Evening star., 1896-11-05
RUSSIA AND C0REA
Probability Of a Fourth Great Power
on the Pacific.
HAWAII REGARDS IT as 4 GOOD THING
1t May Hasten Annexation to the
United States.
j A P A N PR OF f S Il s
HAWAu REGARDSFT As 4 GOOD THING
j A P A N PR O TIE S T S
Special Correspondence OF The Evening Star.

Special Correspondence Of The Evening Star
HONOLULU, October 90 1885,
Hawaii may fifty feel much interested in
a just reported declaration by Russia to the
King of Corea that Russia considers Corea
an appendage Of Siberia. and that the Co
rean question is closed" Japan may he
Liable to regard this expression as some
what arrogant. and the fact expressed
must he very grievous to her. About the
control and regulation Of Corea Japan had
a severe and costly war with China. in
which she was wholly victorious and
emerged with great military and naval
glory. But the struggle having ended the
big northern bear now walks in and calmly
appropriates to himself the bone of conten-
ton. Russia needs the Corean seaports-
she Is strong-she therefore simply takes
them and makes few words about it. Who
shall ga!nsay her? Doubtless there has
been due understanding on the subject
with England and the two other great
powers. Germany and France, who are cul-
t1vat1ng commerce with eastern Asia. Those
powers probe bly, have their own designs
upon various other desirable locations near
China, and accordingly will concede to
Russia her grasp upon what lies nearest to
her and Is most essen tial to her maritime
development upon the Pacific
With the sudden evolution of Japan AS a
strong naval power, England especially
needs In those seas a first-class naval sta
nearer than India. In the present sr.at
weakness of Spain that country may prove
willing to sell the Philippine Islands. and
england may stand ready to purchase
them. BY yielding to Russias demand for
Corea she may gain that powers support
or consent to her own further aggrandize-
ment on the China sea. 1t may we'll be
imagined that such arrangements have
formed part of the subjects considered in
Salisbury '
1t Is matter Of most serious interest to
Hawaii that Russia Is preparing to become
one OF the great maritime powers Of the
Paclf1c. AS well Is 1T Of interest to the
United States. whose concern In the COM
merce OF the North Pacific must become
overwhelmingly large Evidences have long
been multiplying Of Russia's definite pur-
pose to take a leading part in Pacific af-
fairs. That purpose has long been promi-
nent feature In Russian policy Since the
strong military and naval occupation OF
vladivostock, that policy has been yearly
growing more manifest 1t has been pr.st
ly emphasized by the recent enerpet,c nro
gress Of the Trans-Siberian railway. That
road has already become the highway of a
vast current of Russian emigration into the
fertile regions Of central Siberia Rut the
goal of that road, to reach which every
energy Is bent. is not Siberia 1t is Rus
s1a s ports on the Pacific. 1t is also the
1ertiie Amoor valley. which Is to be peo-
pied and developed by Russian subjects as
SUBSIDIARY 10 a Pacific maritime power
A Possible Grent state,
When that great line of railway is COM
pleted-say, by the close of this century
that productive Amoor valley will became
occupied by an Industrious Russian nonuIa =
ton. Its great natural resources will be-
gin 10 be developed. A populous Russian
state will grow up on that Asiatic- Pacific
coast, confronting the powerful American
Pacific states. and ready for beneficent
commerce between the two. Eastern Man.
chur1a and Corea will also be deyeloDed
under the able Russian control which has
worked such wonders in Central Asia and
tneir mighty capable Mongolfan populations
Will become inspired with much of Euro
pean activity.
" greater immediate Importance to Rus
sias aims on the Pacific will be the pro-
vision, by means of the great railway Of
rapid transportation for military forces and
supplies over an interior route absolutely re-
moved from hostile interruption Her great
fortress, VladivOstock, ana the other fort
feSses which she will create on the Pacific
VIII be placed within rapid communica tioo
In time Russia will create in the An,oor
and other back country near the Pacific all
the sources OF such supply that she will
need, not only of provisions and men. but
OF munitions of war. At the forts will he
built the needed warships. and the Pacific
arsenalS will manufacture the armor and
the guns. AT present her communicati tion
with Nladivostock is remote and tedious.
as we'll as costly. The new railway viii,
remove this difficulty
one OF Russia's first and most important
steps toward the proper establishment of
her maritime power on the Pacific is to Sc
cure better seaports than she now has in
Vladlvostock. which is subject to closure
by Ice in the winter. The chief ports avail
able to her use for that purpose are those
OF the peninsula of Corea. With Russia $
otherwise magnificent and unique oppor-
tunlty OF becoming first-claSs commercial
power on the Pacific, 1t Is not to be ex-
pected that she should forego any oppor-
tun1ty to take possession Of those Corean
ports, or OF the whole peninsula to which
they belong Such occupation is manifest
destiny. In those harbors Russia will find
al that she requires to open the road for
her unlmpeded development as first-class
naval and commercial power on this
mghtiest of oceans. She can then enter
upon equal terms into competition with the
three other great powers whose territories
border on the North Pacfic-England the
United States and Japan. Such mighty
quartet of naval powers ought half a
century hence to make the Pacific busy
scene of commerce. How the great steam
ers will rush east and west, even thicker
and faster than they now do on your mar
row and stormy Atlantic
Sent1men tally, Japan has bitter eriav-
ance In Russia 5 unceremonious apprc prta-
ton OF Corea. for which the former fought
with China and conquered. japan won it.
and # els it to be her rightfui prize But
practically, it may be far more for the
real interest of Japan to be exempt from
the burdensome AMI embarrassing task of
governing the recalcitrant and truculent
Coreans. The occupat ton and governing
OF that turbulent peninsula, so far from
enhancing her power. would prove q con-
slant drain upon her resources. Even For
mosa seems to prove much as she can
keep in order. The Russians are a more
masterful race, and would have less diff
Guilty.
Hnwnfis Interest.
TC US in Hawaii it appears highly de-
sirable that maritime power rival to
Japan should be created upon that side
Of this ocean-one that will be interested
to counteract any possible tendency on
the part Of the latter to disturb our inde-
pendence or internal order. Until absorbed
into the friendly embrace of the United
States. as We devoutiy hope to be, Ha-
walls security from outside aggression
appears to be greatly increased by the
multiplying of such great maritime powers
on both sides of the Pacific who will
be directly interested in preventing each
others aggrandizement by occupying so
central position as Hawaii.
While cherishing most friendly feelings
toward Japan, while regarding with most
sympathetic interest her wonderful prop.