The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-09-02

lnan III III
but he Is well liked and he is making a
very good minister. There is only one
American firm in Corea, and this Is that
of Morse & Townsend, which has its cnieI
house at the port of Chemulpo. James X.
Morse. the senior partner, lives IN New
York. He has spent some years In Corea
and Japan and he is a very able man
W. D. Townsend. the other member OF the
firm, is a well-educated Bostonian. VINO
does a big business in shipping all sorts
of things out of the country and in i'm
porting supplies for the King, the court
and the people.
The missionary force in Corea Is large
and it has done a great deal or good work.
I don't believe there are more earnest. act
i've and intelligent missionaries
than you will find in this country. They
have a strong hold upon the people. and
they are thoroughly respected by the King.
The headquarters of the missions are in
Seoul. The work is chiefly done by the
Presbyterians and Methodists as far as
the Americans are concerned. The French
Catholics have a large force at work
among the people, and there is also a mis-
sion of the Church of England, which is. I
think, managed from London. The Ameri-
can Presbyterian mission consists OF some
thing like twenty people. and most of the
missionaries have wives and families. The
Methodist mission is equally as large. and
both have hospitals and schools. The Co
rean College, under the Methodist Episco-
pal mission. is in charge of the Rev. III. O..
Appenzeller, who is also treasurer Of the
mission, and a most efficient man. 1 spent
some time with him at his home in Seoul,
and 1 can certify that he is thoroughly well
posted upon the country and that his or
ganization is doing a great deal or good.
The missionaries of Seoul live inside or
walled compounds or yards. Their gates
are usually guarded by keepers, and in case
of trouble like the present these walls
would be a slight protection from a mob.
CONNECTED WITH THE KING.
In addition to these, there are a number
of foreigners connected with the court and
the King. Gen. VIM. NICE. Dye was, for
years, in the employ of the late Khedive OF
Egypt. He is a graduate of West Point,
and he is one of the instructors and off,
GERS of the Corean army. He has been of
great value to the King during the present
rebellion, and in case there is a protracted
war between Japan and China upon Corean
soil, his brains. will have much to do with
the direction Of the struggle. l visited him
a few weeks ago. His red beard and hair
nave turned white since he left America,
but his form is as straight as when he COM
manded his soldiers during the war of the
rebellion, and his eye is as bright as it
was during his wonderful career in Egypt.
Gen. Clarence G~reathouse, the foreign adj
wiser to the King, is a Kentuckian by
birth, and a Californian by adoption. He
came from. California TO be consul-general
at Yokohama, and from there was called
to Seoul as a foreign adviser to the King
at a salary of $4,000 a year. He has a fine
establishment here, and his mother, who is
one of the sweetest Old ladies out Of Ken
lucky. is with him. Then there is General
lie Gendre, who is also one of the vice
presidents of the home Office, and who is
connected with General Greenhouse as for
eign adviser, and Col. F. ]. H. Nienstead,
who is in charge of the government schools.
Last, but not least among the Americans,
there Is a bright young Washington man
named Power. who came to Corea to put
the electric light plant in the palace, and
who has the position of electrician to the
King. He is only twenty-six years of age,
but he has put up one of the finest electric
light plants that you will find on the other
side of the globe. and when the country is
again settled he will probably build an
electric railroad which is projected from
Seoul to Chenulpo.
1t is very unfortunate that this rebellion
occurred Just at this time, and If the
Chinese are allowed to control affairs they
will put the country in a worse state than
ever. The King himself is more progressive
than any Of his mobiles and he is anxious
to see his country improved and his peo-
| pie bettered. 1t was only a few months
ago that he undertook to establish a pos
tai service. and to do this he called from
Washington Mr.. Ye Cha Yum. who fol
years was the secretary of the Corean le-
CATION, and who acted for a time as
Corean minister. Ye went to Corea very
enthusiastic as to his work. and he was
doing all he could to push modern progress
there when the present rebellion broke
out. He is one of the brightest of the
younger Corean statesmen, and If his
prominence does not result in his losing
his head through the jealousy of those
above him he will yet make himself fell
in the administration Of the government
I called upon him one day at his resi-
dence in Seoul. He lives within a stone!
throw of the palace, and the parlor il
which he received me was furnished hal
in American and half in Corean style. H,
wore a gown of white silk, and on hi
head was a many-cornered black hat o
horse hair net. The desk before him wa
full of papers, and ne was working a.
hard as he did at Washington. He has
1 am told. a good fat position in tn
provinces where the rebellion has occurred
and il is probably a lucky thing for hi
head that he is using it in Seoul rattle
than in southern Corea.
FRANK G.. CARPENTER.