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Show SETTLEMENT OF THE COREAN DIFFICULTY. The following account of the settlement of the difficulty between Corea and Japan, originating in the massacre by troops of Corea of a number of Japanese officials, is from the Japan Gazette. That a conquered nation should perform funeral rites over the dead of the victor, whom it had slain, as one of the conditions of indemnity, will strike Christians as a queer proceeding: The Corean affair has been happily adjusted since the departure of the last mail. The Japanese Minister, Mr. ??, returned to Corea with a small escort of troops and proceeded without delay to the capital, disregarding all attempts to dissuade him from prompt action. He was, however, politely received by the Corean authorities, while during his stay in the port of Ninsen he had been called upon by the Chinese Admiral, then in that harbor with two men-of-war. He arrived at Seoul on the 16th of August, and took up his residence at a place fixed for him within the walls of the castle. Of the negotiations which went forward no full particulars have been published, but the following details of the arrangement are known: The ringleaders are to be arrested and punished within twenty days, Japanese officials to assist at the trial, funeral rites are to be performed by the Corean Government for those Japanese who were killed, and a sum of 60,000 yen is to be paid to their families; an indemnity of 500,000 yen is to be paid to Japan; Japan may keep troops in the Corean capital, an envoy with a letter of apology shall be sent to Japan. Treaty limits are to be extended and Japanese Ministers and Consuls may travel freely throughout the country. With the acceptance of these terms we may assume this unpleasant incident comes to an end. In the early stages the war party in Japan had a narrow escape from involving the nation in a campaign which might have had serious consequences, directly and indirectly, but happily calmer counsels prevailed, and we understand the form of the negotiations and the subsequent settlement, which is to be regarded as in every sense satisfactory, were due entirely to the policy insisted upon by the Minister of Foreign Affairs. It is also stated that the Chinese Government have made a communication to the Government of Japan in reference to the Corean matter, in substance that they would not permit the Corean outrage to pass unpunished, and that they intend to despatch several ships of war to Corea for the purpose of bringing that country to reason. |