Directory_and_Chronicle_1910 — Page 690

CHEMULPO

浦物濟 Che-mul-po

This port, called by the Japanese Jinsen, and by the Chinese Jenchuan, is situated on the west coast of Corea, in the metropolitan province of Kiongki, at the entrance of the Salée River, an embouchure of the Han or Seoul River. It was opened to foreign trade in 1883, when it was a poor fishing village, and is now a flourishing and rapidly increasing centre of trade, with a native population of under 12,000 and a foreign population of about 16,000, of which between 13,000 and 14,000 are Japanese; the Chinese number between 1,000 and 2,000, the number being greatest in the summer months; the British number 28; Germans 28; Americans 10; and French 8. A railway now runs from Chemulpo to Fusan, meeting the line from Seoul at Yong-dong-po (Yei-do-ho)

The Settlements are fairly well built over and are now fully occupied. The price of land has risen to almost fabulous rates.

Chemulpo enjoys a beautiful climate and is never shut up by ice. The port has two anchorages, the outer one accommodating ships of all sizes, and the inner one frequented by ships of about 1,000 tons. An enormous rise and fall of the tide, which averages 30 feet, renders the inner anchorage difficult of access to larger ships, and is also a serious hindrance to the navigation of the Seoul River. Only vessels not drawing over six feet may safely run between Chemulpo and Mapu, a place on the river three miles south-west of the capital.

The steamers of the Nippon Yusen Kaisha and Osaka Shosen Kaisha call regularly and have the bulk of the trade and passenger communication with Japan, and, in the case of the former, with North China. The Russian East Asiatic Steamship Company have a regular service between Vladivostock and Shanghai, touching at Chemulpo. British steamers also call more frequently than formerly.

There are telegraphic communications with China" (overland) and with Japan, a cable between Chemulpo and Chefoo remaining a desideratum.

Chemulpo easily retains its position as the principal port in Corea. The volume of trade at the port has more than trebled during the past ten years. Japanese enterprise is abundantly in evidence, and many projects for the improvement and development of the port are at present receiving attention, including harbour improve- ments, waterworks, and industrial enterprises. The foreign trade of the port for 1907 showed an increase of yen 3,925,281 as compared with the returns for 1906; but the returns for 1908 showed a decline of yen 4,750,114. The exports were valued at yen 2,554,200, and the imports yen 446,804.

社會資合易貿英日

DIRECTORY

ANGLO-JAPANESE TRADING Co., Export and

Import Merchants (Nichiyei Boieki

Goshi Kwaisha); Tel. Ad: Nichiyei

Director-W. Geo. Bennett

Do. -Shiuichiro Yebara

Agency

Chiyoda Mutual Life Insurance Co.

昌廣

Kwang-chang

BENNETT & Co., Merch'ts; Tel. Ad: Bennett

Walter Geo. Bennett, signs the firm

Shiuichiro Yebara,

T. Ito

H. Watabe (Dalny)

Agencies

do.

General Accident Fire and Life Assce.

Corporation, Ld.

Phoenix Assurance Co., Ld.

North China Insurance Co., Ld, Manufacturers' Life Insce.Có.of Canada

BRITISH AMERICAN TOBACCO Co., Ltd.

J. Smith Mitchell

A. J. Strover J. H. McGregor H. Curtis

K. Ishu P. Y. Yong Geo. Kwoso

Y. H. Min

K. H. Kim

C. H. Whang

BRITISH CIGARETTE Co., Ld.

A. S. Hamilton

S. P. Song

K. Hashekata.

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