Complex sentence: Until 1899, more than 800 hired foreign experts continued to be employed by the government, and many others were employed privately; despite the term experts however, some were simply convenient hires who happened to be in the treaty ports such as Yokohama and Kobe.
Split into simpler sentences: Until 1899, more than 800 hired foreign experts continued to be employed by the government, and many others were employed privately. However despite being called "experts", some were simply convenient hires who happened to be in the treaty ports such as Yokohama and Kobe.