3-085-968 - The Print Collector/Heritage Images

British Troops in Korea: with the Marines at Seoul, 1898. 'The South East Gate - one of the very picturesque gates which give entrance to the town through the crumbling old walls; the Russian Consulate, to which the King fled from the Japanese; the King's Palace; extemporised Barracks of the Marine Guard, formerly a large native house; A Street Scene; the British Consulate; One of the Russian Guard; the Palace of the late Queen, & street in which her ministers were killed. For the last three months a guard of marines has been maintained at the British Consulate at Seoul...the Japanese replaced a "weak" by a "strong" Minister, and his policy was expected to bring about another native rising similar to the one eighteen months ago, which resulted in the murder of the late Queen and her Ministers, who practically ruled the country. To defend our Consulate in case of emergency, Captain Mercer, R.M.L.I., and eleven marines of H.M.S. Narcissus were marched up from the seaport Chemulpo...The Russians keep eighty men and one gun at their Consulate, partially to counterbalance the one regiment which the Japanese maintain to protect their postal and telegraph system'. From Sketches by Surgeon T. T. Jeans, R.N., H.M.S. "Immortalité".' From "Illustrated London News", 1898.