ASIA: KOREA. 409 



Mill alone. An estimate of the annual production of handmade na- 

 tive paper is impossible. With the rapid extension of education 

 and commerce among an intelligent and progressive population of 

 43,000,000, it is evident that the consumption of paper must assume 

 large proportions. 



OUTLOOK FOR AMERICAN TRADE. 



The only obstacles to the opening of a good market for the 

 American article here are, first, price, and second, careless packing 

 and inattention to details of orders. 



The following-named firms at Yokohama will, I believe, cheer- 

 fully furnish practical information to our manufacturers: The Amer- 

 ican Trading Company, the China and Japan Trading Company, 

 Messrs. Walsh, Hall & Co., Messrs. Frazer & Co. (all American), 

 and Messrs. Berrick Brothers (British), and the Mitsui Bussan Kaisha 



(Japanese). 



JOHN F. GOWEY, 



YOKOHAMA, May //, 1899. Consul- General. 



KOREA. 



POPULATION. 



The total population of Korea is variously estimated at between 

 8,000,000 and 16,000,000; 12,000,000 is probably approximately cor- 

 rect. The percentage of illiterates is great, probably not less than 



60 per cent. 



CONSUMPTION. 



The people have mechanical traits. They have manufactured 

 paper and used printing presses for centuries. 



Paper is employed for windows, walls (either as wall paper or 

 pasted over latticework), floors, rain hats, rain coats, chair covers, 

 purses, and innumerable similar articles, string, umbrellas, fans, 

 etc., besides the ordinary uses for writing and printing. 



The construction of the Korean houses makes tough, parchment- 

 like paper indispensable. The paper used in Korea at present is 

 almost exclusively that of native manufacture, with some foreign 

 writing paper finding its way into employment. ' 



Paper is made by hand in the open air. There are no large 

 factories, and no statistics as to production and consumption are 

 available. Korean paper is prized in China and Japan, but it is 

 costly and not much is made, except to supply the local demand. 



There are but few publications in Korea. Four or five daily 

 newspapers have been started during the past year, and 5 printing 

 offices under foreign supervision. I believe the supplies for these 

 offices come mostly from Japan. The names of the chief offices are 



