to carry out her promises, and that therefore Japan
would unite with China to carry out the reforms between them. This, of
course, was tantamount to Japan claiming the right to share China's
suzerainty over Korea, a most audacious and--I may almost call it--
infamous proposition. It was one to which Japan, of course, knew we
would never agree, and we told her so in very plain terms.

"The next thing we heard was that Japan had landed no fewer that five
thousand men in Korea, and that they were marching on Seoul; and on the
same day the Japanese Minister there forced the situation by tendering
two ultimatums--one to Korea, and one to us. The Korean ultimatum
required that, within twenty-four hours, Korea should disclaim Chinese
suzerainty and pledge herself to allow Japan alone to carry out the
reforms in question. The alternative was that, if Korea would not
agree, she was to be treated as an enemy to Japan. The ultimatum
addressed to us was to the effect that we should, also within the same
time, surrender our suzerainty to Japan and relinquish all claims over
Korea--the alternative in our case being war!

"Of course we could not possibly send a reply within the time
stipulated; and even if we could, we should have refused the proposal
with scorn. Our Minister at Seoul did all that man could do to gain
time, and sent the news to us immediately. As soon as we heard of
Japan's action we knew that the anticipated moment had come, and that
war had become inevitable; we therefore hurried eight thousand men on
board transports, and dispatched them at once to Asan. And now comes a
circumstance it almost breaks my heart to tell.

"War had not yet been actually declared, you understand, and Japan was
still officially awaiting our decision; yet the Japanese fleet, in its
full strength, lay in wait for our transports and the convoying
men-of-war, and attacked them, sinking the transport _Kowshing_, with
over a thousand men on board, and one of our cruisers. The other
transports and cruisers escaped and got safely to Asan, where the troops
were landed, the ships sheltering under the guns of the fortress. The
messenger who brought the news of this treacherous attack informed us
that the five thousand Japanese troops which I mentioned just now,
having reached Seoul, had been dispatched again immediately, under
General Oshima, to Asan to attack the garrison there. They met a small
force of our soldiers four days later, a