u^suMi 375 



harbour. No finer bay have I ever seen, nor do I believe 

 one of greater capacity, and possessing to the same 

 extent the points essential to a natural harbour, exists 

 in the world. We, I suppose, would be very jealous of 

 any attempt on Eussia's part to make a treaty with 

 Korea, either by good-will or force. But there, pro- 

 bably, our objection would end. Nothing would be 

 easier for Eussia than to force Korea into troubled 

 waters, when, of course, she could, and no doubt would, 

 make her own terms. Every mile further south Eussia 

 comes, so much the more easy will she find it at any 

 time to hold a menacing hand over China. It appears 

 to me it is really from this quarter that China might with 

 greater ease and success be attacked vitally by Eussia. 



The Koreans are, in features and figure, like the 

 northern Chinese or Tartars ; they are rougher perhaps, 

 and more uncouth in manner, but physically are much 

 the same. 



Japan, though so near China, and with a true 

 Mongolian type of inhabitants, is yet literally and 

 entirely different. A few years ago no country in the 

 world, barring Korea, was so completely shut to all 

 outsiders. A wise Emperor, — I forget now when he 

 reigned, — observing that his people began to show 

 tastes for foreign articles of trade, for more communica- 



