236 KOREA. 



treaty, have procured the whole of this coast, as far 

 south as the forty-second parallel of latitude. Amongst 

 the grand bays and harbours which stud this coast- 

 line, there is not one which remains open during the 

 winter. The most southern, Vladivostock, is only free 

 from ice by the beginning of April. Saghalien, which 

 island now belongs in toto to Eussia by treaty, is devoid 

 of a harbour altogether. The Japanese were induced to 

 exchange a few wretched, barren rocks, the continuation 

 of the Kuril Islands, for the south portion of Saghalien, 

 which, although without a harbour, possesses abundance 

 of coal; virtually, therefore, the Eussians are without 

 an open harbour in the East, that is to say, a harbour 

 that can be entered at any time during the winter. 

 This is, of course, a very great drawback, and they are 

 naturally anxious to possess a good port further south. 

 Why they stopped short in their southern encroachments 

 on the borders of Korea I don't know ; but I think they 

 showed less cunning than usual in so doing, and cer- 

 tainly less than their neighbours, particularly ourselves, 

 would have done. At the time they got possession of 

 Tartary, Korea was to the world all but a terra incognita 

 — Japan had not come forward. Our interest did not 

 reach beyond Shanghai. The Eussians at this time ought 

 to have crossed the Korean boundary, and, at any rate, 

 gone as far south as necessary to embrace a good port. 



