Weekly independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 1887-1914, 1904-02-19
\ Bout KUTrII.

several years i'll Korea and is we'll most
ed ID the manners, customs and laws of
It's people NJ well ms its geographical
and stragetic conditions. Ia nn inter
view published III the Gazette he gives
the following infor nation of interest mt
the present time:
Sco,.l, the capital of Korea, is the ter
minus Of tine only railroad III the empire
and Is distant from Chcmulpo, the chief
/ port. about twenty-five miles III an air
line, though the rOad takes Longer
course bcransc Of tlc fact that the
track must not disturb any graves II
the natives. The railroad, though built
| hy Americans, IL now owned and run 10y
the Japanese From Seoul to the Yalu ri
vcr Is IN the ncI. hbprhUuI Of 800 miles,
reached only ~ wagon road or trai s
| over the mountains. The roads are III
good condition except in the rainy
sc'tsou, which curnIncuCrs IN the month
| uf August ,ui lasts until October ~ the
sam" year.
The Japs. holding rs they 10 the Iort
| "t Ch"mulpp aud controlling the rail-
road and telegraph liuca, will bc able to
handle their irOop- with much more
d!spat ch than can the Russians. IL other
words the Japnnct'" can put troops INTO
the northern pnri II the empire 81 Ko-
rra. where the | ,nd battles will more
than likely Iakc take place" luch
quicker than can the Eu-sinus n"d at
the same time he in reach u their main
has" Of supplies.
There ~ II projected line "i railway
from rwsnr. the most southrrly port.
north to Win. which is the chef clty on
the inlu situHird at it, mouth. This
lire will toe 81 little benefit because q:
its 'ucomplctcd state. The Korean side
~ the ialu is presumably heavily forti.
iird ior the Japanese have had troops
stationed there ,Hcc the wnr with
Chinn
SIDE 10y side with the Korean ir0ops
the hitl" brown men of the Orient have
guarded the frontiers ui Korea against
the rucroachmcut. II tile Russian bcnr.
Having troops III the northern part Of
Korea gives japan an immense advan.
tngc Tor. while the country can bc ira
vrrscd easily 10y a body II troops when
mn"rpnsed. opposition III even mild
form will make the mach one ~ slaugh.
ter aud bc in fact from the nature q.
the country almost imp"sslbl".
The best way to describe the general
characteristic of tho country il To speak
81 II ns one very much wrinklcd. Iho
immrnso fall oi rain there has cruded
the hills so that there is no continuity
81 mountain ranges and no distinct oc.
cnrcncc of peaks, Each hill and knob
Is III its"If u furtibl" rOI.t and, as the
rond~ follow the vhll"ya and na the val.
I"ys are surrounded 10y these numerous
and distinct peaks. il will bc necessary
iur the kussians To fight every foot ~
the way on thor road to Japan 10y lnmd.
Say !; will b" u"crssnry Tor tn" l;us
slams, for the Japanese have already ~.
cured control ~ the chief vantage
I'liult Nil'l lIlt llfUI WIZ Ib'l " IlWTil. "
not impossible. To reach any oi the Toria
of Korea near to Japan. la the event
~ the Korean inhabitants standing in
with Jnpan and opposing the entrance
ni the Russinns there will bc no charc"
~ the Russian bear ever being able Ia
growl within the confines nf the Korean
cuplrc.
Korea has II standing army "i about
3b,nOO troppa well armed and fairly well
drilled. AZ Ia their bravery, that III II
diaputcd point, but there is ono rart Of
tho nrmy composed ~ what nrc called
in that country, Tiger IIuntcrp," who,
when opposed 10y American troops, lCRd
10y Lirutcuunt, nos admiral SchlCy.
died al their post rather than surrender.
All through 'hc empire II Korea "nn hc
found these men either in th" army or
III private life, aud while few IN number
they will bc able Ia hrrrnss the enemy
and like mosquitoes will bc found great
source of annoyance
Scuul is of immrns" advantage from
u sirdg"tiCroint Hs it can hc reached not
only by wagon rOnd and railroad but
aao by river siramcH ~ about nine
hundred ton rating.
There is another point that up I" dhto
lIna not !bccn mentioned, but which.
believe. will he oi immense importance
| aud that il tho port of Ghinampo on tho
west conat ~ Korea aud only about -
milcp hy sen frnm Port Arthur II iR what
! iR known M II Japanese concCRsou,i q
the JnpancRc have acCurcd from KorcP
a large tract Of ground around the hnr
hor aud have sent their troops nno
proulrd il with settlers Of japan Tho
hnrbor ia deep and of lnrgc area md II
supposed Ia bc heavily fortified, ! en!
| asr,,,,,g,I f,,, ,n IIn nr;nnI all altar