The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-03-30
TRADE OUTLOOK Of KOREA.
GOOD OPENING FOR AMERICAN
PRODUCTS IN THAT COUNTRY.


Trade conditions and commercial travel
ers in Korea is the interesting subject OF
a special report made 10 the state depart
ment by Horace n. Allen. consul general
at Seoul. korea's capital. Mr.. Allen
writes:
Korea should ordinarily be avoided dur.
ing July and August. when the excessive
rains flood the country and make travel
very difficult and disagreeable. English
and japanese are the languages most need
ed. English is usually ample for all pur-
poses. During June. July and August the
lightest cDthing b worn. White duck
suits are the common dress of foreigners.
For April May. September and October.
Which are delightful months in Korea,
ordinary weigh. clothing. with good WOOL
en- underwear for the cold nights is best
During the latter part of November, as
during December, January and February.
the very heaviest clothing Is essential.
Many people wear thick sweaters for
undershirts during the Goddess, weather.
The winters are usually dry, cold and
clear, and with warm clothing the climate
is delightful.
states passports. for purposes of identifi.
cation; these are viseed in case OF
trip into the interior. Passports are not
needed for the ports or within an area
cludes the capital Seoul Travellers are
subject TO no tax in Korea, and personal
luggage is not dutiahle at the customs
Luggage OF Americans Is seldom even ex-
amined.
Hotel accommodations at present leave
much to be desired At Cheanulpo there
are two comfortable hotels. One kept by
japanese, Hotel Daibutsu a fhree-story
brick house, With good view, clean rooms,
and fair beds, but Indifferent table, the
other. Stewards hotel, is owned and con-
Quoted by English-speaking Chinese. and
has the reputation of serving better food
though nd he'd
are said 10 not be good Seoul has a
purely Japanese hotel, where foreign
food Is served II desired. The beds are
In the Japanese style. on a clean matted
hoor. Hotel Bijno, Seoul. is stopping
place in the foreign quarter. where four
rooms over dining room and provis-
accommodating Italian and his wife can
furnish. Pieces at all these stopping
places are at present 81 gold a day.
Travel in Seoul is by jinrikisha. electric
Chemulpo it is by chair. pony. Jinrikisha
or boat. A railroad will soon be comp,et-
ed connecting the two places. after which
1t is supposed better hotel accommoda-
tons viii be provided. / do not think a
four-Week stay in Seoul or Chemulpo
should cost over 500 gold. exclusive OF
the purchase OF curios and personal eff
fects. The Hongkong and Shanghai bank
ing corporation has an agency in Chemulpo
as also in several places in America. nota-
bly, in New York and San Francisco. jap
nese banks are to be found in Seoul and
Korean ports. Japanese notes are freely
current in Korea American money might
be difficult TO exchange.
In reply to the question as TO whether
drawback Is allowed on the withdrawal
OF samples from the country, / would saw
there would be no difficulty i'm securing
such drawback II the samples were OF
so extensive a nature az to fail to pass as
passengers luggage. / would not recon-
mend journey from the United States
70 Visit Korea as commercial traveller
without especial inducements. However.
stop usually for twenty-four hours at
Chemulpo, a commercial traveller couId
very well see the principal importers in
that time and be able to judge for himself
whether 1t would be wise 10 stop over a
steamer. say a fortnight, or not
As TO the opening for American goods
! should say that cotton and cotton manu-
laciures would be the most promising line
since the whole population of 100000 10
lI,WN,oO dress In cotton cloth. which IL
padded with cotton In the winter. They
raise little cotton. and every individual
is made OF imported cotton sneeting The
Koreans are fond OF watches and clocks
Needles, thread, matches, dyes etc. are
all imported Knives made to suit Korean
uses should find a market here. as should
cheap low shoes and socks Timed milk
butter and provisions are in steadily In,
creasing demand Farmers in some dis
tricts are said to be inquiring for the
simplest agricultural implements of Am
er1can manufacture; but something I'm the
way of a revolution In customs must take
place before foreign agricultural imple-
ments will be used in Korea to any great
extent.
Korea is an agricultural country. Rice
and beans are the chief crops and form
the heaviest items of export Manufac-
turing is done crudely by hand, and the
articles OF native manufacture are exceed
ingiy expensive; so that foreign-made ar
ticiss nsTaHy nave an easy entrance If
MI
natives. When the crops are good and the
export Is heavy. buying is free: the con-
trary ~ the case when the crops are shorr
The absence of native banks and the liza
biaty TO lose money by extortion Temps
the comTon man who has a little money
20 spend II and get the benefit of il he
tore u Is lost They are. therefore. free
buyers when they have the money