It is more than doubtful whether this protocol, backed by arms, wrung out of the unwilling Koreans, was ever worth the paper on which it was written, even to keep up appearances to a people so unsophisticated at that time as the Koreans. The Japanese were ready at almost any moment during the war to enforce it and punish its violation, and the native government were very likely quite as ready to avail themselves of every opportunity which might offer to break it openly, could either Russia or China have been depended on to assist. But let us not forget that these were the acts of a corrupt government and not of the people, and that their sprightly neighbor had long odds, thanks to the almost forcible opening of their country thirty years earlier. Mr. Hulbert says, “The Japanese handled the situation in Korea with great circumspection,” which they certainly did. The expected punishment did not fall on the pro-Russian officials. The perturbation of the court was quieted and Marquis Ito was sent with friendly messages to the Emperor. The northern ports of Wi Ju and Yonganpo were opened and soon Yi Yong Ik who was a large factor in the conspiracies against Japan was invited to visit that country. The Japanese soldiers were remarkably orderly and well behaved, a great contrast in this respect to the Cossacks and Russian guard who had been at the Legation, who conducted themselves most outrageously, so that they won the hate and fear of the whole native community, and the disgust and horror of all western foreigners. The Japanese soldiers, we are told by Mr. Hulbert, all belong to the upper middle classes. “No low class man can stand in the ranks,” and this being the fact, the wide difference between their behavior and that of the colonists can be well understood. Suffice it to say that in the main they did great credit to their country and their conduct reassured the Koreans and won for them as a rule tolerance and often real good will. However, the reforms which the pro-Japanese had so hopefully expected did not come. The monetary affairs about which the Japanese had complained as being so bad were not altered when they came into power, and in addition they now began to demand all sorts of privileges which became no small hardship to the Koreans. In Fusan the Japanese Board of Trade asked their government to secure the maritime customs service, permission for extra territorial privileges, the establishment of Japanese agricultural stations, etc.