Late news from Japan tends to confirm the surmise founded upon Mr. Mori's Mission to Peking, that some serious action is contemplated in regard to Corea, It was, in fact, in the last degree unlikely that any other than an urgent mission would seck its way overland to Peking ab such an unseasonable period. But we are rather curious to guess what can be the contingenoy.which caused 90 sudden a step, Has the course of politics turned so markedly in favor of war, that the Government could no longer delay the tentative negociations at Peking, which would be its natural preliminary or has it only just got an inkling of the feeling with which Japanese invasion of Corea would be regarded in China? If Mr. Mori had started a fortnight earlier, he would have reached Peking by the ordinary route, instead of incurring the hardship and discomfort of an overland journey through Shantung. Whatever be the immediate cause, therefore, of the mission, it seems clear that it was suddenly decided on, or the earlier start would have been made.
Japan and China seem fated to come in collision. Having narrowly escaped war in Formosa, they are believed to have had some' diplomatic passages about the Lin-chins; and now comes more serious Corean question, which is likely to prove a source of keen disagreement, The relations of China with Corea have, in fact, been more intimate than with her other so-called tribataries, She likes to regard Burmah and Siam as vassal states; but there is, in their case, no shade of dependence, The patent fact of China's superior greatness is admitted in the occasional despatch of presents, and letters couched in the self-deprecatory style peculiar to Oriental despatches; but the States are practically as independent as Belgium or Swilzerland are independent of France, In the case of Corea, rather more intimate relations seem to exist—more really analogous to the feudal traditions of Europe, The Emperor's recognition of the heir-apparent fas such, is always asked for; Imperial delegates always crown a now king Corean envoys come every year to Peking; and. what is more to the point, China has before this helped Corea in war against Japan. It was only by Chinese aid that an invasion in the sixteenth century was repelled or, at all events, that peace was made, and the Japanese were persuaded to evacuate the country, Some failure in respect, on the part of Corea, provoked another invasion in the following year, when the Chinese again came to the rescue, though not apparently this time with much success, The invaders seem to have retired of their own accord, on the death of their then sovereign, There is undoubtedly, at the moment, considerable excitement in Peking at the prospect of another Japanese invasion, and the despatch of troops. to Corea was thought not an unlikely contingency, when we last had nows on the subject. Mr. Mori is no doubt despatched to ascertain how far the hostility of China is uncompromising; or whether some basis of understanding can be arrived at. Japanese relations with Corea have, for years, now, been growing gradually worse, and it is likely that the Government cannot safely pass over the last insult, the firing on the Unyokan, The Foreign Ministers at Peking may, perhaps, help to press this view on the Chines, and advise them. to persuade the Corean Government to apologise and change its hostile attitude. Otherwise, the nows brought by the last steamer from Japan is strongly indicative of a design to insist on the satisfaction required. "Mr. Hirotz, who has several times been to Corea, is again to be despatched thither. It is said that the object of his mission is to announce that a Special Envoy will be shortly sent to make a treaty of amity and commerce, in order to avoid all causes of fature dis turbance. It is also said that a high official will start for Corea in the middle of this month, accompanied by two or three vessels of war, certain number of Imperial guards, and the troops now stationed st Kumamoto," What Mr. Mori has to do is, we pre: sume, to explain the position of affairs, and try either to enlist Chinese influence, or at least to avert active support from Corea.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.