The subjoined table reveals by comparison the development in the Korean system of telegraphs which has taken place during recent years :
| 1899. | 1900. | 1901. | 1902. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Telegrams . | 112,450 .. | 125,410 .. | 152,485 .. | 209,418 |
| Revenue . | $50,686.89 ... | $72,443.26 ... | $86,830.86 ... | $112,337.18 |
| Length of lines in li . | 5000 .. | 5090 .. | 6510 .. | 7060 |
| Offices . | 19 .. | 22 .. | 27 .. | 27 |
The establishment of the Imperial Postal System in Korea is comparatively recent. For many years, in fact for many centuries, Korea has possessed no postal service as we conceive of it. An official courier service was maintained by the King in order to carry on correspondence with the different provincial governors. These messengers travelled by horse relays, which were maintained at various points in the country. Private correspondence was carried on through the medium of travellers or pedlars, the sender having to arrange privately with the carrier in each instance. In 1877, Japan, who had entered the Postal Union and had concluded a treaty with Korea, established postal bureaux at Fusan, Won-san and Chemulpo for the needs of her nationals, who were already quite numerous in Korea. In 1882 the Customs Administration also established a sort of postal system between the different open ports and between Korea and China. But these organisations were limited to correspondence between open ports, and whoever wished to send a letter into the interior had to make private arrangements. In 1884 the Government of Korea made a first attempt to establish an official postal system which would be accessible to all.
It was not until 1895, however, after the close of the
