Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1904-01-28
Facts About Korea.

Corea or Korea, as some American
prefer to spell it, is coun-
try covering about $4,000 square miles
Of territory, which makes it about the
same size as the State of Kansas. 1t
lies between the Yellow and japan
Seas, and has been governed as an indie
pendent kingdom, although acknowl-
edging some authority to the Chinese
Empire. Since the war between Japan
and China, the influence Of the japanese |
in the country has become very strong
The population is estimated at from !
8 900, 600 to 10, ,O00 900, and the present
ruler is King Heni vi, whose power is
regarded as absolute
The country is quite mountainous
but well watered, and the southern and !
eastern portions very fertile. Rice,
wheat, corn, tobacco, millet, rye, cot
ton, hemp, ginseng and the common
varieties of fruits are raised. Ihe
Koreans belong to the Mongolian race,
and appear to be closely related to both
the japanese and the Chinese. They
have a tongue of their own. but have
adopted the Chinese language for their
literature, official business and social
intercourse. Their religion is that
founded by Confucius, mixed with var
ious elements of ancient superstltlons.
The houses in Korea are built of wood
and only one story in height. The
people are unacquainted with beds or
chairs.
A special report of the Department CT
Commerce states that the commerce OF
Korea amounts to about So, 900, 600 per
year. The greater portion OF this Is
with Japan. There are eight ports
open to foreign trade, which are classed
as .'treaty ports" The first treaty with
the United States was made in 1882.
The treaty ports" are Chemulpo.
Fusan, Wunsan, Seoul (the capitaD,
Chinampo, Mokpo, Songchin, Masanpo
and Kunsan. The actual trade through
non-treaty ports, however, is much
greater than that through the treaty
ports-probably fully double.
American products, both manufactur-
ed and otherwise, are popular in Korea,
but the very large proportion reach that
country through China and Japan. and
the direct trade of the United States
with Korea is extremely small. 1t IL
only within comparatively short time
that the direct trade Of the United
States with Korea was Of sufficient i'm
portance to justify separate record.
The imports are chiefly cotton and
woolen/ goods. metals, kerosene, silk,
and machinery for the use of the rail
ways and those engaged in their con-
struction. The chief exports are rice,
beans hides, ginseng and copper. The
currency chiefly consists of copper cash
and nickel coins, gold and silver coins
being out Of circulation. The trade of
Korea with Japan il growing more rap
idly than with any other country, the
| importation Of cotton goods from Japan
amounting to from two to three million
yen annually. Cotton goods are the
largest article in the value of impoita
tions into Korea, amounting to between
six and seyen million yen annually
Silk goods amount TO about one and
half million yen per annum.
| According to the government report,
copper, iron and coal are abundant in
Korea and gold and silver mines are be-
ing successfully operated, an American
company having charge of and operat-
| ing gold mine at the treaty port OF
Wunsan under a concession granted in
| 1895. Concessions have also been grant
| ed to Russian, German. Japanese and
French subjects. Railways, telegraphs,
| telephones and postal system have
been recently introduced into Korea. A
railway from the seaport of Chemulpo
to Seoul, the capital, distance o. 20
miles, was built by American contrac-
tors, and has reduced the time between
the seaport and capital from eight
hours to one and three-quarter hours.
The Seoul Electric Company, organized
chiefly by Americans and with Ameri-
can capital, has built and operated an
electrical railway near Seoul, which is
much used by the natives. This elec-
trical plant is said to be the largest
single electrical plant in Asia. The
machinery is imported from the United
States, and the consulting engineer. a
Japanese, is a graduate of the Massa-
chusetts Institute of Technology.
| Korea has standing army of II, 900
| men, who have been trained in the
modern ait Of warfare after European
models. The royal guard is armed with
Berdan rifles. The army will not cut
much of figure in the impending war,
but so far Korea appears to be rather
| Indifferent and seems to favor neitht r
Japan nor Russia. ia.-Derrick