Page:Japan by the Japanese (1904).djvu/229
of the injustice of Chinese intervention in the internal affairs of Corea, of detaining Tai-in-kun, etc., and assured him that the Japanese Government would be very glad to see Corea assert her real independence according to international law in the face of the whole world.
On the 3rd of November the birthday of the Japanese Emperor was celebrated in the Japanese Legation, and in the midst of the gala dinner, to which the Corean Minister of Foreign Affairs, the United States Minister, the British Consul-General, and the principal Coreans belonging to the Japanese party were invited, speeches were made by the Japanese guests against China and in favour of the alliance between Japan and Corea. They even ridiculed the Chinese Consul present, who did not understand the Japanese language.
On the 4th of November Takezoyé presented himself at the Corean Foreign Office, and demanded the treatment of the Japanese in Corea on the footing of the most favoured nation—namely, the Chinese—especially with regard to the opening of shops and firms in Seoul. This was readily granted, and after the official negotiations were over, the Japanese Minister again freely indulged in conversation respecting the hopeless state of China, and the disorganized state of her army and finance.
On the 8th of November a report was brought to the Japanese Legation that for several days the Chinese officer Yen-sei-gai had given orders to his soldiers to be fully armed and ready for immediate action day and night, and that Bin-ei-yoku, one of the chief figures of the Queen’s party, was guarding the Crown Prince with armed men. In the depth of night of the 11th–12th of November the Japanese troops practised firing at the foot of the Southern Hill, and terrified the poor King. On being asked for an explanation, the Japanese Minister replied that the thing was done without his knowledge, but that, according to the Japanese officer commanding the Legation guard, such measures were necessary in order to keep the soldiers alive to their duty in face of the Chinese soldiers kept ready for action day and night. The rumour now became general that Japan was going to fight with China in Corea.
Kin-giok-kin, one of the central figures of the Japanese party, writes in his diary that he was admitted into the King’s presence on the night of the 29th–30th of November, and, as there was nobody else in the room, he explained to the King the state of affairs abroad, and made him see the danger for Corea if Japan should come to fight with China on the Corean question. He told the King how the Japanese hated the