Sir H.S. Parkes to Earl Granville.—(Received May 26)

(No. 78) Shanghae, April 16, 1884

My Lord,

IN my despatch No. 66, Confidential, of the 31st ultimo, I reported the circumstances which rendered it advisable that I should take the precautionary measure of sending Mr. Hillier to Corea; and I have now the satisfaction of reporting that the object of his mission has been completely gained, and that he has returned with an official declaration from the Corean Government that the Treaty has been ratified by the King, and that they are prepared to exchange the ratifications as soon as I can proceed there.
Mr. Hillier obtained this declaration during a stay of only one clear day at Söul, and the readiness with which it was given and the cordiality of his reception satisfied him that the Corean Government are looking forward with eagerness to the Treaty being brought into operation as soon as possible.
The quickness of Mr. Hillier's proceedings enabled him to join me at Chefoo during the few hours I spent at that port on the 10th instant, and your Lordship will understand that it was very gratifying to me to learn from his Report that the designs which had occasioned me the solicitude I had expressed in the abovementioned despatch had not been allowed to influence the friendly action of the Corean Government.
In another despatch I shall have occasion to refer to a conversation which I held on the subject of the Corean Treaty with the Grand Secretary Li Hung-chang when I passed through Tien-tsin on the 8th instant, as his remarks confirmed my previous belief that that Treaty is regarded with disfavour, both at Peking and at Söul, by the parties at those capitals who are opposed to all progress.
I inclose Mr. Hillier's Report, and beg to recommend to your Lordship’s notice the interesting information it contains, and the ability he showed in obtaining so promptly the declaration that the Treaty had been ratified, which was the object I had in view in sending him to Corea. I can now not only feel confident that I shall encounter no difficulty in exchanging the ratifications, but that I shall also be received as a welcome friend.
I also inclose a translation of the reply of the President of the Foreign Board to the note from myself which Mr. Hillier delivered. His Excellency observes in very gratifying terms that the news of the Treaty having been ratified by the Queen has afforded the King the highest satisfaction, and that my appointment as Minister is most acceptable to His Majesty and the Corean Government. He then adds that the Treaty has been ratified by the King, and he trusts that I shall shortly proceed to Corea to exchange the ratifications.

I have, &c.
(Signed)　　HARRY S. PARKES

Inclosure 1

Mr. Hillier to Sir H.S. Parkes.

Shanghae, April 14, 1884
Sir,

I HAVE the honour to report that, in obedience to the instructions furnished me in your despatch of the 27th March, I left Chefoo for Corea on the afternoon of the 3rd April in Her Majesty’s ship “Cockchafer,” and reached Chemulpo at noon on the 5th.
The remainder of the day was occupied in procuring baggage animals for the conveyance of Mr. Scott and myself to Söul on the following morning.
While waiting for the arrival of these baggage animals we occupied ourselves in walking about the Settlement, and as it may interest you to know what changes have occurred in the place since your visit in November last, I venture to record some of the impressions I gathered in the course of my walk.
I noticed a considerable increase in the number of houses in the Japanese Settlement, particularly on the lower road near the beach, where a regular street has been formed with shops on both sides, at the upper end of which fairly extensive warehouses have been erected by the Mitsu Bishi Steam Navigation Company, a Japanese syndicate which is now running a steamer regularly between Nagasaki, Fusan, and Chemulpo. These were shortly to be supplemented, I was informed, by Government godowns in charge of the Corean Customs, where cargo would be stored for owners or consignees at a certain fixed scale of charges. An establishment of the kind will, I understand, supply a want that is already beginning to be felt, as there is at present no place of storage other than the private godowns of the Mitsu Bishi Company for cargo awaiting shipment or transport into the interior, which at present has to lie on the beach for days exposed to the action of the weather.
A portion of the ground which you had selected as the probable site of the future British Settlement has been assigned to the Chinese, in whose concession is included the rough jetty that was in process of construction last November, but the most desirable portion of the ground you had fixed upon is still unoccupied, and is, I understand, being reserved for the British Government.
Upon inquiry amongst the Customs officials and others I learnt that the trade of the port had developed considerably during the past few months, and though it was not yet on a sufficiently large scale to prove remunerative to vessels that visited the port, the monthly revenue already showed a fair surplus after paying the salaries of the Customs staff. This statement, I may add, was subsequently corroborated by M. von Möllendorff, the Foreign Adviser to the Corean Government. The overbearing conduct of the Japanese settlers was a general subject of comment and complaint, and the arrival of a British authority was looked forward to with some eagerness, as it was hoped that the presence of the official of another Power might be a support to the local authorities in their attempts to prevent the not unfrequent collisions that occur between the natives and the Japanese.
Starting on the morning of the 6th instant, we reached Söul in the afternoon, and I was glad to notice a considerable improvement in the condition of the road to the capital since my last visit. A new road is in process of construction for a portion of the way to Söul, which will lessen the distance, and is eventually intended to be made available for carriage traffic.
On arrival at Söul I called on M. von Möllendorff and informed him that I was the bearer of a note from yourself to the President of the Foreign Office which I was ordered to deliver in person, and as your instructions allowed me to exercise a certain discretion in the manner of delivering this note, I thought it advisable to show M. Möllendorff a copy of it, with a translation into Chinese which I had prepared for presentation to the President.
M. von Möllendorff proceeded then and there to draft a reply in English, and he undertook to have it translated in the course of the evening in order to avoid any unnecessary delay in furnishing me with an answer on the following day. This answer I have little doubt was considered by the Foreign Office that night.
An interview having been arranged for the following morning, the 7th, I called at the Foreign Office at 11 A.M., and was most cordially received by the President and Assistant Ministers, to whom I delivered your note.
They appeared astonished when I informed them that I wished to return on the following morning, and asked me to remain a few days, but I replied that I was under instructions to return with all possible dispatch, and said that I felt sure you would appreciate a recognition on their part of the promptitude with which you had announced the ratification of the Treaty. This recognition would best be shown by a similar announcement on the part of the President, which I should be glad to be able to report had been supplied without any delay.
After some discussion it was arranged that the President should go at once to the Palace, and should furnish me with an answer in the terms of M. von Möllendorff’s draft in the course of the afternoon. His Excellency added that he would do me the honour to bring me the letter in person.
I then proceeded to ask his Excellency what accommodation the Government could provide for you on your approaching visit to Söul. I should first mention that I had discussed this matter privately with M. von Möllendorff on the previous evening. He told me that he felt sure that the King and Queen would consider it a high compliment if you could arrange to bring any ladies of your family with you when you came to Söul, to which I replied that you might possibly be disposed to do so provided that suitable accommodation for the reception of ladies was provided. When I called at the Foreign Office he informed me that the Ministers were much pleased to hear that there was a probability of your bringing a lady member of your family with you, and that they would make every possible arrangement in their power to suit your convenience.
Upon broaching the subject of your accommodation to the President, his Excellency said that the quarters assigned to Herr Zappe, the German Plenipotentiary, last year, had been prepared for your reception, but that if I considered the accommodation was insufficient he would be happy to get more rooms ready for you in the immediate vicinity of the other buildings. A Secretary of the Foreign Office would show me the additional rooms which could be placed at your disposal. I visited the premises in the afternoon, and as I have already verbally reported to you, I considered the accommodation that these extra rooms provided would be sufficient for your wants.
I thought it advisable to ask the President what form of ratification the Corean Government proposed to adopt. His Excellency replied that the King would sign and seal the Treaty, and that, subject to your approval, it was proposed to adopt the form of ratification attached to the United States’ Treaty. A copy of this form of ratification was given me, which I append to this Report.
In your verbal instructions to me I was ordered to ask whether accommodation could be provided for Her Majesty’s Vice-Consul at Chemulpo. M. von Möllendorff, speaking for the President, said that he was prepared to buy a Japanese house and have it erected on the British Concession. He would let this house, he said, to the British Government for as long a time as it was wanted, using it as a residence for one of the Officers of the Customs staff when it was no longer required by the Vice-Consul.
In fulfilment of his promise, the President called on me in the evening with his answer to your note. A translation is appended.
The extremely cordial tone of the President and Assistant Ministers led me to the conclusion that they are eager to see the ratifications of the Treaty exchanged. This impression was confirmed by several remarks let fall from M. von Möllendorff, who seems to have had great difficulty in combating the demands of the Chinese and Japanese, whose interests appear to be in some respects conflicting. He was especially earnest in his expressions of a hope that the British Representative in Söul would support him in the carrying out of measures that were absolutely necessary for the maintenance of order in the foreign Settlements, and uniformity in the carrying out of the numerous Customs and other Regulations, the adoption of which requires the joint consent of the Consular and local authorities.
I [left] Söul on the morning of the 8th instant, Mr. Scott remaining there to superintend the preparations for your accommodation, and reached Chefoo at noon on the 10th. I informed the President before I left that you would probably be in Chemulpo in about a fortnight's time.

I have, &c.
(Signed)　　W.C. HILLIER



Inclosure 2

Form of Ratification appended to the United States’ Treaty with Corea.

(Translation)
WE have carefully perused this Treaty with the United States, and we find that each and every Article and section can be given effect to.
We do accordingly ratify the same, affixing thereto the national seal, and signing it with our own hand in token of good faith.
Dated this 14th day of the 4th moon of the 492nd year of the Corean era.

(L.S)　　(Royal Signature)



Inclosure 3

Min Yöng-mok to Sir H.S. Parkes.
April 7, 1884

(Translation)
MIN, President of the Corean Foreign Office, makes a communication in reply to Sir Harry Parkes.
The President has the honour to acknowledge the receipt, on the 21st ultimo, of Sir Harry Parkes’ note, in which his Excellency states that Her Majesty the Queen and Empress had ratified the Treaty concluded with the President on the 26th November last, and had been pleased to appoint Sir Harry Parkes to be Her Majesty’s Minister to Corea. Sir Harry Parkes felt confident that the President would see in this prompt action on the part of Her Majesty’s Government a distinguished proof of their desire to cultivate the most friendly relations with the Government of His Majesty the King, and to promote the development of mutually advantageous intercourse between the people of both countries. His Excellency considered it to be due to the President to give him the earliest intimation of his approaching visit to the capital to exchange the ratifications of the Treaty, and had accordingly deputed Mr. Hillier, the Chinese Secretary, to proceed to Söul for the purpose of delivering this note.

As Her Majesty the Queen and Empress, Sir Harry Parkes continued, had already ratified the Treaty, he trusted that the President would inform him, in reply, that it had also been ratified by His Majesty the King. Mr. Hillier would wait for this reply, and as soon as Sir Harry Parkes received it he would proceed to Söul to exchange the ratifications and deliver his credentials as Minister.
The perusal of this note has been a source of unbounded pleasure to the President, whose august Sovereign was deeply gratified to hear that Her Majesty the Queen and Empress had already ratified the Treaty. He is commanded by His Majesty to inform Sir Harry Parkes that the appointment of His Excellency as Her Majesty’s Representative in Corea is most acceptable to the Government of that country, and the President begs to express, on his own part, his conviction that this appointment cannot fail eminently to conduce to the lasting maintenance of friendly relations between the two Governments, as well as to the mutual advantage of their respective subjects.
His Majesty is specially gratified at the promptitude with which Her Majesty the Queen and Empress has ratified the Treaty, which has also been ratified by himself, and it only remains for the President to express a hope that Sir Harry Parkes will shortly arrive, in order that these ratifications may be duly exchanged.
Mr. Hillier has been asked to be good enough to be the bearer of this reply.