3 6  THE  CHINESE  EMPIRE
embassy  expressing  regret  for  the  murder  of  Margary  was
to  be  dispatched  to  Great  Britain  ;  (3)  Further  arrangements ­
  for  the  better  regulation  of  the  opium  traffic  were  to
be  put  in  force  ;  and  (4)  Four  new  Treaty  Ports—Ichang,
Wuhu,  Wenchow,  and  Pakhoi—were  to  be  open  to  foreign
trade  and  residence,  and  six  ports  of  call  on  the  Yangtze  for
the  landing  of  foreign  goods.
Dispute  between  China  and  Russia
A  dispute  arose  between  China  and  Russia  in  regard  to
the  city  of  Kuldja,  that  had  fallen  into  the  hands  of  the
Russians  during  the  Mohammedan  rebellion  in  the  northwestern ­
  part  of  the  Empire.  When  China  demanded  the
return  of  the  city,  they  were  met  with  a  direct  refusal.  For
a  time  it  looked  as  if  the  friction  would  lead  to  a  war  between
the  two  countries.  Finally,  however,  in  1881,  the  Treaty  of
St.  Petersburg  was  agreed  to,  by  which  China  regained
Kuldja  and  the  most  of  Ili,  and  paid  nine  million  roubles  to
Russia  in  compensation  for  her  claims.
Trouble  in  Korea
As  far  back  as  1592  the  Japanese  had  founded  a  settlement ­
  at  Fusan  in  Korea.  In  1876,  in  retaliation  for  an
unprovoked  attack  upon  one  of  their  gunboats  off  the  coast
of  Korea,  the  Japanese  dispatched  an  expedition  to  that
country,  and  compelled  the  Korean  Government  to  pay  an
indemnity,  to  open  the  ports  of  Chemulpo,  Gensan,  and
Fusan,  and  to  allow  Japanese  to  reside  in  Korea  on  the  same
terms  as  Europeans  resided  in  Japan.  The  Chinese  Government, ­
  regarding  Korea  as  a  vassal  kingdom,  determined  to
neutralise  Japanese  influence  by  throwing  open  the  country
to  the  whole  world  under  treaty.  Thus  Korea,  hitherto
known  as  the  Hermit  Nation,  emerged  from  her  position  of
seclusion,  and  entered  into  treaty  relations  with  foreign
powers.  The  opening  of  Korea  led  to  many  troubles.
There  was  soon  formed  a  Party  of  Progress,  and  this  was  in
constant  strife  with  the  Conservatives.  In  order  to  main-