Directory_and_Chronicle_1910 — Page 695

WONSAN.FUSAN

MUNICIPAL COUNCIL (Japanese)

Chairman T. Nishikawa Vice Chairman-U. Iwata

MISSIONS

For Protestant Missions see

Corean Directory

end of

POST OFFICE (JAPANESE)

MISSIONS ETRANGERES DE PARIS

Rev. A. Larribeau

Rev. F. Tournier

Postmaster-S. Kato

Chief Clerk, Postal-H. Kuroiwa

Do., Telegr. -Ch, Ishidoya

Tel.-K. Murakami Accountant-M. Kojima

Do.,

FUSAN

山釜 Fu-san

721

Fusan, or Pusan, as it is called by the Coreans, is the chief port of Kiung-sang- do, the south-eastern province of Corea, and lies in lat. 35 deg. 6 min. 6 sec. N. and long. 129 deg. 3 min. 2 sec. E. It was opened to Japanese trade in 1876 and to Western nations in 1883. The native town consists of some 550 houses with a population of about 5,000 inhabitants. The Japanese settlement is situated a little distance from the native town, opposite the island of Cholyongdo (Deer Island). It is under the control of the Consul, who is, however, assisted by an elective Municipal Council The Japanese population in Fusan numbers about 15,000, and there are about 3,500 more resident inland in the vicinity of the port. The Seoul-Fusan Railway and a daily service of steamers to Japan have combined to make Fusan a great centre of activity, and the volume of trade passing through the port has greatly increased. In connection with the railway a vast scheme of harbour reclamation is being carried out, and this will provide building sites suitable for godowns, which are now sadly deficient. Many public improvements have been carried out in recent years, including the erection of a new settlement, the construction of water-works, the instal- lation of electric light, and the making of good roads in the neighbourhood of the foreign quarter.

Order is maintained by a police force in a uniform of European pattern. Water, conducted from the neighbouring hills, is distributed through the Settlement by pipes and hydrants. The Corean town of Fusan is a walled city, situated at the head of the harbour; it contains the Royal granaries for storing rice, a few wretched houses, and the residence of the minor military official in charge. The harbour is good and capacious, with a sufficient depth of water to accommodate the largest vessels. The climate is very salubrious and the place is considered extremely healthy. Sea bathing may be had in perfection, and there is a nice hot spring near Tongnai. The district city Tong-nai Fu, which is distant about eight miles, is the local centre of trade. It contains a population of 33,350. Regular lines of steamers connect the port with Japan, Shanghai, northern ports of China, and Vladivostock. Fusan was connected with Japan by a submarine telegraph cable in November, 1883. As a trading centre Fusan is the second port of the empire, the value of the trade of the port in 1908 being about Yen 14,000,000 equalling nearly one million and a half pounds sterling, imports representing three-fifths of the amount.