Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-12-28
MIRIAM IN THE Fan EAST.

| Recent news from Korea was TO the Eff
feet that the King-or Emperor. as he
not long since proclaimed himself-had
yielded the government Of Korea prac-
tically into the hands OF the Russian
Minister by Diminishing McLeavy Brown.
British Adviser to the Korean Customs.
I'm favor of the Russian nominee. Now.
as bearing upon this matter. come from
Shanghai two dispatches. the conhrma-
ton OF either Of which will be watched
with interest.
one of these dispatches is TO the ef-
feet that seventeen British warships are
of Chemulpo. Korea, southwest OF
Seoul and that behind this British
fleet are thirty Japanese warships await
ing call, the demonstration being Ia the
nature Of protest amounting to an ul-
timatum against the concession of the
Korean Government. The other dispatch
states that a British force has landed at
Chcmulpo, and caused the reinstatement
Of McLeavy Brown. and refers to a
native rumor" that the union Jack has
been hoisted on an island in the mouth
Of the river Yang-Tse- Kiang.
Assuming that either Of these reports
is true. or even approximately true, 1t
begins to look decidedly like business in
the far East. Nor Is the assumption
that one or both, are based on a certain
amount of fact n violent one. Great
Britain has more at stake in the far
East than any other European Power.
In the diplomatic negotiations following
the war between China and Japan, she
was clearly outwitted by Russia. AS
consequence, her hold upon China was
weakened. she lost prestige in that quar-
ter of the globe, and Russia was en-
boldened TO press i'm several directions
the advantages she had gained.
However, there have been unmistakaole
signs that Great Britain was trying 10
work herself into a position to recoup,
not the least of these being the correc-
ton of her mistake in not having culti-
waited in the past more friendly relations
with Japan. The short work Japan made
OF China in the war between these two
Powers was as much Of revelation 10
Great Britain as it was to the rest Of the
world and il is no secret that since the
conclusion Of peace the British have
been sedulously counting japanese friend
ship. with the result that virtual, If not
a formal alliance exists between The
right Little Isle" and 1.-The Island King
dom" Great Britain and Japan had
pretty much a common grievance against
Russia. The British had been euchred
by the Northern Colossus out Of some
of the spols of their years of diplomatic
with and bullying in the
Celestial empire, and Russia had forced
the japanese 10 forego taking possession
of some Of the richest fruits of Japan's
victory over the Chinese. A fellow feel
ing made the two aggrieved Powers WON
drous kind, and despite Great Britain's
past snubs to Japan, the former found
it not difficult to bind Japan to her.
And now that the understanding has
been reached, and Great Britain has
again played successfully her game Of
utilizing the ambitions and animosities
of another nation for her own advantage,
we need not be surprised to see her, in
her further dealings with the far East
question, throwing diplomacy TO the
winds and showing a bold and defiant
hand