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complications with foreign States, it has been Our pleasure to instruct Our Ministers of State to labour for the promotion of friendly relations with Our treaty Powers. We are gratified to know that the relations of Our Empire with those Powers have yearly increased in goodwill and fellowship. Under the circumstances, We were unprepared for such a conspicuous want of amity and of good faith as has been manifested by China in her conduct toward this country in connection with the Corean affair.

Corea is an independent State. She was first introduced into the family of nations by the advice and under the guidance of Japan. It has, however, been China’s habit to designate Corea as her dependency, and both openly and secretly to interfere with her domestic affairs. At the time of the recent civil insurrection in Corea, China despatched troops thither, alleging that her purpose was to afford succour to her dependent State. We, in virtue of the treaty concluded with Corea in 1882, and looking to possible emergencies, caused a military force to be sent to that country. Wishing to procure for Corea freedom from the calamity of perpetual disturbance, and thereby to maintain the peace of the East in general, Japan invited China’s co-operation for the accomplishment of that object. But China, advancing various pretexts, declined Japan’s proposal. Thereupon Japan advised Corea to reform her administration so that order and tranquillity might be preserved at home, and so that the country might be able to discharge the responsibilities and duties of an independent State abroad. Corea has already consented to undertake the task, but China has secretly and insidiously endeavoured to circumvent and thwart Japan’s purpose. She has further procrastinated, and endeavoured to make warlike preparations both on land and at sea. When those preparations were completed, she not only sent large reinforcements to Corea, with a view to the forcible attainment of her ambitious designs, but even carried her arbitrariness and insolence to the extent of opening fire upon Our ships in Corean waters. China’s plain object is to make it uncertain where the responsibility rests of preserving peace and order in Corea, not only to weaken the position of that State in the family of nations—a position obtained for Corea through Japan’s efforts—but also to obscure the significance of the treaties recognising and confirming that position. Such conduct on the part of China is not only a direct injury to the rights and interests of this empire, but also a menace to the permanent peace and tranquillity of the Orient. Judging from her actions, it must be concluded that China from the beginning has been bent upon sacrificing peace to the attainment of her sinister object. In this situation, ardent as