchor in the most furi-
Gus gales, with no danger of being
held captive by an ice blockade.
In many ways Russia is constantly
showing her deep interest in Korea.
OF late years her officers and agents
have been pushing their surveys far
and wide in Korean territory, and the
only decent map we have Of the cOun-
try emanates from Russian sources.
The Cars pioneers never lose an OPP
pOrtunity to cultivate the friendliest
relations with their rather unsOcial
neighbors to the south, and have cor
daily invited them to move over the
border and live in the Russian viii
lagos.
We do not lose sight of the fact that
eight years ago China obtained from
the Russian Government a distinct
official pledge that she would not
occupy Korea. China and Japan,
however, are not deceived as to the
value of such an engagement; and
their fear that Russia would improve
the first opportunity to seize Port
Lazareff and Fou-san has had the
effect until now to moderate their
ardOr over Korean questions so that
no possible excuse for overt action
might be supplied by the Cars Gov
eminent.
Russia, at least, does not propose to
see Korea recede further from her
grasp by letting Japan acquire terri
tOrial rights. 1t is not at ali unlikely
that China and Japan may, after all,
settle their trouble without going TO
war over it; for they know very well
that while they are quarrelling Russia
would probably try to run off with
the bone of contention In that case
the Chinese resident at Seoul, voicing
the views of the Government, is al
most certain TO continue to be the real
master at the Court of Korea.
CYRUS c. ADAMS,
In PittsbuTg Dispatch.