KOWDO. A great hilly plateau of Western Mongolia, 4000 feet above the level of the sea; also the chief town of that region. The town lies north of the eastern branch of the Tian Shan, or 'Celestial Mountains,' about 40 miles from the frontier of Sungaria. It is inhabited chiefly by Kalmueks, by whom, as well as by the Mongols and Russians, it is called Sankinhoto. It is sup posed to be the Chingintalas of Marco Polo. It suffered much during the Dungan Rebellion of 1865, but is recovering, and now sends great flocks of sheep to Kan-su every year. Population, about 6000.
KoBt, ko'hti. A seaport of Japan, in the southern part of the island of Hondo, adjoining and lying to the northeast of the prefectural city of Iliogo, on the western shore of the bay of Osaka, and distant 22 miles by rail from the city of Osaka (Map: Japan. D 6). When Hiogo was opened in 186S to foreign residence and trade, liobC, became the foreign residential quarter and the centre of trade, its municipal affairs being managed by a council consisting of the prefect, the foreign consuls, and three elected members. It continued to he a separate town until 1892, when it was united with Hiogo. The city is situated along a fine sandy beaell, at the has of a high coast range. and at Ihe entrance to the far-famed 'Inland Sea.' It has a deep and safe harbor, and is connected by rail with all parts of the Hondo, or Main Island. It is in
direct steam communication with China, Formosa, Hong Kong, Australia, Europe, and America, as well as with the other treaty ports. It has docks, railway shops, a fine wharf 450 feet long for ocean-going vessels, an Imperial ship-building yard (with patent slip accommodating vessels of 2000 tons burden), a paper-mill, and other manu factures, two foreign banks, two foreign and sev eral native newspapers, hotels, ehurche-s, and clubs. It is within easy distance of Osaka, Kioto, and numerous places of picturesque beauty and historic interest; it is considered the most attrac tive of the treaty ports, as it probably is the most healthful. The bond or water-front of the settle ment is faced with stone; the streets are wide, well kept, and lig.htod by electricity. Though opened much later than Nagasaki and Yokohama. Kolal has now taken first place in shipping as in volume of trade. In 1898 the total value of the latter was $98,730.213. In 1900. 1447 vessels (2,868.812 tons) entered port, by far the largest number being British. Germany came next. then France and the United States. each of which had less than one-tenth of Great Britain's number. Population. in 1898. 215,780, of whom 534 were British, 155 Americans, 155 Germans, and over 1000 Chinese. Population of the prefecture, 1,667,226.