In regard to the Chientan offal which is attracting much attention in Tokio as in Peking, it may be noted that this district, which is not of course really an island except in. so far as bounded by branches of the Tumen River, has been a constant bone of eon-tention between China and Korea for ce more than one hundred years. It is said that its soil is extraordinarily for-tile, and that 60,000 Chinese and 40,000 Korean settlers are gathered there according to a xenii-official statement published by the Tokio Press. As the legal ownership has been in doubt there could be no exclusively inese or Korean administration, and authorities of both Governments been in the habit of sending officials and others to protect their respective nationals, It alleged, however, that when the Russo-Japanese war open-the snid_—Korean officials withdrew frou Chientao and the Korean settlers there were left in w hopeless condition. The notorious Hungutzn awl other border Wrigands made their appearance, and as n result of their creations and the consequent outery on the part of the Koreans the Korean Government, last November, requested the Japanese Residency-General to send Japanese officials to Chientao for the protection of Korean subjects. The Japanese Residency-Ceneral apparently hesitated to take any steps in +|the belief that it would be better to settle the boundary question first, But the question showed no signs of ailmitting an immediate settlement, and the case of local Koreans was Becoming more and more urgent, the Japanese authorities finally decided to comply with the Korean request, and miber of officials left Seoul for Chientan on August 20. They were headed by Lient.-Colonel Saito. It is explained that the Japanese Government. have only undertaken the protection of the Koreans at Chientao as a duty hitherto undertaken by Korean officials, forthwith communicated with the Eh nese Government in order to prevent misnnderstany A. telegram of Chinese origin that Lient.- Colonel Saito was bringing troops, but the Japanese say that he is only accompanied by a number of sgendarmex for guarding and reconnoitring purposes. A Seoul telegram reports that the gendarmes accompanying Lient.- Colonel Saito are over Tt alleges that Japan will enforce nuilitary administration in Chientao without regard ts Chinese remonstrances, The Chinese troops in Chientao are said to number about three hundred.
Apropos, T have reason to believe that the Japanese Government authorities are now firmly prepared to dispose once and for all of the cause of future trouble in Chientao, Their present action on behalf of implies the definite inclusion of Chientao in Japan's protectorate.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.