The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1902-06-02
CALLED A HALT TO JAPAN
Prevented Her seizing Annoy and
Was Offered Island by China.

| Sydney Adamson, writing IN Leslie 5
Weekly. gives an interesting chapter In
Oriental history, now made public for
the first time.
"The world" he says, may know
that Annoy Is in China. somewhere on
the coast it may even associate 1t with
tea, just as in the old days Manila
meant rope, and, to the initiated,
cigars: but who ever heard Of Khlang-
su? Yet Kulangsu is almost part of
Amoy-is in very truth an island
abreast of the old Chinese town. This
is the story Of how Japan attempted to
seize Annoy, how her game was blocked
by the United States consul at that
port and shows how the island of ku-
| langsu was offered to the United states
| privately as a special concession from
| the Chinese government for saving
Annoy from the Japanese. In line with
the fully declared policy Of this coun-
try to stand up for Chna's integrity
| the offer was refused, but on it's sug-
gestion Kulangsu was offered to all ma
| tions and has now become an interna-
tional trading settlement.
when President Mckinley appointed
| A. Burlingame Johnson, a distant rela-
| tive of the great Anson Burlingame, Of
Chinese diplomatic fame. consul at
Annoy, he happily placed there a man
full of energy, already acquainted with
| Chinese affairs by study and, as events
proved, possessed of that statesmanlike
| quality of perceiving conditions before
| they become too far developed, which
| might be injurious to his countrys
| trade, and-rarer gifts-having suf-
fcient courage to precipitate action,
force an issue, and automatically con-
clude difficult negotiations without re-
quiring more than general instructions
| from Washington.
Annoy IMPORTANT TO AMERICA.
"Consul johnson, as soon as he began
| to study the Importance, relatively, of
Annoy to the Philippines, brought to
| light and clearly defined some facts
| which are of the utmost Importance to
the United States in the conduct OF her
Eastern policy. Should any power an
| tagonistic to the United States succeed
| in gaining complete control of Annoy
| the only Chinese port owned and man
aged by the Chinese government be-
tween which and the Philippines regu-
lar lines of steamships ply, it might
thus at any moment be closed. COM
pelling most of the trade to take a new
route through the British settlement Of
Hong Kong. This alone would be suf-
ficient reason for vigorous objection
to any attempt to seize Annoy.
''In addition to the passenger traffic
| between these ports n considerable
trade has also sprung up which, If fos-
tered, will doubtless become Of in
| creased value to the islands, Annoy as
an open Chinese port Is also valuable
coaling station. These considerations,
without further instances, clearly show
that the United States has vital in
| terest in the fate of Annoy. =
JAPAN HAD EYE ON PORT.
1.-THE Japanese had been gradually
learning the value of Annoy, and nearly
three years ago opened negotiations
with the Tsung-liYamen for a settle
ment there. The original surveys made
at that time included about three
fourths of the island of Kulangsu.' 1t
also included a strip of a foreshOre on
the Annoy side running almost mile
along the inner harbor and extending
some two miles back toward the centre
of the island. Upon remonstrance
from the United States the plan was
altered, the whole of Kulangsu was
omitted. and the settlement on the
other side was reduced to about one
tenth of the original survey.
THE settlement was granted to the
Japanese on this reduced basis, but it.
was an open secret that the government
at Toxic was far from satisfied with it's
area. When the outbreak occurred in
1900 In north China the Japanese gov
ernment Immediately dispatched two
men-of-war to Annoy and kept from
two to four there until the settlement
question was permanently adjusted. 1t
was plain from the beginning to those
in Annoy that the Japanese meant to
seize this opportunity OF occupying
Annoy permanently on their own condi-
tions.
JOHNSON IS RESOLUTE.
Consul Johnson had a difficult prob
lem to handle when he found that on
slight preteXt the Japanese had rushed
troops ashore, planted guns on the
heights, and were in practical possess
sion of the place. Add to this circum-
stance the mutterings of threatened
outbreak, populace terrified by the
Japanese soldiers and fleeing to the
mutiny and its officers appealing in
vain to the viceroy for funds to pay the
men who threaten to desert unless their
arrears of pay be forthcoming, and we
have picture of the conditions which
the American consul found confronting
him. His action was vigorous and dip
lomatic. A protest couched in the
strongest terms demanding the with
drawal of the troops was handed to the
Japanese consul for immediate trans
mission to his government. In fact, it
was stipulated that an answer be forth
coming within twenty-four hours. Sim
ultaneously the british consul was in
duced to land marines as foil to the
Japanese claim and prevent the unds-
puted occupation of Annoy by one
power.
1.-The Japanese had embarked another
contingent OF troops from Formosa, to
strengthen their occupation at Annoy,
but they never left the island. AS soon
as the United States protest reached
Toxic they We're ordered to disembark.
1t was unfortunate that the American
gunboat which the consul had sent for
should have been delayed. She did not
arrive until after the British ship Isis,
which meanwhile had landed marines
at the consul's request.
JAPAN FALLS INTO TRAP.
"A diplomatic trap was laid for Japan
and she very readily fell into 1t. When
Consul Johnson requested the with
drawal Of the British marines the
British consul pretended to hesitate.
and called upon the japanese consul