The Hawaiian gazette., 1904-01-29
THE HERMIT KINGDOM.


Department of Commerce and Labor
through it's Bureau of Statistics, to
about fifteen million dollars per an
mum. Imports materially exceed ex-
ports, and according to the best state
ment that the Bureau of Statistics is
able to obtain, amount to about ten
million dollars. While in the case of
China the foreign commerce of the
country is carried on chiefly, almost
exclusively, through the treaty
ports" this is not the case with ref
erence to Korea, only about one-third
of the foreign commerce above alluded
to passing through the treaty ports.
American products, both manufac-
tured 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 is only within a compare
lively short time that the direct trade
of the United States with Korea was
of sufficient Importance to Justify a
separate record. In 1897 the exports
from the United States to Korea were
$500 in value; in 1898. S125, O00 in 1902,
s251 600, and for the eleven months end
ing with November, 1908, s366,919, indi-
eating that for the entire calendar year
1903 the total exports from the United
States will amount to about 100000
While this is a rapid growth, it does
not show by any. means the entire val
lie of merchandise from the United
States entering Korea. AS above in
dictated many of these articles from
the United States consumed by Korea
are sent first to Japan or China and
from those countries shipped into Ko-
rea. The value of American petro-
leum consumed in Korea in 1901 is sta
ted at over $1,000 machinery and
supplies, S250,000 and electrical goods
and lumber, 1926, 900. These importa-
tons of merchandise from the United
States We're due in part, largely, per-
haps, to the presence of Americans en-
gagged in mining operations in Korea
and the purchase by them in the Uni
ted States of machinery and supplies
for that work.
The Statesmans Yearbook puts the
total trade passing through the treaty
ports" of Korea at ten million yen of
imports and about nine million yen of
exports in 1897, and in 1901, fifteen mil
lion yen of exports thus indicating the
growth, especially in imports, which
in 1901 were over 60 per cent in excess
of those of 1897. These figures, how
ever. relate to the treaty ports only.
The value of the yen is about 80 cents,
or practically identical in value with
the japanese yen.
The imports are chiefly cotton and
wooden 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, hide, ginseng. and copper. The
currency chiefly consists of copper
cash and nickel coins, gold and silver
coins being out of circulation. The
total currency is stated as aggregatng
about 500 900, 900 of which s6,OOO'OOO is
copper cash, $4,000, 900 nickel, s1,55OooO
Japanese coins, and s53O,0Oo Korean
silver dollars.
Eight ports of Korea are open to
foreign trade and are classed as
treaty ports" Treaties were made
between Korea and the United States
in 1882, and in the same year with
China; in 1888 with Germany and Great
Britain; in 1884 with Russia and Italy;
in 1886 with France: in 1892 with Aus
tria; and in 1899 further treaty with
China. Under these treaties Chemul-
30. Fusan, Wunsan, Seoul (the capt.
tab, Chinampo, Mokpo, Songchin, Ma
sanpo, and Kunsan have been opened
to trade The actual trade through
non-treaty ports, however, Is, as al
ready indicated, much greater than
that through the treaty ports-proba-
bly, fully double.
The trade of Korea with Japan Is
growing more rapidly than with any
other country, the importation of cot
ton goods from Japan amounting to
from two to three million yen annual
~. Cotton goods are the largest sin
gle article in the value of importa- |
tions into Korea, amounting to be-
tween six and seven million yen an
nually. Silk goods amount to about |
one and n half million yen per annum.
The chief articles of export are rice,
Az million yen in value; beans, mill
lion yen; hides, 100000 yen; and gin
seng, $4,000 yen.
The minerals of Korea are of con-
siderable value. Copper, iron, and
coal are reported as abundant, and
gold and silver mines are being sue
cessfully operated, an American COM
pany having charge of and operating