No. 245.
Mr. Foulk to Mr.
Bayard.
Legation of
the United States,
Seoul,
Corea, July 26, 1885. (Received
September 11.)
No. 207.]
Sir: I have this day received a communication from
the president of the office for foreign affairs of Corea, informing me that
in view of the recent withdrawal of the Chinese and Japanese troops from
Corea, the Corean Government would at once station a guard of ten Corean
soldiers at each of the foreign legations. In case of serious disturbances
in the city, or whenever it shall become necessary, an additional force of
forty men may be immediately summoned to each legation.
These soldiers are to act as gate guards, and do general police duty about
the legation. I inclose herewith a translation of a memorandum of rules to
be observed by the soldiers, &c.
A formal application for protection of their legations was made by the
German, English, and Chinese representatives. Though I was invited to do
this, I declined. For some time past, by the direction of His Majesty, a
number of soldiers have been stationed near this legation for its
protection; furthermore I deemed it best that, if necessary, the protection
should be given voluntarily by the Corean Government.
In reply to the communication of the president of the foreign office, I have
thanked him on behalf of our Government for the steps taken for the
protection of the legation, as having voluntarily come from his
Government.
I am, &c.,
GEORGE C. FOULK,
Ensign, U. S. Navy,
Chargé d’Affaires ad interim.
[Inclosure in No.
207.—Translation.]
memorandum of rules.
The soldiers of China heretofore stationed in Seoul for defense, and the
soldiers of Japan heretofore stationed in Seoul as a guard to the
Japanese legation, having returned in conformity to the treaty made at
Peking, from this date (July 26), for the protection of the foreign
legations, the following arrangement; is prepared by the foreign office
of Corea:
For ordinary service at each legation will be stationed ten soldiers,
including one chief; these form gate guards.
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Should occasion call for it forty other soldiers, including one captain,
will be sent to afford further protection. The foreign office has
ordered the several yongmun (headquarters of troops), and they will
dispatch soldiers as required upon orders sealed at the foreign office
immediately.
While these soldiers are at the foreign legations they will use all their
strength and vigilance to protect them. The chief soldier, being in
charge of nine men, will be reported to the foreign office, who will
forward this report to the yongmun, with a request for his punishment if
his men are careless and inattentive, or difficulty arises due to them,
and if he is proved to have knowingly permitted these he will be
severely punished.
The soldiers may not without permission leave the legation. If they wish
to go out for a little, as to purchase things, the chief will note when
they leave, and if they remain absent too long he will punish them. If a
soldier becomes ill, or wishes to get married, or he must bury dead
relatives, or if in case of sickness of his father, mother, wife, or
child there be no one else to care for them, or if any other such great
occasion happens, he may report to the yongmun, or the foreign
representative, who will notify the foreign office and it will provide a
relief for him.
These protecting soldiers have always received monthly wages, and while
they are at the foreign legations they must provide their own food,
fuel, and water.
