The San Francisco call., 1896-04-20
Thirty-Eight Subjects of the
Empire Known to Have
Been Slain.
APPROACHING ANOTHER CRISIS
Downfall of the Present Premier and
His Faction Believed to Be
Imminent.


that affairs in Korea are rapidly approach
ing another crisis which will involve the
downfall of the present Premier and his
faction. The idea is that Ii Pom Chin will
evade the difficulties of his position by
proceeding to Russia, ostensibly as embas-
sador to attend the coronation ceremony,
and that PAX Yong-ho, now in the United
States will be summoned to head the Gov
ernment. Rumor now alleges that the
flight of the King to the Russian legation
was entirely due to the Vaccinations of Ii
Pom Chin. He deceived both sides; the
King by cleverly fabricated story that the
Russian representatives, highly desirous
of his Majesty's secret removal to the lega
ton so that he might escape the fate of his
late consort and the Russian representa-
tive by an equally ingenious pretense that
the King eagerly wished to seek asylum
under the roof of the Russian legation
against murderous projects on the part of
the Japanese. Both were imposed upon,
and thus the affair of February IL took
place.
The number of Japanese subjects muir
dered in Korea since February IL now
totals thirty-eight, in addition to five who
are missing. Great patience has been
shown by the Government and people of
japan in the face of these outrages, the
nations indignation being curbed by
conviction that any resolute employment
of force to quell the insurgents and pun
ish the murderers might involve collision
with Russia. But it being now evident that
Russia's designs in the peninsula are not
so matured or far-reaching as was origin
ally supposed, the Japanese will probably
adopt vigorous measures to protect the
lives and property of their nationals.
Of seven Japanese working in Caroline
Bay to float the Chinese cruiser Kwang-yi,
three have been murdered by Koreans.
Four of the little party had proceeded to
Chemulpo on business and when they re-
turned to the scene of operations, they
found their comrades dead and their
houses reduced to ashes. The four men
themselves were violently assaulted and
barely escaped with their lives.
The colony of Hongkong is suffering
from an epidemic of something like
rinderpest. The dairy farms have been
almost annihilated, and the colonlsts are
deprived of their supply of fresh milk.
The bubonic plague also is again asserting
itself. It's temperance is attributed to
want OF thoroughness on the part of the
sanitary authorities, who. instead of burn
ing the novels where the disease germs
were most likely to find indus, pulled
them down and sold the materials by auc-
tion.
The caterpillar plague continues to de
vastate the district of Kowloon. Nine and
half tons of the insects have been COL
lected there, but they have not as yet
made their appearance in Hongkong.
The diplomatic corps in Peking has
been greatly exercised recently about the
choice of language for use in their Off
cial intercourse with the Chinese. English
used always to be employed, but set has
been made against it. On the occasion of
the Imperial Audience at the Chinese New
Year, the doyen of the diplomatic
corps made his speech IN English. The
reply was interpreted into English, where
upon the Ministers of Russia and France
called upon the interpreter to render it in
their respective languages, which was
done. Happily, all the other Ministers
sent did not insist upon similar consider
alton for their various tongues. Slbse-
quently the diplomatic body held confer
ence to determine which language should
thereafter be employed, and English
gained the day by one vote. But the m at
ter was not allowed to rest there. Further
meetings took place and circulars were
sent round advocating the use of French.
AT the imperial banquet French was exclu-
sively employed, the United States repre-
sentative, who is doyen of the corps, hav-
ing, for some inexplicable reason, con-
sented to the veto against English.
Some of the German officers engaged in
organizing and drilling the new army in
Marking have been roughly handled by
Chinese mob. Before his departure from
the city, the former Viceroy, Chang Chih-
tung, purchased piece of ground and set
preparations on foot to build there mill
tary school, barracks and houses for the
foreign officers. The situation is said to
be particularly choice as to its scenic sur
roundings. On March 16 several of the
German officers-there are thirty-fiye in
Nanking-went to look at the progress of
the work. They did not ride together,
having no suspicion of peril. The first to
arrive, Major Baron Reitzenstein, was i'm
mediately set upon by two or three hun
dred yelling Chinese and received nasty
beating with poles and clubs before he
succeeded in extricating himself and riding
away.
Several of his brother officers, coming
subsequently, were similarly treated, bur
happily all escaped without serious
wounds. 1t is supposed that the mob be-
lieved the new Viceroy, Liu Kun-yi, to be
hostile to the foreign-drilled army scheme
and were anxious to give practical effect to
their belief. The Viceroy has issued or
ders for the arrest of the rioters.
After all the talk about the reappoinr-
ment of the Black Flag chief Liu Yung-fu,
to his former post of brigadier- general in
Kwangtung-an appointment that would
have signified the Chinese Governments
approval of Liu's opposition to the Jap
anese in Formosa-the place has been
given to another official, which means that
Liu has been dismissed from the Chinese
enrvica n PprEprru