Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-07-23
And PEACE TREATIES

pathy and regard for the United States.
First, by the invitation to that great
American. John Paul Jones. to enter her
naval service: second. by the OFFER of me-
uiation preceding the peace OF Client.
third by a memorable manifestation of her
Meet in New York harbor in 1863. when
Things were not going we'll at Washington
and when England was decidedly unfriend
ly: and fourth. by the cession OF Alaska.
The writer besides recalls with grateful
remembrance that when the American mill
itary mission sent to Egyp. by Cen shsr-
Great Britain In 1870 Il was not the Ameri-
can consul general George ButlerD who
prevented It, but NJ. de Lex, the consul
general of Russia. who did. NJ. de Lex.
on the personal appeal of the writer sub
nitted the situation to his majesty the
car. who promptly responded by a dis
patch to Ismali khedive expressing his
interest In the maintenance Of the Amerf-
cans In Egypt and they were maintained
Russfas critics may claim that the act or
favor to the Americans Is iessened by the
fact that Great Britain proposed to re-
place them by British officers Neverthe-
less. whatever the motive, the friendly
service WAS rendered, and the writer. a
with pleasure.
Russia. 1t Is true, proved to be a very
bad counsellor in Korea. as shown In The
Star of May % In the article entitled "Ko-
rea. China's Little Brother" Russia in
duced us to set up Korea as an independ-
ent nation, when Korea was in truth Chi
mas Little Brother and should have been
left as such. Now Korea. irrevocably in the
hands of Japan. comes knocking at the
door of the peace congress at Portsmouth.
pleading the treaty of Inchan. 1882, with
US. which says:
IF other powers deal unjustly OPP
pressively with either government the
other will exert their good offices on being
informed of the case. to bring about an
amicable arrangement. thus showing their
friendly feelings" The writer was consul
general and secretary of legation in Korea
later on, and attempted in vain to show the
fallacy of an Independent Korea. but as
Gordon would say. the clerks or the hall
porters'' at the department were evidently
in charge of the foreign policy. 1t would
matter little about Korea. whose life Will be
thousandfold bettered by being absorbed
by Japan. but in setting up Korea in 1888
we offended China and provoked the Slno-
japanese war in 1864. And the actual Chi
nese boycott-is 1t not connected with this
Korean question?
Relations with Japan began in 1854 by
treaty OF peace. amity and commerce; In
re- - 1857 by a treaty regulating
intercourse of American clt-
japan. zens with Japan and the val
ue of coins and giving the
American consul jurisdiction and privileges
in certain cases: In 1858 by treaty OF am
ity and commerce; in 1864 by conventions
for the reduction OF import duties and for
payment of 100000 to the governments
OF the United States. Great Britain. France
and the Netherlands as indemnites and ex-
penses.
The Japanese indemnity here cited came
from payments made by the Japanese gov
eminent under the convention of October
y, 1854. 1t appears that Prince Choshu
the ruler OF the provinces of Sueoo and
Nagato, having possession OF the Japanese
Notifications which command the Strait
of Simonoseki. and also having with him
the person of the mikado, refused to rec
ognize the validity of the treaties con-
cluded by the Tycoon with the foreign pow
ers, and closed the passage to the inland
sea. At the request of the Tycoon's gov
eminent forces of the United States, Great
Britain. France and the Netherlands In
those waters Jointly proceeded to open the
straits by force. On the 4th. 9Th, 7th and
Sth days OF September, 1854 they destroyed
the batteries commanding the straits. blew
up the magazine, threw the shot and she'll
into the sea. carried away seventy cannon
and obtained an unconditional surrender
from Prince Choshu. with an agreement. TO
pay the expenses of the expedition.
In addition, there was account for
damage to the Pembroke an American
steamer. which was fired upon by the bat
terry and armed brig belonging to Prince
Nagato. A claim therefor was promptly
paid by the japanese government, well
as the indemnity heretofore mentioned.
The story of how we made the acquaint-
ance of Japan is told in the Foreign Rela-
First o.s a .nc,e'in,e II
Moves. ward Roberts. a. sea captain
of Portsmouth. n. H., was
appointed by President Jackson In 1872
and ordered on the sloop of war Peacock
where he was rated Captains clerk"
His instructions were ito examine the In
dian ocean. to extend the commerce
of the United States by commercial
arrangements with the powers on
those seas On the 23d OF January he
was advised ito be careful to obtain infor-
nation respecting Japan: the value of its
trade with the Dutch and Chinese" On
the 2Sth of October Edward Livingstone.
Secretary of State instructed him that the
United States had it in contemplation to
institute mission to Japan, but that II
he should find the prospect favorable he
might fill up one OF his letters and present
himself to the emperor for the purpose of
opening trade Nothing was accomplished
in that quarter" The Japanese refused to
open their ports to agents of the class of
clerk or hall porter" They gladly vel
coined however, Commodore Perry u S N
VINO concluded the treaty of March 81. 1854.
The peace congress at Portsmouth If It
achieves Its purpose, by no means certain
will conclude treaty which will be known
as the treaty of Washington" because
there
be no open door" to the congress, which
fact VIII bar all news to the press In this
connection the latest caricature by Heuriot
may apply
Two diplomats are discussing a dinIomatic
conference; one says to the other: II rec
ommend TO you my newspaper; IL is the
only one which gives a complete account
or the diplomatic proceedings the evening
before they take place."
CHI. CHAILLE-LONG
D0G-DAY DESIRES