R. L. Crossland

       

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NAVAL BATTLE OF PUNGDO AND THE KOWSHING INCIDENT
 

 As a change of pace, we've been preparing a podcast. The following links are the two first parts of the presentation on the Naval Battle of Pungdo, 1894, and the Kowshing Incident, recently presented by CAPT Roger Crossland, USN (Ret.).

 
In 1894, the Donghak peasant rebellion broke out in the Kingdom of Korea. it was fomented by Japanese unfair trade and other subversive practices. Korea requested Chinese assistance under the terms of its tribute agreement.

N(Ret.) for the Naval Order of the United States a naval inheritance organization formed by Teddy Roosevelt in 1890.

 

Beginning with 1868 Meiji Accession. Japan and China would engage in several violent disputes over Korea, the last had ending a Japanese coupe d'etat attempt on the Korean royal family.

 

The last truce, known as the Convention of Tientsin, required China to give Japan notice of any troop movements into Korea.

 

China sent Japan notice that it was sending troops to Korea to address the Donghak issue. Japan unintelligibly rejected the notice and began sending its own troops to Korea for a purpose that was unclear.

 

Two months later, Japan attacked an unaware British transport carrying 1,100 Chinese troops, and its escorts to Korea. This Japanese attack will result in the demise of 800 Chinese soldiers and sailors, and 47 British crewmen. This surprise attack will begin a half-century pattern of undeclared, or at least obfuscated, Japanese war ignitions.

 

At the close of Part II, the British transport Kowshing is about to be fired upon. It carries 1,100 Chinese soldiers and their new commanding general.

 

Will it survive salvos from Japanese Imperial Ship Maniwa? Will there be a third part?

 

Remains to be seen in Crossland's slide presentation with the Naval Order of the United States permission.

 

Part I
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t4LAZ0_2HRk&t=21s
 
Part II
https://www.youtube.com/live/_K6DN5bOLRU?si=MaFQyPuTQT7ATgp8
 

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 A HAPPY LUNAR NEW YEAR TO YOU ALL!
 
This is the Year of the Dragon," more particularly the Year of the Wooden Dragon.
 
Lunar New Year in the US is often referred to as "Chinese New Year," but this holiday is celebrated in and belongs to all Asia.
 
This year Lunar New Year occurs occurs on February 10th!
 
Since the Abalone Ukulele's central protagonist is "Skookan" Yi," a Korean expatriate, let's look at "Seollal" as it is known in Korea. It last three days, not just one!
 
During Seollal, Koreans pay respect to their ancestors and spend time with living family members and by performing traditional rites to honor their ancestors. This holiday means talking for hours on end, eating special foods at designated times, telling stories all night, and playing folk games.
 
Many Koreans will visit their ancestral hometowns, but many cannot. For them, the holiday is at best bittersweet, since their ancestral hometowns are north of the DMZ.