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NOTES FROM JAPAN.
FROM OUR CORRESPONDENT.]
TOKYO, July 16th.
THE NEWS FROM KOREA.
What passes as politics in Seoul has filtered through to Tokyo in scrappy uninforming journalistic dispatches during the past few days, As a matter of fact very serious events have been pending, but to the Japanese journalists | this has seemed no more than a sort of private campaign among the various native ministers of state for certain seats in the Cabinet. The event shows that something very different has been happening. Last Saturday a garden party was given at the Residency-General, and this, doubtless to the surprise of everybody not in the confidence of Prince Ito and Viscount Sone, proved the prelude to a coup by which the Koreans jurisdiction over their own affairs is further restricted. Shortly after the garden party, so we are informed, a conference was held at the Residency-General between Prince Ito, Viscount Sone, the Resident-General, the Premier Yi, and the Home Minister Pak. The two latter were asked to give their consent to two proposals, namely, the transfer to the Japanese administration of the machinery of justice, the native courts to be placed under the jurisdiction of the Japanese courts, and the abolition of the army department. The Korean statesmen replied that they could not give an immediate decision, as the matter was of too great importance, but promised to send an answer after consultation with other members of the Cabinet. That evening and the following day protracted conferences were held by the Korean Cabinet. The Ministers of War, Justice and Education were strongly opposed and no agreement being possible the ministers decided to resign.
Thus the agitation among politicians in Seoul during the past few days has not been caused by any local affair or dissension among native ministers, as appears to have been the belief of newspaper representatives there, but was rather the result of forebodings on the part of the ministers, amply realised on Saturday afternoon. On the Sunday the Premier and Home Minis- ter again saw the Resident-General and reported the proceedings of the Cabinet. The Resident General explained the necessity of the Japanese proposals both for the advantage of Korea and Japan, and requested the ministers to reconsider the matter. The latter finally gave way, and on Monday evening the memorandum I notified of by cable was signed, to be followed by a formal agreement.
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PRINCE ITO'S POSITION.
Some days prior to these events Prince Ito landed in Korea to say farewell to the Emperor, having cast off his mantle and ostensibly severed his connection with affairs in Korea. He was received in the capital, from the Emperor downwards, as a guest who is shortly to depart for good, and there was much entertainment and felicitation. That serious affairs of state should be sandwiched in between these affairs of ceremony has probably provoked as much surprise at Seoul as it would anywhere else, but while the outsider may smile at this example of Oriental diplomacy, the situation as it appears to the inhabitant of Seoul is more serious. We are informed that wild rumours are afloat and great uneasiness is felt by the public. A vigilant watch is kept by the Japanese and a large force of Japanese gendarmerie is expected to arrive daily. These events show that the situation in Seoul is little different to-day from what it was when the protectorate was first created. Uneasiness and suspicion exist, in spite of all the pabulum we have been fed with in the past, and it is to be feared that there will never be anything else but suspicion so long as such methods are pursued by the Japanese. The changes advocated are doubtless for the good of the country, but it is, the way the changes are effected that gives offence to the unfortunate people. The Japanese can never make a success of Korea in an economic sense unless they gain the confidence and support of the Korean people, and Saturday's proceedings do not promise anything in this direction, As the Koreans understood it Prince Ito went to Seoul to say farewell to the Emperor; it was not a diplomatic mission. A Cabinet which has
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THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
[Angust 2, 1909. never been anything but a collection of figure- | civilisation until he gets to a place like heads is humiliated and the people are deeply Shimosuws. As for the transport of the mail. offended. This, in plain words, is the situation that's quite a secondary matter in Japan, and to-day. No good that the Japanese administra- especially so in the Hida mountains! But tion can do is likely to eradicate the feeling of perhaps the primitive life is just the thing for resentment created by such events as are just the blasé tourist, however the lack of enterprise now taking place in Seoul.
shown by the railway authorities may injure the economic development of the country.
THE HOLIDAYS AND WHERE TO GO.
Reason.
We have just finished with a very trying wet and one of the meteorological officials predicted the summer heat is now with us in full power. Everything points to a long spell of real hot weather, but as these observations will not particularly interest readers in Hong kong. I had better at once say that we possess a distinct advantage over most centres of white population in the East in having a number of splendid places to go to in order to avoid the heat. Yet it is not everybody here who can get away in midsummer. The favoured classes, such as diplomats and missionaries, will always | be found away from the torrid heat of the plains, but the merchant, the merchants' clerk, the newspaper man, and everyone whose living depends upon a daily production of work must stay in the cities, or at most can only steal a few days for a jaunt abroad.
There are other people, however, who are yearly making increasing use of Japanese summer resorts, and these are from China ports. During a recent visit to Nikko I was rather surprised to note a number of Chinese amahs with their foreign charges, and found that half the people in the hotel were from Shanghai. For many years the pleasant resorts near Nagasaki have been a favourite with Shanghai people, but now they are coming further east, and no better health-giving quarters could be chosen than Nikko, Hakone, or Karuizawa, all within a few hours of Tokyo.
THE PIONEER RESORT FINDER.
To the missionary must be given the credit of having selected some very pleasant places for spending the hot summer months. Those men, who when they come to the country, know they are settled here for a life-work-are not always hoping to go home
some day," as the average foreigner is -and consequently look about for some cool, elevated place where they may spend the summer vacation, which corresponds with the school vacation. Hence they have gathered together yearly at such resorts as Arima, near Kobe, and Karuizawa, near Tokyo. Of late years these centres, however, have been invaded by outsiders and the necessity has arisen for more pioneer work The result is that the missionary will now also be found at Shimosuwa, one of the most romantic and lovely districts in the country, in the midst of the Japanese alps, where wild cats and other things that flourish remote from civilisation abound. Shimosuwa and Kamisuwa are pleasant towns surrounded by mountains and situated on Lake Suwa, which, as a glance at the map will show, is practically in the geographical centre of Japan. The district is remarkable for its hot springs. They bubble up everywhere, and in the severe winter-time they are of enormous service to the people, providing splendid baths at a temperature as high as 113 degrees and an ever-ready source of hot washing water. Although this lake district is still new to the foreigner its reputation is growing both as a summer and winter resort, The lake from January to March affords several miles of excellent skating. the snow-covered mountains are all that the most adventurous will require. In summer the temperature is never oppressive and the views are lovely.
But there are drawbacks to everything. It takes twelve hours over a distance of only ninety miles to reach Shimosuwa from Tokyo Fifty tunnels are passed through, bogey cars are unknown. What with the jolting, the heat, the smoke in the tunnels, and the atmosphere created by the vittles consumed by the passengers-the Japanese are great eaters on railway journeys-it is no wonder that one might hesitate to go to Shimosuwa. And the traffic on this line is great, that is, the number of trains run is so small that they are always crowded, which is an additional unpleasantness. Neither is the passenger sure of being able to return from Shimosuwa, for railway running is not an exact science in Japan. A train is scheduled to leave Shimosuwa daily for Tokyo before six a.m. (the most convenient train), but this won't start unless there are passengers! One never realises how remote he is from
A MANIA FOR WASHING.
I had just finished the foregoing when the sound of scuffling proceeded from the rear quarters of my domain. Thinking my devoted death struggle cook was in the throes of with some intruder I hurried thither and found him busily engaged in washing the cat! Trying in vain to get pussy's four legs into a bucket of water! Just previously the dog had enjoyed the process, for the thermometer is near 90, and the energetic cook decided to extend operations to the whole family. But he was not successful, A cat is the embodiment of dignity and resents an operation it can do so much better itself. With an effective use of its claws in a
moments puss few
was sunning and lick- ing itself on the roof and the cook had learned lesson.
a
This
indeed. people, has a mania for washing. The other day an old man was contentedly washing a decayed black alpaca umbrella at the roadside, looking the picture of domestic happiness. The princi pal occupation of maidservants throughout the day appears to be in washing something or other, and not the least important article. washed daily is, of course, the rice itself. Tho Japanese certainly have a wholesome regard for water, but persons in possession of mahogany furniture and other articles that won't "take this liquid have to be careful.
SERVICE AGREEMENT ACTIONS AT SHANGHAI.
An action of interest to many in the Far East came before Aoting Judge Bourne in H. M. Supreme Court at Shanghai on July 23rd. Messrs. Atkinson and Dallas, architects, surveyors, etc., sought an interim injunction against H. G. Harmer, formerly in the employ of plaintiffs, restraining him from practising as 201 architect, engineer, surveyor, either on his own account; in the employment of others in Shanghai, or any other place where the plaintiffs may for the time being have a permanent office to carry on business.
Defendant zrrived in Shanghai in August, 1907, under agreement with plaintiffs, but having certain grievances left their service on June 30th, 1908. The defence was that the agreement was void.
His Lordship thought there was a defence to the action and refused the application for an interim injunction. If the plaintiffs suffered through the defendant being allowed to practise his profession for the short time prior to the trial of the action the injury could be made good by damages.
In the case of Heck v. Arnhold, Karberg and Co. judgment, the Shanghai Mercury says, was delivered on the 6th inst. in. the German Supreme Court at Leipsic. The plaintiff had entered a position with defendants' Shanghai branch in 1906 on a three years' agreement, but was dismissed by them on the 15th October, 1907. He, therefore, brought an action for wrongful dismissal against his former employers in the German Consular Court at Shanghai, claiming 84,918.05. This action was dismissed in the Shanghai Court on the 18th January, 1908, when plaintiff interposed the appeal to the German Supreme Court at Leipsic. The Supreme Court now has cancelled the judgment delivered in Shanghai and ordered the case to be re-heard in the German Consular Court.
White ants and their destructive inroads upon all manner of construction timber, a Manila paper says, are becoming a grave problem to the insular government, contractors, "business con- cerns, and in fact, every property holder in Manila and other parts of the islands. Ever since the honeycombed condition of the old Oriente building became known the inspectors of the bureau of public works have been making careful investigations of other public buildings. Every public building they have been to thus far is more or less eaten by the ants,
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