Year: 1871

puSn


We publish to-day letter from Cheefoo, in
China, in which the subject of our recent little
difficulty with the Coreans is treated at length
II is very evident that Admiral Rodgers and
Minister Low have accomplished nothing. On
the contrary, they have lost ground, and any
further attempt on their part to open negotia-
tions with the Corean government would be
less likely to succeed than the first. 1t is
hard to say if the recent gallant attack Of our
seamen and marines upon the strongly forti-
fled position in the Corea is to be considered a
victory or not. We certainly did not accom-
plish the object aimed at. We lost some val
liable lives and expended much ammunition,
two of our vessels were badly damaged and
and, finally, we were compelled to abandon the
positions we had carried, because of our ina
bility to hold them. All this to us looks very
much like defeat, and it would have been
better in the first place not to have attempted
force if in a condition untitled to follow
up any advantage gained. No doubt
the Coreans consider us as having
been beaten off. What care they for
the loss Of {. few hundred men when they were
able to prevent our forces from moving into
the interior of their country? We may rest
assured that even now they are in q better
condition of defence than ever before, ard
any attempt on our part to renew the action
would probably end with repulse even worse
than the last. There is no necessity for our
continuing hostilities with the Coreans. There
is no reason why reinforcemants should be
sent to our East India squadron in order to
enable Admiral Rodgers to undertake war
of invasion, and our government has probably
deemed it best to let the matter drop or
remain where it is until other Powers see cit to
join hands with us and take an active part in
bringing the Coreans to terms.


1t is very possible that what we have
aimed at-viz., negotiating treaty with Corea
whereby our seamen who may be unfortunate
enough to be shipwrecked on its shores will
be protected-can be effected through the gov
ernment of China. 1t is we'll known that
great Difference is paid to the Chinese Emperor
by the Corcan officials, and if our Minister
at Pekin, Mr.. Low, wonld adopt the
peaceful method of soliciting the good
Offices of the Emperor, he would. doubt
in endeavoring to force an entrance into Corea
with the assistance of Admiral Rodgers and
the United States feet Had this plan been
tried at first instead of resorting to arms, sue
cess might have crowned our efforts. Now,
however, it is matter of doubt, but still
worth trying. The Coreans will not now have
az high an opinion of us and our promises as
they had before. They have been told that
our feet appeared in their waters on an errand
of peace, and yet war was the result of the
visit To be sure our boats were first fred
upon, but not until they had commenced sur
lvey of the river. which the Coreans doubtless
knew to be for the purpose Of determining if
the passage of the river by our vessels was
practicable or not. They may be willing to
forget the late disturbance, they may forgive
the capture of their forts and the slaughter of
their people, and be willing to coma to terms
through third party, if approached in the
right way; but we do doubt very much if what
we so much desire to obtain can be had in the
manner we first adopted except by the ex-
penditure of more lives and more money than
the case will warrant This is matter for
our government to consider well, and it may
determine upon peaceful method rather than
upon another appeal to arms.


Modest John Bull.


Cool, refreshing and pleasant in this self
Inflated world of ours is the knowledge that
there is one people with whom modesty and
self-abasement are national traits. England,
of course, is the country favored with such a
profound humility, and so far has this spirit of