And now the distraught and corrupt government took another step at the bidding of Russia, and quite in keeping with the traditions of the East and the self-defensive, evasive diplomacy of the weak. They announced a neutrality which seemed from subsequent developments to have been a mere pretense in order to keep Japan out. While this neutrality was being insisted upon the Japanese announced the arrest of Koreans at different times, said to be carrying messages from the Korean Emperor and his government to Russia, asking for aid in the form of troops and ammunition of war. This is not at all unlikely, yet such are the dark ways and devious devices of the East, that it would have been quite as possible for those who wished to make an excuse to prove that the neutrality was a mere pretense, to have made it, if necessary. There is nothing more certain, however, than that at that time the Korean government was at heart wholly pro-Russian, of whatever overt acts she may or may not have been guilty in breaking her neutrality. Whatever were the facts, a most laudable excuse for the direct invasion of her neighbors’ soil was now presented to Japan. The beginning of 1904 was marked by the making of Japanese military stations every fifteen miles between Fusan and Seoul and the sending of a well-known Japanese general to Seoul as military attaché to the Japanese Legation. Notices were posted in the city assuring Koreans that their property and personal rights would be respected, promising immediate justice if any complaint were made, and from this time on Chemulpo harbor was blocked. Korean students had previously been recalled from Japan and now the Japanese began rapidly landing troops in two southern ports of Korea. After the battle of Chemulpo, which soon took place, the Japanese landed all their troops further north and work was rapidly pushed on the Seoul-Fusan railway and also begun on the road to Wi Ju. On February 23d a protocol was signed by Japan and Korea, by virtue of which Korea practically allied herself with Japan. She granted the latter the right to use her territory as a road to Manchuria and engaged to give them every possible facility for prosecuting the war. On the other hand, Japan guaranteed the independence of Korea and the safety of her imperial family. It was, of course, on Korea’s side a case of necessity, though many Koreans really accepted the Japanese as their friends and believed they would preserve their independence. However, willy-nilly, there was nothing to do under the circumstances but to acquiesce for the time being, though the government and court were still assured that Russia would undoubtedly be the ultimate victor and the Russians were continually making use of corrupt Korean officials who served only to complicate affairs with Japan.