April 2, 1898.]
hope it will be received within twenty-four hours, and I further request Your Excellency to re- port to your Emperor that I desire to obtain an audience with him for the purpose of informing him of the instructions I have received from my Imperial Sovereign concerning this matter."
261
(Mr. Andrus) -
Mr. Westfield's Desperation, lo5lbs.·
(Mr. Keay) 5 Before the fall of the flag Desperation broke
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT. instructors and finance adviser that they shall be relieved from their engagements for the sake of maintaining our independent sovereign rights. We pray Your Excellency to consider the wishes of the people in deciding this ques-away twice and when it did fall he was left tion
standing. Sea Breeze took the lead from the start and kept it to the winning post, coming in easily three lengths in front of Hermit, Desperation a bad third. Time 2.19. The AMOY Cur; presented; value $100; for all China ponies; weights as per scale; entrance Capt. Hope's Toledo, 161lbs...
$5. One mile and three quarters.
(Mr. Von Tanner)
"March 10th, second year of Kangmu.
"Ye Seung-man,
"
36
Chang Bang,
Hyen Kong-yem, "Citizen Committee."
The reasons that actuated Mr. de Speyer in his coup are supposed to be the attempted. assassination of Kim, the Russian interpreter, the anti-Russian memorial addresed to the Emperor of Korea by the Independence Club, and the Cabinet's protest against the course The Independent adds that "considering the pursued by the Minister for Foreign Affairs in immense number of people assembled the meet- agreeing to lease a large tract of land on Deering was an orderly one and the addresses were Island, Fusan, to Russia without consulting moderate in tone, and any inflammatory demons- his colleagues this is the Japan Mail's sum- tration was immediately suppressed by the mary. It will be remembered that when the leaders. There were many foreign speciators, acting Foreign Minister Min Yong-muk, had among whom the Russian representative and made this singlehanded concession to Russia his staff were interested onlookers." he resigned, but the Emperor re-appointed him two days afterwards. On this the rest of the Cabinet resigned, stating in their memorial that:-"We have countersigned his re-appointment because we consider that it Was your Majesty's wish to have him in the Cabinet again. But if we do not resign our positions under the circumstances, even if we are insignificant beings, we cannot be inconsis- tent. Moreover we consider that one Minister will be enough for transacting all Government business, and we ought to leave the Government without delay. Therefore we hereby send joint resignations and hope your gracious Majesty will accept the same." To this memorial the Emperor replied:-"You have already counter- signed this re-appointment and again sending in this joint resignation does not seem to us to be consistent and it seems to us unwise. We are sorry because of your action. You ought to understand our reason for relieving him temporarily and reappointing him again.”
Then the Foreign Minister sent in his re- signation, on the ground (we are quoting from the Seoul Independent) that the impossibility of his accepting the position had been mani- fested by the officials as well as the people. His Majesty replied as follows:-"We have recently accepted your resignation and we immediately re-appointed-you for good reasons. Your desire of resigning a second time seems to result from an indisposition to bear criticism. You need not say anything more and must take up your duties immediately." Then the rest of the Cabinet determined to resign again, and this drew from the Emperor the following edict:-"We have already forbidden the officials who are reported to be taking steps to send in & memorial but now we hear that the Councillors
of State intend to memorialise us again. Is the practice of memorialising the Throne the only business the Council does? The 'continuance of this practice after our previous decrees seems to us entirely uncalled-for. No such memorial will be accepted hereafter."
|
A Japanese vernacular paper, the Tokio Asahi, says that this recent assertion of in- dependence by Korea marks the success of the efforts of the representatives of England, the United States, and Japan, and it adds that now that these Powers have induced Korea to give a decisive reply to Russia, they are bound to accept the responsibility of help- ing Korea to the atmost extent. But while the recent visit of a British squadron to Che- mulpo has, no doubt, helped greatly to stiffen the Koreans, it is unlikely that the representa- tives of the Powers mentioned interfered to direct in any way Korea's decision.
One explanation of Mr. de Speyer's action is that he desired to please Japan, and so induce her to withdraw her opposition to Russian designs in China; but we should think that in vain would this net be spread in the sight of such a wary bird as Marquis Ito. We rather look upon it that Mr. de Speyer tried a bold stroke, and it has failed, and that the Government in St. Petersburg, as the Japan Mail suggests, "will not care to endorse Mr. de Speyer's pro- cedure very vigorously.' That Russia, after all she has done, will quietly leave Korea to Japan, is not very probable. She will probably let things drift for a little while, confident that the poor, vacillating Emperor will come round to her again before long. It is noticeable on the one hand that the guard at the Russian Legation at Seoul has just been doubled; and on the other, that, apparently with the view of proving that it is not Russian advice alone of which Korea wishes to be independent, the latter has also given notice of dismissal to Colonel Nienstean, one of her American military advisers. Mean- while, Japan has a splendid chance to regain some of her lost influence, if her Minister, Mr. Kato, uses the opportunity with discretion and gentleness.-N. C. Daily News.
FOOCHOW SPRING RACES.
FIRST DAY, WEDNESDAY, 16TH MARCH. The weather was fine though somewhat close owing to the absence of any breeze. To have a fine day was an agreeable surprise as our Spring Meeting is generally held in cold, wet, disagree- able weather. Another surprise was the capital racing, for what with the small number of ponies entered and an insufficient number of riders the meeting was looked forward to as likely to be a very tame affair. Our thanks are due to two sportsmen from Amoy for kindly helping us out of our jockey difficulty. For the Spring Meeting on the Foochow course the times made were good.
Apparently Mr. de Speyer's intention was to so alarm the Emperor and his Cabinet by his threat of the withdrawal of Russian support, that they would eagerly repudiate the charge of unfriendliness, and assure him with bated breath and whispering humbleness that they had no desire whatever to do with out Russia's protection; but if 80, he has been hoist with his own petard. The anti- Russian feeling of all the members of the Cabinet except the Foreign Minister was strengthened by a great open-air meeting in Beoul attended by some eight thousand Koreans held on Main Street, near the Bell-house, on the 10th. The chairman was a Korean, one of the principal merchants in Seoul, and the whole proceedings show the strides that the popula- tion of Seoul is making in civilisation. The object of the meeting was to express to the Foreign Miuister the popular opinion that Korea, while grateful to Russia for her past | Mr. Westfield's Beggarman, 158lbs services, could do without Mr. Alexeieff and the military instructors, and, as we learn from the Independent, it was resolved unanimously amid much excitement and applause that the following communication should be sent to the Foreign Department :—
To his Excellency, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Min Yong-muk;
THE FLYAWAY STAKES; of $5 each with $50 added; for all China ponies; weights as per scale. Half a mile. Mr. Dorset's Millstream, *154ibs...
(Mr. Andrus)
(Mr. Von Tanner)
(Mr. Keay)
Capt. Hope's Himalaya, 155lbs
#5 lbs. over.
1
2
8
This was a bad start, Millstream having got away five to six lengths ahead of the field, but Himalaya and Beggarman came up well in this order, a length only separating the first, second and third at the finish. Time 1.04. THE SPRING CUP; value $100; for Foochow, Amoy and Hongkong subscription ponies; weights as per scale; entrance $5. One mile. Mr. Dorset's Sea Breeze, 158lbs.
(Mr. Morrison) 1
"SIE.We, the undersigned, are authorised by the mass meeting of the people of Kores to inform Your Excellency that the people desire the Government to reply to the despatch of the Russian representative concerning the military Mr. H. P. White's Hermit, 155lbs.
Mr. Twomen's Kilroy, 155lbs
(Mr. Andrus)
both ponies sailed away in good form, Toledo The two only were entered. At the start
upon him very close, and so they ran until going allowing Kilroy to make the pace but waiting up the back straight for the last time when Toledo took the lead and beat the Amoy pony by three lengths. Time 4.02). The YUEN FOO STAKES; of $10 each; for all China ponies; weights as per scale; winners at this Meeting 7 lbs. extra. Seven Furlongs. Mr. Barney's The Ute 155lbs. (Mr. Andrus) 1 Mr. Westfield's Beggarman 158lbs.
Mr. Dorset's Millstream 156lbs.
(Mr. Keay) 2
(Mr. Morrison) 3
#7lbs, extra. For quite half the distance the field ran well together, then Millstream fell behind and there between The Ute and Beggarman which was a very pretty race up the back straight
coming in the winner 14 length. Time 1.57). continued to the judge's box, the former THE HACK STAKES; of $5 each with $5 added for each Starter. For all China Ponies not otherwise entered. Jockeys who have never had a winning mount in China or Hong kong previous to this meeting allowed 7 lbs.; weights 11 stone; ponies that have never won Mr. Chance's Nagilook, *140lbs. ...
a race allowed 7 lbs. Once round.
(Mr. Hughes) 1
Mr. Morrison's Spindrift, †151lbs.
(Mr. Morrison)
#14 lbs. allowed. †4 lbs. over. THE RACING STAKES; of $5 each with $50
This was a walk over. Time 1.53.
added for the first pony, and $25 for the. second pony; for Foochow and Amoy sub scription ponies; weights as per scale; win- ners at this meeting 7 lbs. extra; previous non-starters 5 lbs. extra. One mile and half.
Mr. Min's The Ancient, *159lbs. (Mr. Keay) 1 Mr. Barney's The Ute, +1621s. (Mr. Andrus) Mr. Dorset's Sea Breeze. $165lbs.
444
(Mr. Morrison) 3 #5lbs. extra +7lbs penalty. 7lbs. penalty. There was some delay in getting off owing to Sea Breeze breaking away three times but it field followed by The Ute and The Ancient. was a good start at last. Sea Breeze led the On passing the stand the second time The Ancient had taken second place, and at the mile post passed Sea Breeze, taking the
lead, which he kept. At the top of the back straight The Ute also gave won easily by 6 lengths, while 2 lengths separ- Sea Breeze the go by. In the end The Ancient ated the second and third ponies. Time 3.39. THE NANTAI STAKES.-Of $10 each, divided 70, 20 and 10 per cent. to the first, second and third ponies; a forced entry for all ponies entered at this meeting, except those entered only for the hacks; weights as per scale. One mile and a quarter.
Mr. Twomen's Kilroy, 155lbs. (Mr. Andrus) Mr. Westfield's Desperation, 155lbs.
(Mr. Keay) Mr. Min's Ranger, 158lbs.... (Mr. Morrison)
To a good start Kilroy took the lead but was was soon out of it. For some distance it ap- passed at the stand by Desperation. Ranger peared as if Desperation was going to get the best of it but he could not keep his position and Kilroy finished 8 lengths ahead of him, Ranger coming in a bad third. Time 2.58.
SECOND DAY, THURSDAY, 17TH MARCH.
Umbrellas and rain-coats were taken down to the course in the morning, but in spite of the threatening rain none came, and as the
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