The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1897-12-17
WHO WILL HAVE KOREA?
Russia and Japan Both Trying to
Secure Control

ASuoSAR elAu oopeAh A~OeA sAA9 ~
Secure Control
The Japan Mail, in speaking Of the
occupancy of Korea, says the views OF
a moderate, level-headed journal like
the Shogyo Shimpo on a subject OF
such interest as the relations between
Russia and Japan in Korea, are worth
hearing. They are views put into the
scribed as notably well versed in the
matter, but as they are published with
out any expression of dissent on the
part of the Shogyo, they may be taken,
we presume, as having that newspa-
per's endorsement Russia" the
anonymous statesman is represented
as saying, has had her eyes fixed on
the East for some time If she had
anticipated, at the commencement of
the war between Japan and China,
that victory would rest with Japan,
her interference would not have been
deferred until after the conclusion of
a treaty of peace by the belligerents,
but would have been exercised before
the opening battle at Yashan. But her
conviction at that time was that Japan
would never be able to make head
against the immense armies of China
and that she had no chance of ultimate
success It would seem, too, that the
disasters which overlook China at
Vn1, ~
seriously regarded at st. Petersburg;
they were considered to be merely
temporary reverses.
"But the humiliation of the Peiyang
Squadron, the capture of Port Arthur
and Weihaiwei, and Japan's menace
of moving on Picking itself startled
Russia, and induced her to form the
triple alliance, by means of which she
was able to control Japan and to ac-
complish the first part of her own pro-
gram in the East. Her ambition is di-
rected towards the Orient, and though
she has. number of plans in view,
it may be said that the step she is now
engaged in taking towards the goal of
her aims is to win the heart of the
Korean nation. She is, moreover,
spending large sums every year on the
Siberian Railway. The steady march
of her ambition is not to be checked,
but, at the same time, it is probably a
mere fiction to say that she intends to
consummate her purpose before jap
ans military and naval expansion is
complete
"She does does not labor under any
apprehension as to the meaning of the
convention concluded between Prince
Lobanow and Marquis Yamagata, but
the plan pursued by the diplomatic Of
ficials of strong powers in their foreign
relations is to secure every possible
advantage for their country, and the
rule observed by their Government is
never TO give up an advantage once it
has been secured. That, indeed, may
be called an Unavoidable policy nova
days.
If, as rumOr alleges, an agreement
has been concluded between Russia
and Korea for the employment of the
formers drill instructors by the latter,
it will be a very difficult matter, in
deed, to prevent it from being imple-
mented, especially since Korea's desire
is to hold japan at distance and to
get closer to Russia. Korea must be
treated for the present as if she were
eight parts Russian and two parts jap
anese, so far as her feelings towards
the two are concerned. Under the cir
cumstances, it is evident that very lit
tie can be expected to result from the
negotiations now proceeding between
the Japanese Foreign Minister and the
Russian representative.