COREA. 



COSTA RICA. 



into Corea goods of the value of $2,020,630; 

 the exports from Corea to Japan during the 

 same year were valued at $488,041. Gold to 

 the amount of $500,000 was exported from 

 Corea in 1886. 



In 1886, 557 vessels, of 161,000 tons, entered 

 the open ports of Jenchuan, Foaao, and Yuen- 

 san from foreign countries ; while 560 vessels, 

 of 162,435 tons, cleared the ports. 



The trade-returns for 1887 show a substan- 

 tial improvement. The total value of imporcs 

 at the open ports was $2,815,441, in which 

 cotton goods h'gured for $1,884,497. The ex- 

 ports amounted to $804,996. Cowhides usu- 

 ally constitute two thirds of the exports, but 

 in this year the export of beans was greatest 

 in value. 



Foreign Relations. The suzerain rights of 

 China over Corea were suffered to fall into 

 abeyance until the danger of a Russian annexa- 

 tion of the northern part of the kingdom, for 

 the sake of having a winter port on the Pa- 

 cific, excited alarm both in China and in 

 Japan. The Chinese Government, on this ac- 

 count, determined on a more visible display of 

 the relations of sovereign and vassal. The 

 King of Corea, on the contrary, was filled 

 with a de>ire to show his independence of 

 China, being influenced in his decision by his 

 ambitious queen, who was made the victim of 

 allurements held out by intriguing foreign rep- 

 resentatives in Seoul. Since the retirement of 

 Herr von Mollendorff, the King's adviser in 

 foreign affairs has been an American named 

 Denny. During the past five years China has 

 acted on many occasions as a suzerain power. 

 When an insurrection occurred in Corea, which 

 was the outcome of a plot to place the country 

 under Russian protection, the capital was oc- 

 cupied by Chinese troops, and Corean states- 

 men were imprisoned and banished by the 

 Chinese authorities. The King has often ap- 

 plied to the Chinese Government to perform 

 acts that he would have no hesitation in de- 

 ciding on for himself if he were independent. 

 Yet, in his foreign relations, encouraged by 

 foreign advisers and borne out by treaties 

 made with the sanction of China, but in which 

 no mention is made of Chinese suzerainty, he 

 determined to act as an independent sovereign 

 by sending envoys abroad. He accredited a 

 minister to the United States and another to 

 the principal European capitals. The former 

 arrived at Washington toward the end of 1887, 

 and, after a long delay, was formally received 

 by the President. After investing his repre- 

 sentatives with the rank of ministers plenipo- 

 tentiary, and notifying the foreign representa- 

 tives at Seoul, the King sent a memorial to Li 

 Hung Chang, in which he acknowledged his 

 vassalage and justified his course in giving his 

 envoys plenipotentiary rank with the argu- 

 ment that high officials from a weak state will 

 receive equal consideration with inferior ones 

 from a powerful nation, adding the comment 

 that Corea was nearly as large and strong as 



Japan, the significance of which is found in 

 the fact that Japan was formerly considered a 

 vassal of China. Li Hung Chang objected to 

 giving the Corean envoys the same rank as 

 Chinese representatives abroad, but withdrew 

 his objections on the conditions that the Corean 

 envoys, on arriving at the foreign capitals, 

 should report to the Chinese ministers, and be 

 introduced by them to the foreign ministers of 

 the countries to which they were accredited ; 

 that the Chinese minister should take preced- 

 ence of the Corean minister on public occa- 

 sions; and that the Corean ministers should 

 consult with the Chinese ministers on all ques- 

 tions of importance. The King accepted these 

 conditions. When the Corean envoy, Pak 

 Ding- Yang, reached Washington, he was con- 

 fronted with the difficulty, which Li Hung 

 Chang had not taken into consideration in his 

 arrangement, that a diplomatic representative 

 of a vassal state, subject to the guidance of the 

 envoy of the suzerain power, has no standing 

 in Western diplomacy. He accordingly, per- 

 haps not without the foreknowledge of his 

 Government, obtained his reception at Wash- 

 ington without the intervention of the Chinese 

 representative. The Chinese Foreign Office 

 thereupon demanded explanations from the 

 Corean King, and received the assurance that 

 the envoy had exceeded his instructions. 



Outbreak in Seoul. A fanatical outbreak of 

 the population of the capital against foreigners 

 occurred in the early summer. It was caused 

 by Chinamen who spread a report that Ameri- 

 can missionaries kidnapped Corean children 

 and boiled them in order to obtain a prepara- 

 tion that is used in making photographs. The 

 authorities in Seoul took steps to protect the 

 missionaries before the disturbance occurred; 

 but nine Corean officials who were suspected 

 of being engaged in the sale of children to for- 

 eigners were seized by the mob and decapi- 

 tated in the streets. In response to telegrams 

 from the foreign representatives at Seoul, 

 American, French, and Russian gun-boats at 

 the port of Chemulpo, forty miles distant, sent 

 landing parties, numbering about one hundred 

 marines altogether, for the protection of their 

 countrymen, and on the following morning a 

 force arrived from a Japanese vessel. 



COSTA RICA, one of the five Central American 

 republics. The area is estimated at 19,980 

 square miles, and on Dec. 81, 1886, the popu- 

 lation was 196,280. 



Government. The President of the republic 

 since March 12, 1885, is Don Bernardo Soto, 

 whose Cabinet is composed of the following 

 ministers: Foreign Affairs, Don Miguel J. 

 Jimenez; Finance and Commerce, Don Mauro 

 Fernandez ; Interior, Public Works, Justice, 

 Public Worship, and Charity. Don Jose Astua 

 Aguilar; and War, Don Rodulfo Soto. The 

 Costa-Rican Minister at Washington is Don 

 Pedro Perez Zeledon. . The United States Min- 

 ister to the five Central American republics, 

 resident at Guatemala, is H. C. Hall. The 



