The Windham County reformer. (Battleboro, Vt.) 1876-1897, 1894-08-17
CURIOUS COKEANS.
Some of Their Peculiarities-A Country
of Wonderful ResOurces-The Least
Understood In nd in Asia.

Some of Their Peculiarities-AC Country
of Wonderful ResOurces-The Least
Understood Land in Asia.
The peninsula of Corea lies between the
thirty-fourth and forty-thirl parallels, and
has an area of about 10000 square miles, or
about the same as England, Scotland and
Wales. 1t has the Japan Sea on the east, the
Yellow Sea on the west, and on the south the
Corean Strait, which separates it from the
japanese archipelago. On its northern
frontier it joins China, but the insular position
which its inhabitants covet was measurably
secured many years ago by the devastation of
strip of land 80 miles wide at the north,
which still remains uninhabited. The popu-
laton at the last census Eas reported Mt 10,-
51s.937. The capitol Of tie kingdom, known
to the outside world as S1nl, is known to the
natives as Han-yang, or the fortress ON the
Han. 1t has population of from 100000 to
24O, 900. living for the most part in one-story
houses of mud or stone. The city is inclosed
Chemulpo, now practically foreign settle
ment, which has grown rapidly since 1t was
opened to foreign trade IL years ago. Most
of the foreign residents are Japanese; this is
true also of the other ports, Yuensan in the
northeast and Fusan in the southeast
The chief desire of COrea always has been
to be left alone; but the restless energy of
modern commerce has made that impossible.
There have been few dynastic disturbances
the present king. who is now kept under lock
and key by the Japanese, belonging to
family which has reigned without interruption
for more than 800 years. He has absolute
power, but, although he is a man of intelli-
gence and not averse to progress, hoary
abuses are interwined with the government
of the country which make the lot of the
natives Il most unhappy one. The recent re-
belion originated in these abuses, Had he
been left to himself it is not possible that the
king might have reformed these evils. and in
stituted the changes desired by Japan; but
Chinese influence was eXerted to prevent con-
cessions. The jealousy between China and
Japan, growing ont of the century-old rights
of suzerainty exercised by China, and the
hustling commercial activities of Japan, is of
long standing.
Frank g. Carpenter. the traveller. says in
the Buffalo Express: '.Corea is, perhaps,
the least understood land in Asia, and it is
one of the most wonderful countries on the
face of the globe. paid my first visit to il
six years ago, only short time after il had
been opened to the world. About fifteen
years ago no foreigner could land on ITS
coasts, and shipwrecked sailors were forced
to stay in the country. for fear they might
carry news of it to the barbarous people of
Europe and America.
1t is like no other country, and every day |
hear new and strange things about it and its |
people. 1t is going to be very important |
country in the eyes of the world. Its people |
are of their own kind, and Gen. Clarence
Greenhouse, the American adviser of the king,
tells me that the land contains between 49,
100000 and 20O00,0O0. This is about one
fourth the population of the United States. II
is, in fact, more people than there are in
Spain. IL is half again as many as there are
i'm Mexico and three times as many people as
can he counted in the state of New York.
These people are scattered over a territory of
about 100000 square miles.
This peninsula is of about the same shape as
Florida or Italy. and it has something like the
area of the latter country II Is between 400
and 800 miles long. and from its extreme north
to the southern coasts the distance is about
the same as that between Cleveland and New
York.
Whatever may he the outcome Of this
trouble with Japan and China il is bound to
result in the opening up of the country, and
The character of the land and its resources
will he matters of interest
III Is made up of mountains and valleys. :
There are few large plains, but the valleys {
ire as flat as the low lands Of the Nile, and
The mountains are filled with all sorts of min
rails. The gold mines Of Corea turn out from 5
s2.0oo,W0 TO s3,0oO,0O0 worth of dust and {
nuggets every year, and practically nothing
,ut placer mining is done. All of the gold !
,elongs TO the king. and heard il whispered
hat ms magesty has great quantity of bul-
ion stored away in his palaces. Not long ago
was necessity that some money be raised
i once TO complete the electric plant which is
low being put in the palace. and there was
nothing in the treasury.
forty-seven thousand dollars had 20 be got
EN-, or the work could not 20 on. The king
vas especially anxious that there should be
10 delay. and he sent 20 Mr.. Power, the
american who has charge Of the electric
ghting, two boxes Of gold dust and nuggets.
'hese came from the palace TO Mr.. Powers ,
ouse, the distance of at least mile. without /
guard and il i question If the porters who
arried them knew what they were bringing. 4
he gold was packed in pine boxes. and these I
lere hung upon pole which rested on the =,
houiier> OF the two men who carried them.
he only man who went with them was the
orean interpreter Of Mr.. Power. They
ere opened when they reached the house
nj were found packed full Of gold dust and
uggets. The nuggets were Of all shapes and
zes from that Of the head Of pin TO humps
. big n your fist. There were two humps of
IBID gold Of this size and another was a
lick a the palm of n mans hand and Of
,out the same shape. 1t was Of such nature
y = could not have rolled fsr Wy the water.