1894 British map of Japan

This map was published by Edward Stanford, Charing Cross, London, in 1894. Edward Stanford was the founder of Stanford's Ltd, now a duo of maps and book stores based in London and Bristol. With British colonial expansion pushing the demand for maps worldwide, and being the sole specialist of maps in London, the name of Stanford became prominent. His most accurate map of London in 1862, The Library Map of London, is still on sale today.

Now look at the islands in the Sea of Japan. There are three islands labeled as "Taka Shima", "Matsu Shima" and "Liancourt Rks.". "Taka Shima" is coloured in light brown which is the same colour as Korean peninsula, while "Matsu Shima" is in light purple which is the same as Oki islands, counties of Iwami, Idzumo and Hoki. Also please note a line drawn in red dots around "Matsu Shima". This line is the national border. UK in 1894 believed that "Taka Shima", obviously a phantom island called Argonaut island, was Korean territory while they believed "Matsu Shima" (Dagelet island) and "Liancourt Rks." were Japanese territory. This is another evidence that the world didn't think Liancourt Rocks to be Korean territory in the 1890's, just a while before the #41 Korean Edict which mentioned Seokdo was issued in 1900.