Directory_and_Chronicle_1901 — Page 562

Directories & Chronicles 香港指南 All

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108

CHEMULPO-WONSAN (GENSAN OR YUENSAN)

SEOUL-CHEMULPO RAILROAD

T. Adachi, manager

R. Taniguchi, enginieer

H. Matszoka, traffic manager

T. Shiokawa, chief clerk

O. Furutsu, accountant

TOWNSEND & Co., Merchants

W. D. Townsend

C. Eklundh

Sub-Agency

Commercial Union Insurance Com--

pany, Limited

WONSAN (GENSAN OR YUENSAN) 山元 Yuen.san

This port, situated in Broughton Bry, on the north-eastern coast of Corea, is in the southern corner of the province of South 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 November, 1883. It is called Gensan by the Japanese and Yuensan by the Chinese. The native town has grown considerably since the port was opened to trade, and contains now a population of fully 20,000 inhabitants. The town is built along the southern shore of the bay, and through it runs the main road which leads from Seoul to the Tumen river. Markets are held five times a month for the sale of agricultural produce and Foregin imports. The Custom House is situated in the heart of the Foreign Settlements about a mile distant from the Native town. The Japanese have a well-kept settlement containing about 200 houses, with nearly 1,500 inhabitants. The Chinese number 100, and the European and American residents about 20. 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 sometimes frozen over, but the part used by shipping is never covered with ice of such a thickness as to interfere with navigation. The country around Wonsan is under cultivation, and the soil is very rich. 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 the 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. A telegraph line from hence to Seoul was opened in July, 1891.

Trade is carried on by regular lines of steamers running to Japan, Shanghai, and Vladivostock. The imports from foreign countries in 1899 amounted to $1,220,381 and exports to $571,137. The value of imports from Native ports in same year was $637,493 and the exports to native ports $560,574. The net total value of the trade in 1899 was $2,989,587 as compared with $2,971,297 in 1898, $3,071,726 in 1897, $1,411,898 in 1896, and $2,816,306 in 1895. The exports consist chiefly of hides, beans, gold-dust, dried fish, and skins. The value of native gold exported to foreign countries in 1898 was $972,702, not included in the exports of merchandise. The imports consist chiefly of cotton and silk manufactured goods, metals, and dyes.

Directory_and_Chronicle_1901 — Page 562

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