Under the Mikado's flag

by Edward Stratemeyer

The special command to which the ex-American lieutenant and his chum belonged occupied the center portion of the upper deck of the transport. The weather was no longer bitterly cold, but it was far from warm, and many of the soldiers were content to huddle down in sheltered corners, wrapped up in their army blankets.

All day long the Japanese warship hovered around the transports, looking for the possible appearance of a Russian war vessel. It was known that the enemy had a small fleet stationed at Vladivostok, in Siberia, just north of Korea, and it was thought that this fleet might swoop down upon the transports and cause serious trouble. But, luckily for the Yojirama and the other ships, no enemy put in an appearance.

The truth was, the Vladivostok fleet was still hard and fast in the ice which blocked that harbor, and it was not until March 19 that it was able to blast its way out with dynamite and get into proper trim for fighting. Then it sailed away, the Japanese spies knew not whither, but presumably to join the Russian fleet at Port Arthur. Before this took place the Japanese endeavored to bombard Vladivostok, but without material success.

The course of the Yojirama was past the southern extremity of Korea, and then up the western coast. There was now no doubt in the minds of the young Americans but that they were to land as already surmised, and Gilbert brought out a small map of Korea and Manchuria which he carried, and began to study it diligently.

“I want to get the lay of the land in my head,” he said to his chum. “Then, when we make a move, I’ll know what we are doing.”

“I want to study that map too,” came from Ben, and he did so. From it they learned that Korea was about a hundred and fifty miles from east to west, and about six hundred miles from north to south. It was a peninsula, divided in part from the mainland by the Yalu River, which marked the boundary between Korea and Manchuria.

The native name of Korea is Cho-sen or Kao-li, and for years it was known as the Hermit Kingdom, because of its efforts to keep out all foreigners. It was formerly a portion of China, but became independent in 1895. The population is about eleven millions, of which about two hundred thousand live at Seoul, the capital on the river Han. Up to the present war the monarchy had been an absolute one, with the exception that many “favors” were granted to the Russian Government, but now great changes were about to take place.

Almost before the Koreans knew that the first gun had been fired a body of Japanese soldiers under General Inouye, marched upon Seoul and by a showing of arms compelled the emperor to listen to their demands. At this time a powerful Russian diplomat, M. Pavloff, was at Seoul and he was compelled to leave, being escorted to Chemulpo and placed on board of an outgoing ship under a Japanese guard. The Emperor of Korea was then compelled to recognize the power of Japan, and at once hastened to congratulate the Mikado on his naval successes, and said he trusted Japan would be equally successful on land. Thereupon a treaty was made between the two countries by which Japan took sole charge of all war affairs for both nations, but guaranteeing to Korea independence in the future. Later still, through the work of a powerful Japanese diplomat, Marquis Ito, Japan was given permission to build railroads through Korea, and occupy whatever points were necessary for the victorious conduct of the war. This practically shut the Russians out and made them bitter in the extreme.

The course of the Yojirama, was now past Chemulpo harbor, and then it became known that a landing would be made at Chinampo. This is the seaport of the important town of Ping-yang, sometimes known as Phyöng-yang, and located to the northeast, on the Tai-tong River.

The port of Chinampo is well protected from the fury of the Yellow Sea, when the winds are high, by a range of hills, and in this harbor all of the Japanese transports lost no time in landing their troops. All sorts of small craft were brought into use, from the transports’ rowboats to Japanese steam launches, and Korean sampans, the latter looking very much like our own mud scows, but with a small covering of palm leaves or other material over the stern. The work of landing was carried on day and night, and it was at two o’clock in the morning when Gilbert and his chum, with their command, found themselves left on the shore of the little bay, about quarter of a mile from the town. A stiff breeze was blowing and it was anything but comfortable.