Through Korea.

Manawatu Herald, 12 March 1904, Page 2

Through Korea.

ROUTE FROM SEOUL TO WIJU.

In view of the march of the Japanese army through Korea, a description of the route of road from Seoul (the capital), where the Japanese have landed, to Wiju, on the Yalu River, will be interesting. From Seoul (says the Melbourne “Argus”), north.west to the Yalu estuary is some two hundred miles as the crow flies, but the main road, known as the Mandarin Road, adds fully 50 per cent, to the distance. Starting from Seoul, on the river Hau, the road runs west, for ten miles through a plain, then turns north for twenty miles till it passes through the town of Haju. Shortly afterwards the Kimjin River is crossed, and the country is uninteresting, until: an Open plain is reached, across which the road passes for thirty miles. This plain is one of the largest in the country, eighty miles in length by an average width of forty, though the south end, towards the sea, is narrower. The road then curves to the north, crossing the westerly spurs of the Miok-ak-san Range, till it arrives at Poog-san (spelt Pryong-san in the map). Within a short distance it rises sharply td cross the Sai-yung-san hills, and then aomes down into the main valley of the Taitung River, a fine rich valley, crossing the stream at thirty-three miles from Pongyan, and three miles short of the well-known town of Ping-yang (spelt Pryong-yan in the map), where the Japanese inflicted a severe defeat on the Chinese in 1894. Shortly after Ping-yang is passed the road passes through bad travelling country right away to Wiju, continually crossing considerable ridges and numerous streams. This is in the timber region of the Yalu. Twenty miles of up-and-down travelling, constantly taking sharp rises, and Yon-am-pho is reached, a place recently become well known as one of the towns to be made' a treaty port. Fourteen miles north is Wiju, on the east bank, rather higher up than Antung, the Chinese town on the west bank, and the terminus ot the main road running to Liau-yang and China. The regular crossing-place is at Wiju, where the estuary is about three miles wide, but obstructed by a long narrow island. Wiju is over fifteen miles from the mouth of the Yalu, and the depth of water is fair. From Wiju to Kasan the road can be commanded from the sea, and a ship or two on the coast would hamper an army’s march, forcing the troops to move by tracks well inland, which cross very bad country. All along the route the population is fairly numerous, and considerable supplies could be depended on. The great road is thoroughly practicable for artillery.