KANGHOA, or KANG-WA, Japanese KOKWA, a well-wooded, rocky, and mountain ous island off the western coast of Corea. between II. lat. 37' and 38°, and long. e. from Greenwich, 126° and 127'. It is about 20 in. long, and 9 or 10 wide, of an elongated oval shape, having an area of 160 sq. miles. The soil is very fertile, producing rice, tobacco, sorghum, maize, barley, beans, cabbage, chestnuts, etc. This•sland is scoured on its eastern side by the cold, rapid, and turbulent current of the Han river, the largest in Corea, whose sources are in the high mountains along the e. coast. Tlfe city of Kaug hoa, with a pop. of about 12,000, in the eastern center of the island, has from ancient times been the refuge of the royal family during foreign invasion or civil war. During the Mongol invasion it was the national capital. Chinese pirates have greatly troubled the inhabitants for centuries. In Oct., 1866, the French naval expedition, under admiral Roze, made rendezvous off the island, and attacked Kanghoa city in force, in revenge for the murder of nine French Jesuit missionaries in Seoul a few months before. The fatifications, consisting mainly of a crenellated wall 15 ft. high, defended by arrows, jingols, and matchlocks, were stormed by scaling parties, the gates broken in with axes, and the place captured after some slaughter. About 80 bronze and iron cannon of small caliber, 6,000 matchlocks, the official archives of the city, large food-supplies, S32,000 worth of silver, and a valuable library of books were captured; besides large quantities of miscellaneous war material. Flushed by success, a party of 160 marines attempted to fortified monastery a few miles s. of the city, which lied been garrisoned by a regiment of native tigerlhunters. Upon the first assault nearly one-fourth of their number were disabled, and a retreat was ordered. The next morning, after one week's stay in Corea, the admiral suddenly gave orders to evacuate the island. The French governmeat did not approve of the expedition, and Bellonet, the French. minister who had ordered it. was recalled. The effect of this ill-planned raid was disastrous all over the east, French prestige suffered greatly, and the massacre at Tientsin followed, June 2, 1870. This frightful event was believed to have gained its first impetus from the
unfortunate issue of admiral Roze's campaign in Corea. The American expedition sent in 1871 to make a treaty with Corea if possible, and inquire into the affair of the General Slier man (see PING YANG), arrived off Boissee (Woody) island May 30. On June 1 the Palos and lionocaeg, with four steam-launches, were dispatched up the river, and while turning a rocky point were tired on by the Coreans. Only one of the Americans was hurt, and the forts were shelled and silenced at once. Eight days later an expedition of chastisement was dispatched against the forts on the Kanghoa side of the river. The force consisted of 759 men,.2 extra-armed gun-boats, and 4 stea in-launches. After forty-eight hours' absence from the anchorage, eighteen of which were spent on land, during which five forts were attacked and captured, the Americans returned victori ous, having lost three men killed and ten wounded, among the former lieut. McKee. who, like his father in Mexico, lost his life as lie entered a fort leading his men. Fifty flags, 481 cannon, and many trophies were captured and the forts dismantled. About 400 Coreans lost their lives. The forts were on the rocky promontories jutting into the river, whose violent current made naval maneuvers extremely difficult. The whole fleet, under rear-admigal John Rodgers, with minister A. A. Low, then returned to Chifu (see report of the U. S secretary of the navy, 1871). On Sept. 19. 1875, the Japanese gun-boat, while on her way to New Chang, China; stopped at Kokwa or Kang-hoa island to procure water. Her men were fired onby the Corean garrison, who evidently mistook the Japanese mariners for French or Americans. The .Japanese, on the 20th, attacked the fort (Peso), and without loss to themselves killed 24 of the garrison and took the fort. This event led to the treaty expedition sent later, under Kuroda, by which the two nations have entered into commercial relations.