he other hand, Korea
was not in a position to think of resisting Japan on the
battle-field. The only army which the former could boast of
possessing consisted of men who were too indigent to purchase
exemption from service with the colours, and thus she may be said to
have been practically without any efficient military organization.
Moreover, her troops were not equipped with either artillery or
match-locks. The only advantage which she possessed may be said to
have been exceedingly difficult topographical features, which were
practically unknown to the Japanese. Japan had not at that time even
the elements of the organization which she was ultimately destined to
carry to such a high point of perfection. She had no secret-service
agents or any cartographers to furnish her generals with information
essential to the success of an invasion, and from the moment that her
troops landed in Korea, their environment would be absolutely
strange.

JAPAN'S PREPARATIONS

These considerations did not, however, deter Hideyoshi. Immediately
on receipt of the above despatch from the Korean Court, preparations
were commenced for an oversea expedition on a colossal scale. Nagoya,
in the province of Hizen, was chosen for the home-basis of
operations. It has been observed by several critics that if
Hideyoshi, instead of moving by Korea, had struck at China direct
oversea, he would in all probability have seen his flag waving over
Peking in a few months, and the whole history of the Orient would
have been altered. That may possibly be true. But we have to remember
that the Korean peninsula lies almost within sight of the shores of
Japan, whereas to reach China direct by water involves a voyage of
several hundred miles over seas proverbially tempestuous and
dangerous. Even in modern times, when maritime transport has been so
greatly developed, a general might well hesitate between the choice
of the Korean and the ocean routes to China from Japan, were he
required to make a choice. In the face of the certainty of Korean
hostility, however, Hideyoshi's selection was certainly open to
criticism. Nevertheless, the event showed that he did not err in his
calculations so far as the operations on shore were concerned.

He himself remained in Japan throughout the whole war. He went to
Nagoya towards the close of 1592 and stayed there until the beginning
of 1594, and it was generally understood that he intended ultimately
to assume direct comman