The St. Louis Republic., 1903-10-25
ALONG THE KOREAN COAST
WHERE WAR MAY BEGIN.
Islands Impress Foreigners with a
Feeling of StranEeneSs Such as il
Not Experienced Elsewhere.

Chemulpo. Korea, sept. 25.--After a trip
In and out among numerous Islands and
banks. including some Of decidedly fOggy
nature one finds himself here. II It be low
water, but II the tide be well on toward
high it IS only with considerable difficulty
that he can begin to form an estimate how
Tar OF the nearest place is.
The tides are enormous. and in that rs-
spect bear a somewhat close resemblance
to those OF the Bay OF Fundy. Before
reaching here one passes from water Of q
beautiful blue to that OF a muddy yellow,
hence the term Yellow Sea
The large and small rivers that empty
into this sea bring down immense Quanti-
ties Of yelloWish sand and mud. which
spread out great distance into the rather
discOloring matter with them
Well acquainted though one may be with
OF the waters that WASH the Korean coast,
when he steps on Korean soil he nnds him
selt truly in an unknown ana strange land
All foreigners here seem TO experience
this feeling OT Isolation which does not
appear 10 affect them even IN some OF the
less well known Chinese towns.
The nag Itself - a strange one 10 begin
with. and the ngure IN its center looks
like Two commas Interlaced. or in the more
ordinary flags like two old-sIyle powder
horns fitted 10 each other.
Korea that in Chinese philosophy there
are two great principles. which may be
designated as male and female. and that
the Koreans at the time they adopted
other Chinese customs became students
Of this philosophy. Converts are proven
bially more zeaIous than those who inherit
q belief
It is perhaps, therefore. no matter Of
surprise that in ardent admiration OF this
philosophy they surpassed even their
teachers. Now in far Eastern philosophy,
a INF
role.
Among these, perhaps the most conspic-
uous Is what Is known in japanese as a
tomoye, a sort Of scroll, but ats origin -
Chinese.
It always lies coIled within a circle.
Sometimes IL is alone; sometimes two
In Korea there are always two. and they
represent the light and the shade. or the
male and female principles Of Chinese phi
They are called in the language OF this
place the Yong and the Yong. So attached
are tie Koreans to this symbol that II
may be considered as their distinctive
mark, or national badge.
The people so consider IL themselves and
1t forms the center Of their national flags.
Korea al present, instead Of being rent
in twain by the two contending Powers,
Russia and Japan. seems TO be in that
most uncomfortable state Of compression
the upper and neither miIlstones, and the
state Of affairs here is certainly a most
peculiar one.
Many Russian troops are quite well
known 20 be coming across the country in
the TraRssiberian Railway cars. Just how
far these troops will come south before the
cold weather sets in is the question.
On the other hand. Japan IS bristlinE all
over for a fight, and II a sufficient supply
OF the snews Of war can be found, she
wifi try and drive the Russians back
Those who do not believe that war IS
possible hold that the activity now being
shown by the Japanese IS all bravado. as
the pecuniary state OF that country will
not admit OF anything being done on so
large a scale as would be necessary were
Russia to be the antagonist
1t Is very natural that this country
should fail TO the share Of japan should
there be a partition. and il seems to the
fair-Eainded as though Russia should con
tent herself with Manchuria-
But Japan has Formosa and with all
that Is possible IN that semitropical island.
she certainly is supposed TO have Tich
possession Russians claim that they. too,
are entitled to extend their dominion 10
the southwark.
II gaining Korea. howex sr. they would
be able to too closely scrutiuize Japan,
and would be a constant menace.