Mr. Yang Yü to Mr. Gresham.
Washington, September 22, 1894.
(Received September 24.)
Sir: I have the honor to state that I am in receipt of a communication from the foreign office of the Imperial Government, which states in effect as follows:
Recently, when the King of Korea made formal application to China for aid to suppress an uprising of seditious people in the department [Page 51] of Chuan-lo,1 the minister superintendent of trade for northern ports2 memoralized the Throne in the matter, and, as on two previous occasions similar disturbances were repressed by aid from China, so, in this instance, troops were specially dispatched to Korea, proceeding, without entering Seoul, directly to the departmental city of Chuan-lo, to quell the uprising in that vicinity. On learning of the presence of the imperial troops in Korea, the seditious populace quietly dispersed. After affording relief to the distressed people the said troops were on the point of retiring from the country, when, unexpectedly, Japan also sent troops thither, under the pretext of assisting in the suppression of disorder, but, in truth, she ordered her troops into the city of Seoul, besides occupying important passes, and, by continual reinforcements, she increased her troops to more than 10,000 in number. She even endeavored, by intimidation, to influence Korea to renounce her vassalage to China, and to coerce the King to yield compliance to a series of demands.
It may be observed that Korea has for years been a vassal of China, as is well known to the whole world, and there is record to show that this relationship between the two countries was clearly declared at the time when Korea made her treaties with the several powers. The action on the part of Japan to extort a renunciation from Korea was derogatory to the dignity and honor of China and was in itself a breach of friendship hitherto maintained between the two States. It is ostensibly a laudable object for a State to urge a neighboring State to administrative reform, but this should properly be done by friendly advice and persuasion. Intimidation and threat of arms on the part of Japan were unjustifiable. Not only China such acts, but the Governments of the various powers would not deem them consistent with right.
The Governments respectively of the United States, Great Britain, and Russia made repeated efforts, through their respective diplomatic representatives at Tokyo, to dissuade Japan from her course. The British secretary of state for foreign affairs urged Japan to withdraw her troops from Seoul, station them away from the Chinese forces, and then peaceably come to an agreement with China with regard to Korean affairs. This was a very fair and impartial proposition, but Japan disdained to consider it. On the contrary, she further augmented her force in Korea. The Korean people and Chinese residents in Korea became daily more uneasy and alarmed. China, cherishing a desire to preserve international peace and friendship, had the utmost reluctance to resort to arms and thereby cause destruction of life and detriment to commerce.
Although later China increased her forces in Korea to protect her interests, all her forces were stationed far away from Seoul, so as to avoid a conflict with the Japanese forces. But Japan harbored sinister designs. On July 25 last she commenced hostilities by ordering a number of her warships to open an attack upon the Chinese transports off the Korean coast near Yashan;3 she damaged them and sank a British steamship, the Kowshing, flying the British colors. This war has been commenced by Japan and upon grounds which, according to the disinterested opinion of the world, are unjustifiable. China, therefore, though cherishing a sincere regard for international friendliness, can no longer maintain her complaisance toward Japan, but finds it an absolute necessity to adopt a determined policy in defense of her honor [Page 52] and rights. The Governments of the several powers, on receiving intelligence of the recent course of events in Korea, would be, no doubt, much surprised and could judge on whom the responsibility should rest.
The above forming the complete facts and circumstances leading to the war brought on by Japan without regard to law or reason having been communicated to the diplomatic representative of the United States at Peking by the foreign office, I, in accordance with its instructions, have the honor to transmit the same to you for your information and that of your Government.
Accept, etc.,