Directory_and_Chronicle_1886 — Page 493

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FUSAN-YUENSAN (GENSAN).

JAPANESE JUNKS AGENTS.

屋問船和

J. Ohike, Benten Machi

J. Fugimori, do.

C. Suzuki,

K. Matsui

do.

Merchants, Traders, &c.

M. Fukuda, Benten Machi

Hamada & Co., Osaka Firm, Horn Machi

S. Hamada, agent

N. Sato

F. Hazama, Horn Machi

S. Hoke, Benten Machi

Holiguchi & Co., Osaka Firm, Horn

Machi

M. Nakagawa, agent

S. Horiguchi

S. Tamiya, Horn Machi

K Sasarei, Nagasaki Firm, Benten Machi

K. Sasaki, agent

Kiodoshia & Co., Osaka Firm, Horn Machi

T. Munekata, agent

R. Nagami, Benten Machi

D. Nishimura, Horn Machi

K. Saito, Horn Machi

YUENSAN (GENSAN).

This port, situated in Broughton Bay, on the north-eastern coast of Corea, is in the southern corner of the province of Ham-kiung, about half way between Fusan and Vladivostock. It was opened to Japanese trade on the 1st May, 1880, and to other nations in January, 1883, but with the exception of Japan and China no other coun- tries are commercially represented at present. It is called Gensan by the Japanese and Wonsan by the Corears, and under that name is thus described by Mr. Aston :— "The town extends for a mile along the southern shore of the bay, and consists of about two thousand houses with a population of perhaps 10,000 inhabitants. One main street of some ten to twelve feet in width winds through from end to end, and into this open numerous narrow and crooked alleys." Near each end of the town is an open space where a market, chiefly for agricultural produce, is held about six times a month. The houses are mean and dirty, and the town presents a poverty- stricken appearance.

appearance. The harbour is a good one, being spacious, easy of access, well sheltered, with excellent holding ground, and convenient depth of water. January is the coldest month, and one corner of the harbour-that before the native town--is some- times frozen over, but the part used by shipping is never covered with ice of such a thickness as to interfere with navigation. The Japanese have a nice clean looking Settlement, consisting of about fifty houses built in semi-European style and a really fine Consulate, of foreign design, containing at least forty rooms and offices. A Chi- nese Consul also resides here, and a tract of land has been selected for a Chinese Settlement contiguous to the Japanese Settlement. The country around Yuensan is under cultivation, the soil is very rich, and it is certain that under more skilful management it might be made to produce a much more valuable crop than it does at present. Within a short distance of the port are mines producing copper and other minerals, and gold is found amongst the neighbouring mountains. The cattle at this port, as nearly all over the country, are very fine and plentiful, and can be bought at very low rates; they are used as beasts of burden and for agricultural purposes.

The trade is carried on by a tri-weekly Nippon Yusen steamer from Nagasak and Vladivostock, occasional steamers from Shanghai, and schooners and junks from Japan. The net value of the trade of the port for the half-year ending June 30th, 1885, was $315,400. The exports consist chiefly of hides, gall-nuts, beans, copper, gold-dust, silk cocoons, dried fish, raw silk, millet, rice, skins, furs, and seaweed. The imports consist chiefly of cotton and woollen manufactured goods, dyes, and miscellaneous articles for the use of Japanese,