The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1897-12-29
RUssl4's SEIZURE OF coREA.
Peculiar Contract Under Which English
Financial Agent Was Frozen Out.

Tacoma, Wash, December sS.-The
peculiar and remarkable contract under
which Russia seized the Corean finances
and customs and thereby forced out Nc
Leavy Brown, the representative of Eng
1ish interests recently, and which so
offended England that the British Pacific
squadron has been despatched to
Chemulpo, near Seoul, the capitol of
Corea, has been translated and for the
first time is now made public.
The complete text is as follows:
In accordance with the commands of
the Emperor of Corea, the Corean minis
ter plenipotentiary in Russia, Min Yong
Hwan, having req uested the Imperial
Russian government to send to Corea An
official yersed in finance, whose functions
would be to transact all the financial
business in Corea, and to take charge at
the same time of her customs, the Russian
government acceded to the request and
directed Mr.. Alexiff described as MEM
Seoul," " where he recently arrived.
Now, therefore, the Corean minister
of foreign affairs and the Russian minis
ter, acting on behalf Of their respective
governments have consulted as to the
duties to be henceforth undeIt taken by
Mr.. Alexieff. and have agreed as follows:
"Mr. Alexieff Is appointed as advisor to
the Corean finance departments and
officers of Corea shall conduct the f1nan
cial affairs appertaining to them, in &C.
cordanee with the recommendations and
directions of the financial advisor, and
shall supply him with whatever docu-
mentary assistance or aid of any kind he
may require. The financial advisor shall
especially provide a suitable person to
superintend the Corean customs in lieu of
the present occupant of that post. The
superintendent of customs shall report to
him all expenditures and receipts. Should
the financial advisor have occasion to
leave his post he shall previously select a
competent locum tenens and shall make
him discharge his duties during his abb
sence. The person selected must be ap-
proved by the Corean government and the
Russian government In the event of the
financial advisor returning to Russia he
shall not leave Corea until a successor has
arrived to discharge his duties. The
period of this engagement is unlimited. "
1t is dated October 5. 1t will be seen
that Russia not only secures the finances
and customs of Corea, but proposes to
forever hold the same notwithstanding
that in her treaty with Japan after the
China-Japan war she specifically agreed
to join Japan in maintaining the indie
pendence of Corea and not to do any act
there.
McLeavy Brown refused to accept his
dismissal and returned his discharge to
this King and Emperor of Corea. He ap-
pealed to the British consul and the lat
ter reported the situation to England.
JAPANESE CABINET CRISIS.
Yokohama, December 2s.-Owing
to the failure of Marquis Saigo
to reconstruct the cabinet, the entire
ministry has resigned. The newspaper
demand the formation of very strong
cabinet, one capable of coping with the
situation in the East.
Washington, December 2S.-The JAP
anese minister has not yet been advised
of the resignation of the entire cabinet
and he feels that while the designations
may have been rendered the Emperor
will not accept them until it becomes
apparent that an entirely new cabinet
under Marquis Ito can be framed. Ito
has been il private life much of the
time since his notable achievements dur
ing the China-Japan war, and il is not
believed he is ready to return to the cab
met He is stror with all parties, how
ever, and has the people behind him, SO
that he may again assume the premier
snip IL emergencies uGHldDu I.
The reference in the despatch to the
public sentiment in Japan for strong
ministry capable of coping with the sit
uation in the East, is one of the first in
timations direct from pan that she
may take a hand in the controversy CEN
tering in China. While he has received
no official advices as to the purpose of
his government, NJ. Hoshi expresses his
personal conviction that Japan will not
be quick to enter into the controversy,
but viii maintain an independent and
neutral attitude for the present at least.
JAPANESE FLEET WAITING.
Loudon, Dec 2S.-A special despatch
from Shanghai dated yesterday saws:
1T is reported thatia Japanese feet
of over 20 warships is waiting near Goto
island outside Nangaski fully equipped
for war aud only waiting instructions.
This includes the Full Yashima, two of
the finest vessels in the Japanese navy,
and Chen Yuen that was captured from
China. The Japanese fleet it is under
stood, if acting in close touch with the
British squadron under Vice Admiral
Sir Alexander Bullock, commander-in-
chief on the China station"
Japan will certainly oppose a perma-
nent Russian occupation of Port Arthur.
The sudden dissolution of the Japanese
Dict was owing to the war spirit. 1t is
expected that the japanese feet will at
tempt to prevent the landing of rein
foreements from Odessa for the pro-
lection for the Russian trans-Asiatic
railway in Manchuria."
CHINESE WANT A LOAN.
London, December 29.-The Paris cor
respondent Of the Morning Post says:
"Russia has long been negotiating to
raise Chinese loan of 100000 pounds
in France to pay the indemnity and
secure the Japanese evacuation Of Wei
Hai-We. The negotiations were broken
off owing to France insisting that the
Bank of France should issue the loan and
Russia desiring that the Russo Chinese
bank should take the lead. A certain
GOODNESS now exists between France and
Russia"
STRENG THENING GIBRALTAR,
Washington, December 2s.-Reports re-
ceiYed at the navy department indicate