Mr. Sill to Mr. Gresham.
Seoul, Korea, June 18, 1894. (Received July 27.)
Sir: Referring to my dispatch of June 1, I now have the honor to inform you that the Korean Government, discouraged by the success of the rebellion in the south, and upon the urgent requests—which to them have the value of commands—of the Chinese representative here, asked Chinese aid, and 2,000 Chinese troops were at once dispatched to Asan, a port in the south. Before they could arrive, however, the Korean troops succeeded in capturing the chief rebels, and a few days later they recaptured Chon-ju, the capital of Cholla Do, taken by the rebels. The Chinese troops have not as yet actively helped in the suppression of the rebellion. Meantime it became known that the Japanese were also sending troops to Korea, and the Korean Government, fearing trouble, asked the Chinese to leave. This they promised to do, but as 500 Japanese marines landed at Chemulpo and came to Seoul on June 10, the Chinese held their troops where they were.
On June 13,800 Japanese soldiers came to Seoul and relieved the marines. These soldiers had arrived at Chemulpo on transports the day before. They also left some 200 troops at Chemulpo and along the road to Seoul, at certain parts of which they threw up earthworks, while they left a guard at the ferry near Seoul and it other important places [Page 21] along the Seoul road. Mr. Otori, the Japanese minister to Korea and China, who went away on leave June 1, returned with the troops. On being interrogated Mr. Otori replied that he brought over his troops for the protection of Japanese subjects and his legation, which seemed quite plausible, considering the fact that there are 1,000 Japanese in this city, 4,000 at Chemulpo, and about 10,000 at Fusan and Wensan, while the necessity of protection was shown them in the loss of about 60 people in the rebellion of 1884 and 40 more in that of 1882.
After the rebellion of 1884 China and Japan, by the Tien-tsin convention of 1885, each agreed not to land troops in Korea without first informing the other. The Chinese complied with the terms of this convention, and it is supposed that the Japanese did likewise.
Later, on the 16th instant, 3,000 Japanese troops landed at Chemulpo; and now I am informed that they are encamped with batteries upon the general foreign settlement of Chemulpo, without the consent of the other powers, thus wholly ignoring the treaty rights of each nation represented here. I have joined my European colleagues to-day in an earnest protest against this action.
The Koreans are terribly alarmed. The King has begged the Chinese to leave, but they refuse to do so as long as the Japanese remain, and the latter positively refuse to leave till the Chinese go. Meantime the Chinese subjects here are so greatly alarmed that 1,000 of them are said to be leaving for China to-morrow, as they fear a general butchery by the Japanese.
If the Chinese troops come to Seoul from the south, or if other, Chinese troops come to Chemulpo from China, bloodshed will doubtless result. England is said to be occupying Port Hamilton with her fleet. There are twenty-eight men-of-war and transports at Chemulpo, representing six nationalities, as follows: Japan, China, America, England, France, and Russia. We do not know what France, and particularly Russia, will do in the event of a clash of arms, but the Koreans fear them very greatly.
Admiral Skerrett arrived at Chemulpo on his flagship Baltimore, June 5, in response to advices from Washington. He sent his flag lieutenant to confer with me, as he was thought to be too ill to come to Seoul himself. I went to the flagship the next day, the 8th, with the lieutenant, and on the 12th, the Admiral came to Seoul with two officers. On the 13th, the King received us in audience, and expressed his gratitude for the presence of an American ship. The admiral returned to his ship on the 15th. He has now promised to remain until things assume a less threatening aspect.
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There is a report, not yet fully authenticated, that Japan is sending large numbers of troops to Fusan and Wensan.
The matter of asylum has already been mentioned. I am giving it my careful and deliberate consideration, and if it becomes necessary to act, I shall endeavor to conform to established usage.
I have, etc.,