The sun., 1904-08-31
JAPAN AND COREf.
A ia IA nese Plan TO Acquire Control Of
More Than Half or C0rea.

ToTHE EDITOR OF THE SuN-iSir: Just be-
fore the outbreak Of the Russo-Japanese
war a good deal Of noise was made over the
timber concessions on the Yalu granted to a
company of Russian speculators. chief among
whom was said to be the now celebrated NJ
Bezobrazoff This concession and the other
various circums tances connected with 1t was.
in fact, put forward as one Of the causes
why Japan made war. The Corean Govern
ment. especially. had to be saved from the
Russian influences that were threatening to
turn the country into a Russian province.
with all it's resources in Russian hands. Now
the last mail from Japan brings details OF
certain demands on the Corean Government
by Japanese Bezobrazoff. backed by his
government, which make 1t look as II Corea
had fallen out of the frying pan into the fire.
A certain Mr.. Nagamori is the counter
part OF the Russian promoter. The plan. as
submitted to the Corean Government by the
Japanese Charge d'Affaires at Seoul. Is known
as the Nagamori Reclamation Scheme. IL
requires that the reclamation. improve
mcnt and cultivation Of forests and waste
lands, exclusive OF imperial mausolea. temple
grounds, forest preserves and Government
and private lands already reclaimed. shall
be granted to Mr.. Nagamori. who will find
the capital for the enterprise. No similar
concession shall be granted TO any other
person by the Corean Imperial Estate Bureau.
heclAllneU lHnuS Slldll ue cAclipe lo" tdAco
for five years. after which they shall not be
assessed higher than land belonging to Co
reans The concession snail be for fifty
years, subject to extension by mutual agree
ment. and the details shall be agreed on within
six months Of the SIGNATURE OF the deed OF
being terminated at the end of the fifty years.
the Corean Government shall he bound to
capital invested. with compound interest at
the rate Of per cent, per annum. MI; Naga-
mori shall have the right TO transfer the con-
cession to his heirs or other persons.
such in substance is the scheme under
which two-thirds Of the soil Of Corea would
JUNE day bsiore he st @
japan, Mr.. Hayashi, the japanese Minister.
sent a draft of the arransement 70 the Corean
was the Emperor's desire, On the affair
becoming knSwn the whSle country was Sas
nese mes 'ciGsd Charge d Af1ares. Who promptly had
ing. as he thought, put down the opposition.
he returned to the charge and again pre-
sented the document, demanding ratifca-
Corean Governrnent had found its backbone
and not only refused TO receive u. but some
ss 70 a the
Ieges demanded for MIR. Nagamori by the
japanese Government
extraordinary affair. The foreign repre-
! protested against the wholesale alienation of
more than half of the country. a protest in
which they are said to have been Joined by
many Japanese who had already acquired
! interests In Corea. The opportunity was
thus given t" tho Corean Government to
cvade the Japanese demands. protesting that
what 1t was not allowed to give to its own
people it could not be expected to give TO
foreigners.
At last accounts the Japanese Govern
ment was much exercised over the matter
and was about to increase it's garrison in
Corea and construct fortifications on the
Ya!u and on the coast near Chemulpo, while
influential Japanese papers were calling on
the Government 10 end the present situation
and assume the entire control of the internal
and external affairs Of Corea. And so al
last the head Of the Niger in the Corean
woodpila has been exposed. ORIENT.
New YORK. Aug. 20.