The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1904-03-09

! Accordingly the government OF
Japan makes the following statement
regarding the five acts which i'm the
note are declared TO be fully proved
and confirmed:
Il 1t is charged under this heading
that before the opening of hostuities
against Russia, Japan landed troops
/ in the independent empire of Korea.
which had declared its neutrality.
The imperial government admits
that Japanese troops landed in Korea
( before the declaration of war was is
! sued, but not before a state of war
J actually existed between Japan and
Russia. The maintenance of the in
! dependence and territorial integrity Of
! Korea is one of the objects of the war.
and the dispatch of troops to the
/ menaced territory was a matter OF
/ right and necessity which had the con-
! sent of the Korean government. The
/ imperial government drew a sharp dis
/ tincuon between the landing of Jap
/ aneSe troops in Korea under the actual
/ circumstances Of the case with tine
! sending of a large body OF Russian
/ troops to ManchUria without the con-
sent OF China, as was done by Russia
while peaceful negotiations were stfu
+ in progress.
ANAeEk aL N4SA4u4pO-
- Under this heading it is alleged
that Japan with a division of the lap
aneSe attempted a sudden attack on
the Sth instant-that is. three days be
fore the declaration of war-on two
Russian Warships which were I'm the
neutral port of Chemulpo. and whose
commanders had not been notified az
| the rupture Of relations. as the Jap
apese maliciously stopped the delivery
of Russian kilograms by the Danish
cable and destroyed the Korean govern
ments telegraphic communication.
The imperial government declares
that the allegations under this heading
are untrue The imperial government
did not stop the delivery of Russian
kilograms by the Danish cable neither
did they destroy the Korean govern
ments Geographic communications Re
gardinS the alleged sudden attack ON
the Sth of February on two Russian
men-Of-war in the port of Chemulpo, Il
- only necessary TO say that "A state OF
war existed and that Korea having
given her consent TO the landing Of Jap
anese troops at Chemulpo. the harbor
of Chemulpo thereby ceased 20 be neu-
trail, at least between the beiligerents.
% It is charged under this heading
that in spite of existing International
laws. shortly before the opening Of hos
tilities. Japan captured as prizes OF war
the Russian merchant men. which We're
in the neutral ports Of Korea
The imperial government have es-
tabliShed the prize court with full
authority TO pronounce finally on the
question of the legality of the seizures
Of merchant vessels. Accordingly it
would be manifestly out of place for
the imperial government to make any
statement regarding the assertion I'M
der this heading
Another Russian ''Whopper."
q. 1t is asserted under this number
that Japan declared TO the emperor of
Korea, through the Japanese minister
at Seoul. that Korea would be hence
forth under Japanese administration.
and warned his majesty that In the
case of noncompliance Japanese troops
would occupy the palace.
The imperial government declare the
charge under this number 10 be abso-
lUtely and wholly without foundation
in fact.
.. Under this heading # is charged
that the Japanese government for
warded a summons. through the French
minister 10 the Russian representative
at the court Of the emperor Of Korea.
10 leave the country with the staff OF
the Russian legation and consulate
The imperial government deny the
accuracy OF TINS statement No demand.
either direct or indirect. was addressed
by the Japanese government asKine IKE
Russian minister TO retire from KO-ea.
The French charge a. amaires called
on the japanese minister at Seoul AID
Informed him verbally, as ne did after
wards in writing that it was the desire
OF the Russian minister to leave kcre..
and asked the opinion of the japanese
minister with reference to the mSt-cr.
The japanese minister replied THAR :f
the Russian minister would withdraw
in peaceful manner. taking with him
his stan and legation guard, he would
be fully protected by Japanese troops.
He did so withdraw of his own free viii
on the 18th of February aud an escort
Of japanese coldiers was furnished him
as far as ChemulpO. In this connection
IL may be remarked that the Russian
consul at FuSan remained at his post
as late as February 2Sth. tt is reported
that he was compelled to stay that
long IN the absence Of instruct ol,fs
which the Russian minister apparently
did not care to give him before his own
departure When il was made known
that necessary instructions had III
last reached the Russian consul ard
that ne desired 10 leave Fusan as soon
as possible, the japanese consul at the
same port offered him every facility Cor
ms departure and his passage ro
shanghai through Japan was ARRANGED
fa-r fHsa 10