At the close of the nineteenth century Russia was regarded as the supreme menace to world peace.  Her expansion to the south of Siberia threatened British power in India; her railway developments to the Pacific threatened Japan.  She struggled for a dominating place in the councils of China and was believed to have cast an ambitious eye on Korea.  Germany looked with dread on the prospect of France and Russia striking her on either side and squeezing her like a nut between the crackers.  Her statesmen were eager to obtain egress to the seas of the south, through the Dardanelles, and years before it had become a part of the creed of every British schoolboy that “the Russians shall not enter Constantinople.”

It was dread of what Russia might do that caused England, to the amazement of the world, to conclude an Alliance with Japan in 1902, for the maintenance of the status quo in the Far East.  Japan, willing under certain conditions to forget her grievances, had first sought alliance with Russia and had sent Prince Ito on a visit to St. Petersburg for that purpose.  But Russia was too proud and self-confident to contemplate any such step, and so Japan turned to Britain, and obtained a readier hearing.  Under the Alliance, both Britain and Japan disclaimed any aggressive tendencies in China or Korea, but the special interests of Japan in Korea were recognized.

The Alliance was an even more important step forward for Japan in the ranks of the nations of the world than her victory against China had been, and it was the precursor of still more important developments.  This, however, takes us ahead of our story.

The King of Korea, after his escape from the palace, remained for some time in the Russian Legation, conducting his Court from there.  Agreements were arrived at between the Russians, Japanese and Koreans in 1896 by which the King was to return to his palace and Japan was to keep her people in Korea in stricter control.  A small body of Japanese troops was to remain for a short time in Korea to guard the Japanese telegraph lines, when it was to be succeeded by some Japanese gendarmerie who were to stay “until such time as peace and order have been restored by the Government.”  Both countries agreed to leave to Korea the maintenance of her own national army and police.

These agreements gave the Korean monarch—­who now took the title of Emperor—­a final chance to save himself and his country.  The Japanese campaign of aggression was checked.  Russia, at the time, was behaving with considerable circumspection.  A number of foreign advisers were introduced, and many reforms were initiated.  Progressive statesmen were placed at the head of affairs, and the young reformer, So Jai-pil, Dr. Philip Jaisohn, was summoned from America as Adviser to the Privy Council.