About the earliest mention of Corea in inese history is in connection with the history of the Viscount or Chief of Ki, [one of the nobles of the Empire during the reign of the tyrant Chow Sin, B.C. 1154. This loyal chief, on being released by Wu Wang, retired to Corea, refusing to 'a usurper even when a liberal Aynasty [255-209 B.C.] it was considered as an appanage of Lisotung, was subsequently called Corea, and later Chao-sion (Chosen), by which name it was known in the reign of Wan Li, (the Ming Emperor of 1573 to 1620 A.D.) In this reign Hideyoshi of Japan made his invasion. Corea was one of the first to our present dynasty when they established their residence at Peking. Corea remained a faithful tributary and secluded from contact with the outside world, till the tenth year of Hien Fung (1860), when the Russians, having obtained a firm hold on their Tartar possession the Ussuri Kral, became nearer neighbours of Corea, only' separated from her by the Tumen Ula. In the 5th of Tsung Chi, (1866) Russian war-vessels came to Corean ports demanding a tradal convention; and the same year " French Admiral sailed up the Hankiang to Hanyang, destroyed a shore battery and retired, returning again later and carrying off treasure to the value of 190,000 francs. On this occasion 800 of the brave Curean tiger-hunters harassed their retreat. In 1872 American Admival with two ironclads destroyed three forts, as a punishment for ill-treatmentiof shipwrecked merchantmen, Then came the result of the King's father, the Ta Yuan Kin (A¢BEH) and its prompt suppression in ten days, in 1882, in 1883. an embryo revolution being hatched by Hung Ying-chih (BE XA) and other hig ofigials was crushed by the vigilance of the Chinese Government's Ayeuts.
Corea is the key of North It lies between 34 and 43 latitude. On the north it is bounded by Shingking, Kirin, and Russia, and on the south, east and west by the sea, Tt is divided into tuo, or provinces: Kingki, Banking, Kiangyiian, Hwanghai, Ping: am, Chungts'ing, 'Tstiianlo, and' King. shang. The first numad is the central province, The capital is called Han town (Seoul) after the river Han. [is 40 1 round, backed on the north and west by mountains, and tueing it on its east rie two precipitous hills called Tien-mo and Yue-ngo (% g@ and fe FR), Not far to its south rushes the Han river, which has a rise and fall of 40 feet.
Yo defend the five-thousand-ti const-li of this i ible mi wealth, Japan, is a problem for which, however Uificult, we must find a solution, and that sven. 'We have now a fleet of at least 60 war-vessels of woud or iron, divided into the Northern and Southern Squadrons, the former the more powerful. It wont be a gocd plan to establish, at some port equi-distant from north and' south, a naval depot as the headquarters of a fleet of 16 vessels, to be constantly exercised us a flying squadron, visiting by turns the Tu-men river on' the north, the Haenan waters on the south, or Tsushima and Liukiu on the east. At Port Artl Fengttien, Weihai in Shantung, Sing' Corea, Tamsui Formosa, Hoihow Kuangtung, Chusan in Chekiang, snd 'T'sungming in Kiangsu, some men-of-war should be constantly stationed. By such a distribution, from whatever quarter surprise was attempted, a first line of defence would be ready, to reinforce which ass ance could quickly arrive. If China is strong, Corea will be let alone, and we may even open new puts in it to foreign intercourse, not only without danger, but with increased safety, Such might be, in the province of Han Lifeng (ae) and Sungtao (AE); in Kingytian, Sanshe, Weichén (=3, BAB); in Kingshang, Changyiian (GOA) 5 in Tstiianlo, Wuan (LIH); in Psingan, Sanhwa (= fu).
Land defence should occupy our attention, as well as the efficiency of our fleet, By land we have been even more successful in war than by sea, and attackable te on the Corean coast should be sv fortified and garrisoned as to ensure the annihilation of " hostile landing force. They should fare as did the French who landed at Kelung, when Liu Ming-chuan in_ one action tonk from them 8 cannon and 3,000 rifles. Along the 'T'umen, the brave Corean tiger-hunters should be encamped, as the eight banners of the Tartars are camped in line elsewhere, to guard the frontier.
The Russians (of whose trustworthiness as neighbours the Deer Island incident was such a striking instance) began in 1887 their Eastern Siberian Rails under, the direction of Baron Korfi, Governor of the
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.