Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-05-20
Results of the War in Corea and
China.
JAPAN LOOKING OVER HER POSSESSIONS
The Work Of Modernizing Corea
Now Going On.
CHINESE NATIONAL DEBT

the japanese, Chinese and Corean lega-
lions here give much space to the changed
conditions resulting from the war.
Lord Ii, son OF Ii Hung Chang, is ex-
pected to be the new Chinese minister to
Japan. The peace settlement will soon be
followed by a restoration Of diplomatic re-
lations. Mr.. Otori, now member of the
Japanese prfvy council, is mentioned as a
probable minister to China. He was for
merly minister to China, and knows the
country thoroughly. In an interview. Mr..
Otori tells the japanese that having ac-
quired commercial access to China, it will
need much tact to carry on trade with the
Chinese. He says British merchants have
already pretty well occupied southern
China, which is the best field, so that the
Japanese had better turn their attention
to the northern country, where the mar
kets are comparatively untouched, al
though they supply millions of natives.
He gives all the minutiae of Chinese trade,
showing among other things that the
natives never pay cash for goods. They
are scrupulously honest, and have three
regular pay days, on May 8, July Is and
December 80. The talk IN Japan shows
that the conquests of the armies are to be
followed by an equally vigorous CONNER
cial campaign by the merchants.
TrOublOus Times in Corea.
Corea has passed through troublous
times of late. The foreign ministers fear
ed an outbreak, and armed guards were
stationed at all the legations. There were
thirty United States marines with United
States Minister Sill at Seoul. Quiet has
been restored and the armed guards have
been withdrawn. The trouble followed the
rebellion of the Tong-Haks. In suppress
ing them the government used great Sc
verify. traveller that lately returned
from the disturbed district reports that
wherever he went he saw houses burned
down, corpses of people murdered and
towns desolated and abandoned This
brought on mob agitation which threaten
ed Seoul and led to the armed defense of
the legations The authorities at Seoul are
now trying the ringleaders, and there is
a liability that they will be decapitated.
The influence which Japan is now exert
ing in the undermining of Corea is indi-
Gated by the formation of court council
to look after those suffering from the re-
cent outbreak. On this council of six men,
bers there are three Coreans and three
Japanese.
The Corean government recently devised
a unique means of raising the much-needed
revenue. Observing that Japan max
ing heavy demands on China, and that
China was not in condition to resist, the
acting minister of public works of Corea
suggested to Count Inoye, the Japanese en-
voy, that Corea should also put in a claim
for damage against China. He argued that
China's arbitrary course had brought on
the war, and Corea had suffered many
calamities therefrom. He urged also that
negotiating and of meeting Ii Hung Chang
at Shimor oseki, where the Japan-China
terms were then being arranged. Count
Inoye discouraged the project, and it was
not executed.
The loan of three million yer which
Japan made to Corea in order to put the
country on its feet has begun to be paid.
Half million was turned over the first of
last month, and the remaining two and a
half million is subject to call by Corea.
Looking Over Their Possessions.
The japanese are looking over the pos
essions they have recently acquired. A
large force of expert surveyors are at work
in and around Port Arthur, with the pur-
pose of finishing the survey by July, al
though these plans may be altered,
that the permanent possession of Port
Arthur has been given up, as a result of
the protest of the European powers. The
Investigations as to the value of the islands
of Formosa and Picadores have not been
encouraging. The Chinese natives on the
Picadores seem to be a race of blind peo-
pie, about half of them cropping about un-
able to see. The place is almost a solid
mass of coral. 1t is used for building
houses, fences, etc, giving beautiful red
appearance to everything, which, however,
is offset by the absence of trees or verdure
from the coral soil, and by the blindness
everywhere. Formosa gives better pros
poets, and already capital is being invested
to put in large sugar refneries, which will,
it is said, add new element to the worlds
production.
Chinese National Debt.
A careful compila ton of the figures of
the Chinese national debt shows that at
the present moment it aggregates only
about f10,0O0ooO, a sum insignificant in
view of the great resources of the nation.
The first Chinese loan was emitted in 1875,
ard since that date there have been various
issues, mostly for small amounts. The rate
of interest on these loans varies consider
ably, probably owing to the different char
acter of the security offered but the high
est figure is 10 per cent, and it may be sig
nificant that the last, made during the
tendency of war last year, was placed as
low as per cent. Most of these loans
were paid to the Chinese in silver but In
only two instances is it stipulated that
they shall be repaid in the same metal, and
the balance must be refunded in gold. In
view of this small floating debt, it is be-
lieved here that the Chinese will have no
difficulty in raising the entire amount of
the indemnity to be paid to Japan at a low
rate of interest, the Chinese taking silver
and paying the loan off in gold.