Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-08-19
Annexation by Japan Now
Seems Imminent.
WARsHIPs ALONG COAST
Long Conferences Being Held y.
tween officials at Seoul.
United States Has Treaties With
Little Empire which Would
De Affected By Change.

SEOUL Korea, August 1o.-Though
nothing ofilcial can % ieafned confirming
the reports that nsgetiasions Ssr the IN
nexation % Ksrea ~ Jspaa Ass ssv ~
ceeding. many signs indicate that anaax-
alton - imminent. Long conSsr1ucos BE-
tween of'icials are constantly in progress.
visits are frequently inttrchangea ana
great activity 10 noticed In the yapansss
Offices.
The censorship has bssn plooea On IN
even more rigid basis than before. and
Toxic newspapers containing reports on
the situation In Korea are connseAeA0 &C
Fusan upon their arrival In this coun-
try.
The entire country has been places IN.
der strong military guard and several
japanese war vesseis ore now petroiiing
officials maintain . sphinx-like attitude.
refusing to make any statement regard
ing annexation.
silence at Toxic.
TOXIC. August io-The authorities
here maintain complete silence regarding
the reports Of the impendink annSxa-
ton Of Korea. published In special edl.
tons OF the Toxic papers. They decline
Ctthci ~ COnIifm OF 10 Qeny the Inn
nninence or the annexation.
Dispatches are expected hourly at the
State Department from the orient telling
for japan to take over Korea, forecast by
Ambassador O'Brien I'm a dispatch TO the
department yesterday from Toxic. The
Associated Press dispatches describing
the Unusual activity OF oficials In Korea
and of the warships controlling the
Korean coast are Interpreted as substan-
tiating the information conveyed TO the
department by the American ambassador.
Not only Is Ambassador O'3rien sup
posed TO be In close touch with the
more. who arrived at Seoul only two
weeks ego, In expected TO keep the de-
partment informed OF the progress or
way for the framing of a treaty be-
tween japan and Korea for the future
control OF the latter country by the
former.
No Protest By United states.
The American government has MADE -
In Korea. FUllowink the course taken ~
other powers. no protest was rh20A TO
that article Of the Portsmouth te4e0
treaty between japAn ana AussaA wfhleh
Japan probably regards a. the iAtest feeA
08ulti0n Oh lt8 fi8nS 10 80 W.T. kkoHV9
This article provides that ''the imperial
Russian government, acknowledging that
JApah possesses In Korea pafannsaAts
political. military ana economical lntefs
ests, engages neither 10 obstruct nor N
terfere with the measures Of guidance
protection and control which the I'm
perfai government or Japan may ma &c
necessary 10 take In Korea"
The United States. however, has . nun.
Der OF treaties with Korea which would
be affected by the taking over OF that
country by Japan and which Wouid re-
quire japan 20 notify the American gov
eminent OF her Jurisdiction ever the little
empire. One OF The most important OF
these n q commercial treaty. whereby the
Korean government ID prevented from COLI
lecting more than 10 per cent "a epiefem
duty on articles imported from the United
States. except on luxuries. where the
maximum duty Is fixed at 20 per cent.
Importation Of American articles TO Japan
is on far less advantageous basis.
Another treaty that has been considered
important by the American government
gives TO the United States extra-territo-
rial Jurisdiction over Americans In Korea
Such jurfsdiction IL not recognised I'm
japan. and should Korea be taken over
lt would be necessary for the two gov
ernmsnts TO adjust this subject.