The San Francisco call., 1896-04-25
Attempt to Connect Subjects OF
the Mikado With the Death
of Korea'S Queen.
ABOUT FORTY SLAIN so FAR.
Alarm Caused by the Importation of
the Terrible Plague From
Hongkong.

the 4th of April in Berlin. The public has
been LED to believe that the treaty's pro-
visions for the abolition of consular juris-
diction differ essentially from those en-
bodied in the Ang o-Japanese treaty of
July, 1894, and that important reserva-
tons are made in favor of German sub
iects, and therefore of foreigners in gen.
eral. That is altogether misconception.
The treaty is on precisely the same lines
as the Anglo-Japanese. 1t is accompa-
MED, however, by a consular convention,
such as that existing between Germany
and Russia, and Germany and Italy,
which defines the privileges and immuni-
ties enjoyed by Consuls, and the notarial
or magisterlal functions that they are em-
powered to discharge in the case of their
own nationals under certain circum-
stances.
The procedure authorized by this con-
vention is strictly reciprocal and differs in
no respect from that followed by Consul
in Europe, but since it is not England's
habit to conclude such conventions, and
since consequently no convention of the
kind accompanies the Anglo Japanese
treaty Ignorant critics have been misled.
The long delay that occurred in conclud-
ing the new treaty with Germany was
wholly because OF the latter's large de-
mands for extended tariff concessions
The Berlin statesmen sought to obtain
special treatment for some 800 articles
Japan declined altogether to negotiate on
such basis, and after much discussion
Germany withdrew the great ulk of her
demands. She has succeeded, however,
in iDht
ports representing about 5000, 900 ven out
of total trade of 129, 600, 900. but OF these
100000 yen 2,500,000 represent staples
sold by England to Japan and only 1,5OO.-
900 staples sold by Germany.
By direction OF the King of Korea, a
court has been held under the presidency
of the Vice-Minister of Justice, for the
purpose of investigating the circumstances
attending the Queens death. The report
compiled by the court shows that its main
purpose was to incriminate the Japanese
and extenuate the part played by the
Koreans themselves. It will, of course,
tend to render the Japanese still more IN
popular in the peninsula-a result doubt
less desired by the statesmen now in power
in Seoul
1t would seem that the Korean authori-
ties were privy to an attempt recently
made against the life of the prince parent.
A man armed with a dagger was caught
just OUTSIDE of the old Princes bed-cham-
Der on the night of the 10Th of March. He
was seized, tied up and questioned, but
the police, to whom no intelligence had
been conveyed, suddenly appeared upon
the scene and carried him away, thus
proving that they had previous cognizance
of his doing,
Up to March % the number of Japanese
subjects murdered or badly injured by the
Korean insurgents was forty, in addition
TO seventeen soldiers killed. Great fears
had been entertained on account of eighty
Japanese merchants residing in Phyeong-
yang, but they reached Ninsen safely on
the 2Sth of March under secret escort of
small body of police. 1t appears from
their account that they were never in anv
visible danger, and that, had they not
sold off their stock in trade in the BEGIN
ming OF the lnsurrection, they might have
found it convenient to remain. Negotia-
tions with reference to the outrages
against japanese life and property are
going on between the Governments in
Seoul and in Toxic.
The strength of the insurgents in Korea
is broken by dissensions among them
selves. On the 22d of March their strong
hold at Kwang-fu, not far from Seoul, was
attacked by the Kings soldiers and taken
without much difficulty, the rebels leaving
more than hundred dead upon the field
and score of prisoners. This success
dispels any fear of movement against
the capital 1t is said that provisions
sufficient for years use were found
stored in Kwsng-fu.
The block in the Japanese silk market
continues. Foreign buyers expect that if
the European crop be up to the average
the Japanese will have to sell at prices
even lower than those now ruling. The
native silk merchants of Yokohama have
applied TO the treasury for a loan of
100000 yen without interest, which they
propose to pay back in six years. Their
idea is to devote 1000, 900 ven to pur-
chasing 10000 bales of silk at 100 ven above
the present price, this silk to be held until
an opportunity offers for selling at profit.
Meanwhile the remaining 100000 yen is
to be banked and its interest applied to
repaying the loan. There is not the
smallest probability that the treasury will
entertain this modest proposal.
Alarm has been caused in Japan by the
importation of the terrible plague from
Hongkong. Among 600 Chinese that took
passage in the Oriental and Occidental
Steamship Company's Gaelic, which
reached Yokohama homeward bound, on
March 20, was lad of II, who, when three
days out from Hongkong, had fallen sick.
He determined to land at Yokohama, and
succeeded in doing so without attracting
attention, being still able to walk. That
evening he found his way to the Chinese
hospital, where he died at A. M. on April
l, and was inferred the same day. The
bubonlc swellings, characteristic of the
disease, had developed in his neck and
choked him at an early stage.
Before death he had been seen bv
japanese physician, who, suspectlng the
nature of the malady, telegraphed to the
Toxic experts. One of the latter proceeded