[2] In official statements, the British government claimed that the occupation had been undertaken to preempt Russian annexation of the islands.
In response, diplomats such as the then French minister to Japan and newspapers such as the Novoe Vremiya speculated that Russia would counterbalance the British occupation by seizing Port Lazarev (Wonsan) or Jeju Island.
[3] Russia threatened to occupy parts of Korea, in response to British actions.
After receiving assurances from the Russians that they would not occupy any part of Korea, the British withdrew.
[4] The proposal to occupy the islands had been considered earlier by the British Cabinet, in July 1875, but was rejected by Foreign Secretary Lord Derby as setting a poor precedent.