On the very next day after the Japanese took the palace and gave a new direction to governmental affairs a special High Commission was called together by the king to consider the matter of reconstructing the government along the new lines. It was composed partly of the the members the Cabinet and partly of other distinguished men. It was well understood that these men were to carry out the ideas of the Japanese authorities. Their deliberations continued for a period of forty-one days during which time they completed a scheme for a new government, along the following lines. Before this time there had been seven great governmental departments, namely the _Eui-jung-bu_ or State Department, _Yi-jo_ or Home Department, _Ho-jo_ or Finance Department, Yi-jo or Ceremonial Department, _Pyŭng-jo_ or War Department, _Hyŭng-jo_ or Law Department, _Kong-jo_ or Department of Public Works. Besides these there were the two _Po-ch‘ŭng_ or Police offices, the _Eui-gom-bu_ or Supreme Court and other lesser offices. In the new regime the seven Departments above named were all retained excepting the Ceremonial Department and in place of this they founded for the first time in Korean history a genuine Educational Department coördinate in dignity with any other of the great Departments. Besides this the Department of Public Works was broadened to include Agriculture and Commerce. A Police Bureau was formed to take the place of the former two Poch’ŭngs. They also prepared a list of needed reforms in the government. (1) From this time all Korean documents shall be dated from the year of the present Dynasty. (This was the 503rd year, as the Dynasty was founded in 1392). (2) Korean treaties with China shall be revised and ministers shall be sent to the various treaty powers. (3) Class distinctions in Korea shall be wiped out and men shall be judged solely on their merits in the matter of government office. (4) The distinction between civil and military rank, in favor of the former, shall be done away and they shall stand on an equality. (5) The family and relatives of a criminal shall not be liable to arrest or punishment for his crime. (6) The son by a concubine shall be eligible for the succession. (7) Men shall attain the age of twenty and women the age of sixteen before marriage. (8) Widows shall be allowed to remarry without loss of social standing. (9) All slaves are declared free and the sale or purchase of human beings is abolished. (10) The privilege of memorial is extended to the general public. Anyone shall be at liberty to address the throne through a memorial. (11) The long sleeves on coats, whether court dress or common are abolished. But officials shall be authorized to wear the sleeveless coat over the ordinary one. Soldiers’ uniforms shall continue as at present for a time but may be changed gradually to the foreign style. (12) The people shall be given one month in which to prepare for these changes.