Directory_and_Chronicle_1919 — Page 560

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with foreign Powers as an independent kingdom, inconsistently continued to claim suzerainty. Upon the establishment of Japanese in the ports of Fusan and Yuensan. the prejudice against foreign intercourse gradually abated, and on the 2nd May, 1882, a treaty of friendship and commerce was signed by the Corean Government at Jenchuan (Chemulpo) with Commodore Shufeldt on behalf of the United States. A Treaty with England was signed by Sir Harry Parkes on the 26th November, 1883; in 1884 treaties were also concluded with Germany and Russia, and later with France, Italy, and Austria. The native population of Corea is estimated to be 16,900,000. The foreign population in 1916, exclusive of Japanese, was 18,012, of whom 16,882 were Chinese and 239 British. The latter are mostly missionaries. The Japanere population in 1916 was 320,000 as against 303,659 in 1914. Since the Russo-Japanese war, the Japanese population has increased at the rate of between 20 and 30 per cent. One small English newspaper, the Seoul Press (conducted by Japanese), is published in Seoul.

The industries of Corea are mainly agricultural. The foreign trade of the country has shown steady development under the fostering care of the Japanese and a record was established in 1917. In 1904, the total value of the country's foreign trade was yen 34,933,306. In 1917 the value was yen 186,661,000-exports yen 83,785,000, and imports yen 102,886,000. This shows an increase of 28 million yen in im- ports, and an increase of over 27 million yen in exports as compared with 1916. Japan naturally does the bulk of the trade, her share in 1916 being 70.5 per cent. of the imports and 75.6 per cent. of the exports. China came next with 12.9 per cent. of imports, and 14.2 per cent. of exports. Jinsen (Chemulpo) was the most important port in the foreign trade of the peninsula for a long time, but the foreign trade of Fusan has increased largely in recent years and to-day it leads all the rest. The jurisdiction of Consular Courts was abolished under the proclamation of annexation, and foreigners are therefore now amenable to the Japanese courts, as they are in Japan proper.

The significant growth in exports, establishing a record for the export trade of the Peninsula, was principally due to agricultural and industrial development and to the effect of the European war. In spite of the falling off in the export of rice, the most important item of export, in the year 1916, the increase of other agricultural, mineral and industrial staples not only offset the decrease in rice exports, but augmented the general export trade. The increase in imports, though partially due to increase in the purchasing power of the people, was chiefly caused by the advanced prices of imported goods, for which the European war was responsible. Gold mining has in recent years become an important industry. There are several gold mines now being worked by British, Amer- rican, French and Italian syndicates. A number of placer and other mines are worked by natives on a small scale and by Japanese. There is a tendency to increase in the output by Japanese operators, for mining is beginning to attract the attention of capitalists of good repute in Japan. Especially has the European war stimulated the more extensive undertakings of mining by Japanese capitalists.

A brighter era dawned for trade and commerce and much else in Corea when the agreement of 1904 was negotiated, giving to Japan virtual control of the administration. Japan lost no time in exercising the power she had acquired. The reform of the effete, incompetent and corrupt administration which had for centuries been in vogue in Corea was a task of no little magnitude. The old order of things cannot be changed in a day, or a decade, but a most promising commencement has been made. Japan has set to work organising, as among the first essentials of good government, a judicial system which will guarantee the honest and impartial administration of justice by trained judges. A beginning has also been made with the codification of the laws of the country. Gradually the system of local administration is being reformed in a manner which will eliminate old political abuses and lead up ultimately to a system of local autonomy. Reform of the financial administration has received a great deal of attention with excellent results, and among other branches of administration which have been already inoculated with the leaven of reform are the Educational and the Police systems. The topographical changes that are being brought about in Corea are, perhaps, reforms of the greatest general interest. Fine highways connecting village with village and town with town, are now replacing the bridle paths and ruts that have always passed for roads in Corea, and railways are gradually spreading out and linking up the chief centres of population throughout the country. The plan of the Government was the construction of 23 State roads of a length of almost fifteen hundred miles at a cost of ten million yen, but this scheme was subsequently modified. There are now in Corea, including roads constructed prior to the annexation in 1910, over sixteen hundred

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