Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1871-07-01
THE coREA.
The People and the Land Cleaned out by
Commodore Rodgers.

The People and the Land Cleaned out by
Commodore Rodgers.
From the Lynchburg Bepublican.l
It has been briefly announced by
! telegraph that Admiral John Rodgers,
of the United States Navy, has en-
gagged in hostilities with the kingdom
of COrea, and kilograms from Wash
ington give the country to understand
that the prospect of serious war is
imminent, and that the United States,
England and France will, in the event
that q speedy settlement of difficulties
is not had. unite their forces in the
effort to bring the kingdom of Corea
to its senses.
The question very naturally arises
as to the location of C0rea; what is it,
and where is it? 1t is peninsula on
the east coast of Asia, northeast of Chi
ma. 1T is 400 miles long end 150 broad,
and has an area of about 10000 square
miles, and a population of from ten to
twelve millions. Including the islands
adjacent and a part of the neighbOring
continent, which are parts of the king
dom, il is nearly 600 miles long from
north to south, between ATTITUDES 33
degrees % minutes, and 43 degrees
north. Its defeDces are rugged and
barren coast, difficult OF navigation
on account of numerous granite rocks
below the surface of the water; in an
army estimated at GAO, 900 men, and a
navy OF 200 vessels.
The government is despotic, and,
though tributary to China, maintains
local independence, the King ap-
! pointing his predecessor, and man.
aging all the internal affairs of the
kingdom without outside interfer-
ence. The King unites in his person
temporal and spiritual authority, and
| is absolute in its exercise. The reli-
giOn is Buddhism, and the priests and
temples of the prevailing creed are
numerous. The people are thought
to be of Tartar origin, and are de-
scribed as fine-loOking, OF prepossess-
ing address, and cultivated manners.
Their occupation is chiefly agricul-
tural.
The productions of the country are
fruits, cotton, wheat, tobacco, rice,
hemp, etc. There are mines Of the
precious metals, and of coal and rock
salt. Cotton, silk, paper and arms are
manufactured. Paper forms q large
part Of the exports, which mostly goes
to China and Japan. Wild animals,
such as tigers, bears, wild hogs, deer
and sable are found IN the forests.
Snakes abound on land, and huge
crOc0diles infest the rivers and coast.
Tie government is divided into five
departments, and the country into
eight provinces, whose Governors are
responsible to the King. The capital,
King XII tao, is situated on the Kiang
river, in the centre of the kingdom.
As an evidence of the character Of
the natives, it may be stated that five
years ago the American ship General
Sherman went ashore on the Corean
coast. The crew Was captured and
horribly treated snd tortured, some
being put in cages and carried around
and exhibited to the natives. One of
the men escaped, and reaching an
American man-Of-war, detailed these
atrocities. Admiral Bell, then in
command of the Asiatic Squadron,
sent the United States steamer Shen-
anGoah 10 the Corean coast to inquire
into the matter and demand redress.
On approaching the Corean coast the
Shenandoah was fired into by shore
batteries, manned by large numbers
of Coreans; but as her commander had
no orders to return the fire, he left
and reported the matter to Admiral
Bell. Here the matter ended Until
Admiral Rogers took command, and
he now has the settlement of the diff
Guilty, which, according to the opin-
ions of core yetent military and naval
authorities, is far more than he will be
able to accomplish without material
eid from outside sources. Indeed, 1t
may turn ont that our government
has ,On its hands a difficulty which
will require the united efforts OF the
army and navy to settle; for the CO.
Tean waters are represented as singu-
larry difficult to navigate, and her
people among the most blood thirsty
and savage on the globe. II remains
to be seen whether the administration
will be equal to the emergency; but
as the government officials are all rus
tiGating at watering places, regardless
of the honor OF the nstion or the sui-
ferings of its people, the question will
probably receive no consideration for
some time to come.