Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1904-02-13
KOREA, THE PIVOT.
Interesting Facts Bearing on Far East
ern Situation.

| now in America have more
| intimatae knowledge of the habit:
and customs of the people of Corea ant
of the interesting history of that nation
tine very last terra incOgnita of the
| earth-than Archer 3. Hubert, son O
the REV. DIR. Calvin E. Hubert, former
| president of Middlebury College anf
| well known throughout New England
| Mr.. Hubert went to the Far East If
| 1S9. as a representative of Severa
American newspapers and located ir
Seoul, COrea, then, as now, the pivot
in eastern politics. He gained close and
intimate knowledge of Russian poll
tics as the editor of the COrean indie
pendent, and also because his brother
Homer r. Hubert, for IS years has
been head master of the royal FORMAL
school at Seoul, and is the editor of
the 'Orean Review.
Mr.. Hubert recently arrived in BOs-
ton and gave to the Herald. yesterday,
many interesting facts regarding the
hermit nation, also his opinions of the
relative merits of the Japanese and
Russian forces now engaged.
There is no question in my mind
that the Japanese will he successful at
sea-" he said. "RusSia's navy in the
East is not as strong as that of Japan.
Japan has developed a splendid torpedo
boat Gotilla and expects to use this
dirk knife of the modern navy with
great power and effect upon the Rus
sian vessels, just us tOday's dispatches;
say it already has done. So far as !,
land campaign goes, it looks as if Jap
an was going to repeat her campaign of
1S9i-5 and throw troops into Corea at
several points and march in various
directions along the coast. Unless Jap
an IS completely victorious at sea- there
is no way by which she can get her
troops to Port Arthur, except by long
ana severe marches.
Japan cannot reduce Russia's pow
or much by a land campaign. as Rus
sia's base of supplies is back of her.
with immense wheat fields and thriving
cities upon which she can draw at will.
The Trans-Siberian railroad will be of
great advantage to Russia in this
movement of supplies. while all the
Japanese troops can obtain must come
either from the country they attack or
he transported by water. The military
campaign must he carried on either in
the Snring or fall because i'm the sum-
mer there Is the terrible rainy season.
while TIC winters are as severe and the
weather as cold as in New England. So
far as the bravery of the cOntending
forces is concerned. it is a case of
Greek meet Creek Each side will
fight until it drops from sheer exhaus-
tom
Mr. Hubert said: an the q months
was in Corea there were changes in the
cabinet about every three months. The
cabinet consists of nine ministers. who
buy their places and are supposed to give
an Office to every relative they have. 9th
erwiSc they must support tho relatives
left unprovided with an office ont of their
own pockets. One minister who WAS
hard up for places for his relatives. threw
out of office every tpIegrapher in the
Royal Corean telegraph office and put his
relatives there. These relatives did not
know telegraph instrument from :,
safety razor, and for three weeks not II
line of matter went out over those lines.
These cabinet ministers carry on the OK
ecutive branches of the government. and
every known method of stealing cheat
ing and bribing on earth and some known
nowhere but in Corea, is practised to OBJ
tain money.
During the present war there will he
no SUCH terrific fear among the foreign
during the Japanese-Chinese war The
ravageS of the Chinese army will not be
repeated by the Japs or the Russians. but
undoubtedly there will he series of rev.
olrtions in Corea. which ever side wins
A revolution Is an annual occurrence in
Corea. whenever the supply of rice is
short
Seoul. which means literally the cap
ital. Is a city of about 310,0oO inhabitants.
1t is ruled by governor and has an al
legged police system. The foreign quar-
ter Is in the eastern part. and here the
Emperor now lives. to he near the foreign
legations in case of difficulties with his
people. and particularly with the Ton
Haks. the perpetual enemies of the pres
ent government and persistent revolution
lists. Seoul is 2 miles from the sea by
rail. and GO miles by water 1t is sur
rounded by Il high. thick wall about four
miles in circumference. and has four gate
ways, corresponding to the points of the
compass. A high range of mountains en-
virons the city. and upon its crest are
built the walls and Notifications. The
streets are broad. with many avenues. re-
minding one of Pekir. The country
around Seoul is very fertile with magrifi-
, cenl fields of cotton, rice and other grains
ITO Americans the Coreans owe the first
electric railway in their country 1t is
six miles long and runs through Seoul
American locomotives and cars are used
on all the railroads in the country BEN
jamn c. Donham. Boston boy Tech o.
has Just completed a bridge 300 feet long,
with approaches over the Han river.
II rather expect to see Russia victo-