Anglo-Korean Relations and the Port Hamilton Affair, 1885-1887 (Empires in Perspective)

In April 1885 the British navy seized the small archipelago of Port Hamilton (now Geomundo) off Korea, an incident dubbed the Port Hamilton Affair. This was part of a larger story of Empire and East Asian geopolitics involving China, Japan, Korea and Russia. At the time Britain and Russia seemed close to war over Afghanistan, and taking the islands, with their sheltered anchorage, would deny them to Russia while they might be useful in any blockade of the Russian fleet in Vladivostok. However, even in this imperial era, there were qualms about seizing inhabited territory belonging to a friendly nation, if only through the precedent it may set for others - particularly Russia - to do the same. Thus, Britain stressed that occupation was temporary and attempted to gain legitimate control anyway through issuing leases. During the event, after much political posturing from East Asian nations, given that the geopolitical situation improved and there was no war with Russia, the British, after assurances that Russia would not take Port Hamilton, slipped away in February 1887. Geomundo returned to obscurity. This book, the first full-length study of the Port Hamilton Affair, is based around contemporary material varying from printed dispatches and government reports to original archival manuscripts. This enables the book's scope to range from setting the Port Hamilton Affair into its context within the high geopolitics of East Asia through study of the life of the garrison stationed on the islands to relations between the powerless indigenous islanders and their British occupiers Cover -- Half Title -- Series Information -- Title Page -- Copyright Page -- Table of Contents -- Figures -- Tables -- Preface -- Acknowledgements -- 1 Mercantilist imperialism in East Asia in the late nineteenth century -- Mercantilist imperialism -- China and the Treaty of Nanking -- Japan and the Treaty of Kanagawa -- 'Sharp-edged heavy swords': the Namamugi Incident -- 'Measures of coercion': the Anglo-Satsuma War -- The Meiji Restoration -- Geopolitics and the 'great game' -- Russia, Afghanistan and the Joint Anglo-Russian Boundary Commission -- Notes -- References -- 2 Opening up the 'hermit kingdom' -- 'Corea cannot long remain a hermit nation' -- The Treaty of Ganghwa, 1876: 'diplomacy with a gun to the temple' -- Western treaties: 'using barbarians to control barbarians' -- The two émeutes: setting ablaze 'smouldering enmity' -- Imo Incident, 1882 -- Gapsin Coup, 1884 -- Intrigue with Russia: a new big brother? -- Conclusion: the 'Hermit Kingdom' is opened up -- Notes -- References -- 3 'On the alert': Not taking Port Hamilton in 1875 -- 'The common fate of the weak'? -- Geopolitics: were the Russians 'rapidly encroaching'? -- 'We should immediately occupy Port Hamilton' -- 'The example of occupying places to which Great Britain had no title' -- Conclusion: towards 1885 -- Notes -- References -- 4 The annexation of Port Hamilton in 1885 -- 'Bottling up' the Russians -- Korea: 'I have been listening but not a sound has been heard' -- 'The Union Jack was run up' -- The 'semi-official note' -- 'Occupying the place first and getting a loan of it afterwards' -- China: 'not personally opposed' -- Japan: 'looking with disfavour'? -- Russia: not wanting to be 'shut up' -- Conclusion -- Notes -- References -- 5 Port Hamilton as a British possession -- 'Better off than the Skye crofters': traditional life on Geomundo Mercantilist Imperialism In East Asia In The Late-19th Century -- Opening Up The Hermit Kingdom -- On The Alert: Not Taking Port Hamilton In 1875 -- The Annexation Of Port Hamilton In 1885 -- Port Hamilton As A British Possession -- Hauling Down The Jack: Leaving Port Hamilton, 1887 -- Conclusion: The Impact Of The Occupation Lingered On. Stephen A. Royle. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. The Port Hamilton Affair saw the English navy seize the Nam How Islands and the harbour between them. Intended to prevent increasing Russian influence in the Pacific, the incident involved Japan, China and Korea in a geopolitical struggle that lasted for almost two years. This is the first book to examine the affair in detail.