dominioi of the central kingdom. The
principal tributary nations then were Korea, Lu-chu, Annam, Burma and
Nepal.

Korea and Japan.

Korea was the first of the dependencies to come into notice. In 1866
some Roman Catholic missionaries were murdered, and about the same time
an American vessel was burnt in one of the rivers and her crew murdered.
China refused satisfaction; both to France and America, and suffered
reprisals to be made on Korea without protest. America and Japan both
desired to conclude commercial treaties for the opening up of Korea, and
proposed to negotiate with China. China refused and referred them to the
Korean government direct, saying she was not wont to interfere in the
affairs of her vassal states. As a result Japan concluded a treaty in
1876, in which the independence of Korea was expressly recognized. This
was allowed to pass without protest, but as other nations proceeded to
conclude treaties on the same terms China began to perceive her mistake,
and endeavoured to tack on to each a declaration by the king that he was
in fact a tributary--a declaration, however, which was quietly ignored.
Japan, however, was the only power with which controversy immediately
arose. In 1882 a faction fight, which had long been smouldering, broke
out, headed by the king's father, the Tai Won Kun, in the course of
which the Japanese legation was attacked and the whole Japanese colony
had to flee for their lives. China sent troops, and by adroitly
kidnapping the Tai Won Kun, order was for a time restored. The Japanese
legation was replaced, but under the protection of a strong body of
Japanese troops. Further revolutions and riots followed, in which the
troops of the two countries took sides, and there was imminent danger of
war. To obviate this risk, it was agreed in 1885 between Count Ito and
Li Hung-Chang that both sides should withdraw their troops, the king
being advised to engage officers of a third state to put his army on
such a footing as would maintain order, and each undertook to give the
other notice should it be found necessary to send troops again. In this
way a _modus vivendi_ was established which lasted till 1894.

Domestic affairs, 1875-1882.

We can only glance briefly at the domestic affairs of China during the
period 1875-1882. The years 1877-1878 were marked by a famine in
Shan-si and Shan-tung, which for duration and intensity has probably
never been equalled. It was computed tha