The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-02-28
Inhabitants Resemble Japan ese More Than Chinese, but Are Larger Than Either. DRESS INWHITE COTTON In Upper and Lettered Classes and in Government Documents
 Chinese Is Used. THE ARlSTOCRATS ARE POLITE Humble Coreans Are Social Among Them selves, viyacious and Talkatiye-
 Glimpse at the Trades.
THE ARlsToCRATs ARE POLITE

boundaries are all natural, conslst-
 ing of the Japan Sea on the east, .
 < the Yellow Sea on tho west. the
 Corean Strait on the south and two rivers on the north-the Yalu or Amnok, which smpties into the Yellow Sea, and the Tumen. which empties into the Sea of Japan
 The northern boundary divides Corea from Russia in Asia on the northeast, and from the Chinese provinces of Manchuria and Shing King on the northwest Corsa extends from north latitude 34 degrees to north latitude 43 degrees. a distance cf $50 milea As compared with our Atlantic coast line, 1t would extend from Portland, Me, to Wilmington, N. C.. says the American Educational Bulletin.
 The average breadth of the peninsula is about 150 miles. and the full coast line ex- tends about 1.70o miles It Is, therefore, more than one-third larger than all the New England States. or about the same size as Minnesota or Great Britain Its area Is about A. 600 square miles and the population some II. .0O0, ,0O0
 PRONUNCIATION OF NAMES.
 In the map the system established by Dr. F. Satow should be followed in the pronunciation of names. The vowels are in general pronounced as in Italian, the consonants as In English, however, with the following exceptions:-ai equals the English a in hat. hare; the French acute e; GU Is a sound similar to the English neutral vowel; equals the French GU. as In monsieur, but frequently much shorter.
 The Coreans make in writing no distinc- ton between long or short vowels. and there exists a great difference in the pro nunciation of vowels with different per sons as well as one and the same person. Thus myon often sounds like men, kyong like ken; pyon, pen; seung. sing; cheup. chip: seul, sil; swa. sa; hyok. hoik, &c-; kh, ph. tn. chh. are to be pronounced separately. as k-h, p-h, t-h, ch-h, as in the English words ink-horn. top-heavy, pot hunter, watch-house. &c. Just so with kk, pp. ss; each consonant is to be pronounced separately; m sound n; before l often comes near sh.
 Physical Features.-There is A marked difference between the eastern and west ern coasts The eastern coast is bordered by a long mountain ridge, presenting high and unbroken wall with but few in- dentations or harbors. The western coast, which is washed by the Yellow Sea of China. is shielded by an archipelago of islands, between which are shallow and tortuous inlets either filled or drained by tide that rises from twenty-five to forty feet and which are frequently frozen over in winter.
 The more northern of the islands are low and nat. while the southern ones are high and precipitous. The cliffs of many of these southern islands are both weird and fan tastic in shape. One of them resembles In form the towers of Windsor Castle, an- other the crumbling ruins of a monastery.
 The more prominent physical feature of Corea is the mountain range which con shtutes the backbone of the peninsula and extends through its whole length from the Tumen River to tho Yellow Sea, k~ I- 4-I. 4 . but emerging fragments of the same range. From these Corean Apennines numerous ribs or spurs extend in every direction. enclosing many pleasant valleys and river basins in their devious windings. COMPLETE ISOLATION OF COREA.
 Another great mountain chain runs transversely across the peninsula along the northern frontier, thus. by a natural wall, completing the isolation of Corea. The rivers of Corea, while numerous are comparatively unimportant Five only are navigable. viz. the Yalu in the north the Tp-Tong or Pyong-yang. the Han and its tributary, the Im-jin-kang and the Nak- tong.
 The longest river within the peninsula is the Naktong, which flows southward be- tween mountain ranges and empties into q bay opening into the Corean Strait The largest river, and commercially the most important is the Han, which. draining nearly the whole breadth of the peninsula empties into the Yellow Sea Besides these, eight other broad streams. after en- riching the valleys of western Corca empty into the same sea
 Climate. .--lThe general climate of Corea closely resembles that of the North Allan tic coast of the United States. the er tremes, however, being more marked and intense. It is at times very hot during the summer months, the temperature ranging from s6 degrees to 100 degrees in the shade The winters are severe, the mercury being often below zero The Tumen River. on the northern boundary, Is usually frozen five months of the year. while In winter deep snows cover the mountains.
 From the end of January until June 1t is spring. During the summer months there are heavy rainfallA By the end of November winter begins. In the summer months dense fogs prevail, and In spring and autumn there is much mirage.
 Inhabitants.-The Coreans undoubtedly belong to the Mongolian race, occupying an intermediate stage between the Mon plainly distingu.shahJe from either the Chinese or the Japanese. Their language is of the Turanian family, with tho addition of many Chinese and some Japanese words
 From this arise the different names (noticeabls on maps of Corea) applied to tho same loc8uly or RuyBlC8l Ieatufe. one being in Japanese, another in Chinese and stiu another in the Corean language. The Chinese language Is used by the upper and lettered classes and also by the govern ment in all official communications. RESEMBLE THE JAPANESE.
 In physical appearance the Coreans re- semble the Japanese moro than the Chi nese, though. on the average, taller and stouter than either. Their dress is almost uniformly of white cotton cloth. which in winter Is well padded. The outer badge of the of1cial classes Is the hat. which is of striking amplitude The houses of the Coreans arc usually rude. matched, mud wattled structures. They are generally warmed by nues running beneath the noors. The womens apartments are se- cluded with intense Jealousy.
 Az individuais they possess many at- tractfve characteristics the upper classes being polite. cultivated and birding them selyes on correct department, while the lower ciasses ere very social among them Selvcs, vivacious and taikafive. In their habits they are neither industrious nor cieanly, and, though surrounded by ahun- dant natural resources. live in a depth of puualor unknown in civilized lands
 Political Subdivisions and Cities.-For administrative purposes, Corea Is divided into eight provinces. viz.. Ham-gyons, Kang-wan Kyong-sang. Ping-an Hwang- hal, Kiong-kwi. Chung-chong and ChoI-ra.