Arizona republican., 1904-03-21
Some Commercial Facts About the Hermit Kingdom
II Is ONLY A GENERATION
Since the Development of Its Trade Began - Present Volume of Com merce and Its Distribution Among the Nations of the Earth.


 Korea in 1904" is the title of a mono graph just issued by the department of commerce ard labor through it's bu- reau of statistics. It discusses com lnercial and other conditions in Korea showing area, population, tranSporta- tion facilities, railways, telegraphs, postal service and foreign commerce, including imports and the countries from which they are drawn, and eX- ports and the countries to which they are sent. The population of Korea the monogram in question puts at about 15,G0O,0G0, in round numbers, the area at about equal to that of the state of Kanssr. and the foreign commerce at about SIP, ,00O 00o, of which imports form about s!.5O0,00O. A part of the Chinese empire previous to the Christian era, Korea remained under the control of that country until about the end of the sixteenth century when the Japanese sent a l2rge invading army into Korea for the purpose of driving out the Chi nese and taking possession. The Jap anese rule, however, was comparatively brief and in 1927 the people of Man chura placed the country under vas salage, and until 1894 Korea recognized the control of China by sending tribute bearing missions annually to Picking.
 In 1894 an insurrection led the coun- try to ask aid from China and Chinese troops were sent. This action, bsing looked upon by the Japanese as a step towards the complete control of Korea by China, precipitated a war between China and Japan in 1891, which resulted fa.vorably to Japan. and was followed by a renunciation of Chinese authority by the Korean king, the substitution of Japanese for Chinese influence, and the introduction of many important re- forms under Japanese advisers. These reforms included adjustment of taxa tion, abolition of slavery, establishment of educational institutions, introduc- tion of a postal system, membership in the International Postal union and a reform of the judiciary.
 Commercislly the development of Korea begins withF 1876. when two ports, Gensan and Fusan, were, upon the instance of Japan, opened to trade with that country only. In 1882, Ad- miral Shufeldt. of the United States | navy, visited Korea and secured a treaty of friendship between the United States and Korea by which Am erican vessels were given access to its treaty ports and the safety of Ameri- can citizens assured. This was fol- 1 lowed hy treaties with Germany and Great Britain in 1883, Russia and Italy ir 1884, France in 1886, Austria in 1892, and China in 1897. The formation of the ! treaty between Korea and the United | States in 1882 was immediately follow ed by a visit from a Korean embassy | to Washington, sent to exchange rat | ificatior of the treaty. From this time | forward Korea was opened to fore gn | trade and western civilization and the | Korean government established it's le- | gations in the United States and other | great commercial nations. With the opening of the treaty ports and the es- | tablshment of commerce an official i record of Korean imports and experts i began. This shows imports in 1884 amounting to about SS0OO00 and exports amounting to s475,O ,OGO By 1890 the inn ports had grown to S3S50,O0O and eX- ports to S2,976, ,00O In 1894 imports and exports fell considerably below those of 1890. but in 1897 again increased, being for that year of imports about ,OOC and exports about s4500, eco. In 1902 the imports at the treaty ports amount ed to about $7,0O0,OOO and the expo ts of merchandise to about $4,20o, 900. In addition to this, exports . of gold amounted to over $2,000, 000. while the | imports and exports at other than treaty ports are estimated as being suf- ficient to bring the total commerce Of 1902 up to fully $15,OOO,O00. exclusive oi gold exports, which. as above indicated amounted to about $2,000,000.
 The most important articles in the export trade are rice, which shows ar annual eXportatiCn of more than 1000 900: beans, $5OOOOC; ginseng nearly s5OO.OO0 and hides, about $100O00 il value in the latest available year. O the importations, cotton goods form the largest item, from B 000, ,00O to $3.500, ,C0l per annum; silk piece goods imported from Japan and China amount tC Se00,000 per annum; kerosene oil about S20o ,000: railway materials about s250, 900; mining supplies about s200,000; an6 bags and ropes for packing. S150,C00 Of the cotton goods imported in 1902 British shirtings formed the largest single item. amounting to sSO0,O00; Brit ish and American sheetings, $260,00O Japanese sheetings, s350, 900; JapanesC piece goods and Japanese yarn for ust in manufacturing cotton cloths, sS0O,' GOO. Korea like China, is now drawing considerable quantities of cotton yarT from Japan and considerable supplie: of cotton manufactures. Great progress is being made by Japan in the manu fracture of cotton: and in addition tt supplying cotton cloths to China .anc Korea in large quantities it is now sup plying the cotton yarns which are usec in household manufacture as we'll a: in certain of the cotton mills whicf exist, and are proving quite successful
 The foreign commerce is carried or through the treaty ports of Chemulpo Fusan. Wonsan. Chinampo, Mokpo Kunsan, Masampo, and Song Chin Chemulpo, which Is located on the wes l xNfI n Ny n \