1905 June 15th: The Report of Takeshima (Liancourt Rocks) by the Captain of Hashidate

To follow is a report by the captain of naval ship "Hashidate", Fukui Masayoshi. The report is interesting because it mentioned that there were "several" barns (or huts) at Takeshima (Liancourt Rocks), not a single hut. And the barns were made by Japanese fishermen who lived there for the summertime. Food and water were supplied by a Japanese sailboat from Oki island once or twice a month, not from Ulleungdo. Although this report was made in 1905, they had kept this kind of seal hunting every year. This is one of the evidences that Japanese people controlled the islands in the early 20th century.
It is also very important to clarify that these fishermen were directly from Oki islands and they were supplied food and water from a ship from Oki islands, because some records mentioned that Japanese fishermen (hunters) went to Liancourt Rocks from Ulleungdo and pro-Korean scholars used to claim that "Japanese unlawfully stayed in Ulleungdo and went to Dokdo from Ulleungdo". But such a claim was not true.
The report also referred to Nakai Yozaburo (as Nakae Yozaburo) who made the petition to incorporate Liancourt Rocks. Nakai was the leader of the fishermen mentioned above.
http://dokdo-or-takeshima.blogspot.com/2007/06/petition-to-incorporate-ryanko-to.html

Also, for more information about the inspection by Hashidate, please read the following:
http://dokdo-or-takeshima.blogspot.com/2007/10/1905-jun-japanese-cruiser-surveys.html
..............

明治三十八年六月十五日橋立艦長海軍大佐福井正義ノ提出セル竹島視察報告

命ニ因リ明治三十八年六月十二日竹敷ヲ発シ十三日午後二時竹島東嶼ノ東端約一浬ニ達シテ漂泊シ即時端舟ヲ胤シ航海長小倉大尉及ヒ其ノ従属森田中尉ヲ派遣シ望楼設置適否ノ調査ヲ命ス　此ノ一行中ニハ豫テ佐世保鎮守府ヨリ派遣セル技手職工等ノ一行ヲ含有セリ右派遣将校ノ調査概要左ノ如シ

一、竹島ハ二座ノ列岩ヨリ成ル磽确不毛ノ小嶼ニシテ西方ニ位置スルモノハ大ニシテ且高シ（海面標高四百十呎）然レトモ四面皆断崖絶壁ニシテ攀登スヘカラス加之嶼上平坦ト認ムヘキ地ナク都テ峻険ナル岩峰屹立シ望楼設置ノ望絶エテナシ

東方ニ位置スルモノハ前者ヨリ稍低シト雖モ（三百二十五呎ヲ概測シ得タリ）峻険ノ度少シク緩ニ辛ウシテ攀登スルコトヲ得へク峡上皿状形ノ如キ稍平坦ナル地面アリテ多少ノ土工事ヲ施セハ造営物ヲ建設シ得ヘシ

一、建築材料ノ陸揚ケ竝ニ頂上ヘノ運搬ハ辛ウシテ為スコトヲ得先ツ陸揚場ニ就テ言ハンカ別紙見取略図ニ示スカ如ク東西ノニ嶼ハ四座ノ小立岩一條ノ礁脈ニ因リテ連結セラレ其ノ長サ約一鏈（水路誌ニハ二鏈半トアリ）礁上ノ水深二尋乃至三尋ニシテ優二小舟ヲ通スヘク叉四座ノ立岩ハ恰モ波濤堤ノ用ヲ為シ東嶼ヨリ西走スル突角ト相待テ小港ヲ形成シ小船舟ヲ繋継スルノ便アリ但偏西風二對シテハ全ク暴露シ船舟ヲ繋継スヘカラス

此ノ小曲湾ハ東嶼二對スル唯一ノ陸揚地點ニシテ濱岸小平地ニハ現二猟夫ノ結作セル数箇ノ納屋アリテ三十有餘人是二假住ス

山上へ材料ヲ運搬スルニハ「デリック」樣ノモノヲ以テスルヲ便利トスヘク断崖攀登ヲ要スル箇所ニハ策梯ヲ用フルモ亦一法ナランカ

一、西嶼頂上ヨリ落チ來ル一小流脈アレトモ鹽分多量ニシテ口ニスヘカラス且試験ノ結果到底飲料二適セサルコト別紙軍醫二依リテ為サレタル試験表ノ如シ

一、望楼員ノ副食二供スヘキ蔬菜培殖ノ如キモ無論不可能ナルヘシト信ス如何トナレハ峻上磽确ニシテ殆ト土壌ト名クヘキモノナク且降雨少ケレハナリ

以上ハ派遣将校ノ観察スル所ニシテ此ノ派遣中本艦ハ島ノ周囲約一浬ヲ隔テ一周ヲ試ミタレトモ別ニ暗礁等ノ觸目スルモノナカリヤ但東嶼ノ北東端ヨリ一鑛脈走出シ其ノ長サ約二鏈ト目測シ得タリ

本島ハ目下海驢（Seals）ノ獵季ニシテ隠岐國ヨリ渡來ノ獵夫（寧ロ漁夫ナラン）三十五六名二達シ小銃ト網器トヲ用ヒテ海驢ヲ捕フ其ノ獵獲ノ豊富ナル見ルニ足ルヘキモノアリ少時間ノ観察中彼等ヲ捉ヘテ談話セシ處亦参考ニ資スヘキ価値アルヲ以テ其ノ概要ヲ左ニ揚ク

本島ハ海驢獵ニ於ル一富場ニシテ獵者ハ陰暦四月中旬ヨリ七月中旬マテ駐在シ連日獵業ニ従事ス

海驢ヨリ得ル所ハ皮ト油トニシテ之ヲ大阪地方ニ送リ毎年ノ獲得金額四千圓乃至五千圓ナリト云フ

目下獵夫ノ指揮ヲ司ルモノハ隠岐國中江養三郎ナルモノニシテ本人ノ云フ所ニ依レハ若シ志願者アラハ本年ハ冬季モ駐在シテ本島ニ越年ヲ試ムルノ志願ヲ有スト

海驢ノ外少量ノ鮑ヲ収獲スト云フ

氣候ハ夏季ニ於テ日中酷暑ヲ感スルモ朝夕ハ極テ涼冷ヲ覺ユ最炎暑ヲ感スルハ舊六月ナリトス叉濕氣多クシテ降雨量ハ本土ニ比シ極テ少シ

附近潮流ハ北東流ナルカ如ク其ノ速力モ少ナカラス干満差ハ約四呎ナリ（報告者曰ク四呎ハ多キニ過タルカ如シト雖モ獵夫ノ言ニ謂フ故二姑ク疑ヲ存シ置ク）

本島ニハ薪水ナシ故ニ毎月一二回帆船ヲ以テ隠岐國トノ交通ヲ保チ糧食薪水其ノ他萬般ノ供給ヲ仰キ居ルト云フ

（別紙）

水分析表

臭　無シ　　　　　清濁及ヒ色　稍黄褐色僅微ノ浮遊殘渣

鹽素　多量　　　　石炭　僅微

安母尼亜　多量　　　硫酸　稍多量

亜硝酸　無シ　　硝酸　無シ

有機物　多量　　　摘要　飲料不適

Thanks to readers who helped me to read the old Chinese characters in the original document.

June 15^th, 1905. The Report about the Inspection of Takeshima (Liancourt
Rocks) presented by the captain Fukui Masayoshi of the Naval Ship Hashidate

................

As I was ordered, we departed Takeshiki on June 12^th 1905 and reached and
wandered at one nautical mile off east edge of the east islet of Takeshima (Liancourt
Rocks) at 2pm on the 13^th. Soon we lowered a boat and dispatched the
chief navigator Lieutenant Kokura (or Ogura) and his attendant Lieutenant Junior
Grade Morita and made them investigate whether the installation of watchtower is
adequate or not. The party included a group of engineers and mechanics who were
dispatched by the Sasebo Naval Defense Office. To follow is the summary of the
investigation by the officers we dispatched.

............

● Takeshima (Liancourt Rocks) is a barren small island which comprises two rock islets. The rock islet at west is bigger and higher (410 feet above sea level), but the
circumference forms a precipitous cliff and it is impossible to climb. There
is no flat space at the summit of the islet with towering steep rock peaks,
there is no hope to install a watchtower there.

The islet at east is slightly shorter than the former (it was measured as 325 feet). However, the slope is slightly gentle so that one can manage to climb up. There is a
slightly flat place just like a dish up there, it would be possible to build a house if we did a bit of construction work.

● The uploading and transport of building materials to the summit will be barely able. As to the uploading point, there is a good point as I showed a sketch on another sheet of paper. The two islets of both east and west are on a line along with four rocks
between them, the length of the line would be about one-ren (185 m) and the
depth of water on the reef between the islets would be 2 or 3 –hiro (3 or 4.5 m)
which would be easy for small boats to pass. The four rocks between the islets
work as if they were a breakwater and they form a little cove with a process of
the east islet which is protruding to west. One can moor boats there, although
it would be difficult when westerlies blow.

This little cove is the one and only uploading point, actually there are several barns which were made by hunters (fishermen) and more than thirty people live in the barns
temporarily.

Something like a derrick would be convenient to transport materials to the summit, and it may be good to use a rope ladder to climb the cliffs.

●There is a little stream running down from the summit of the west islet but one cannot
drink it because it contains a lot of salt. After the examination by a naval surgeon, the water is not fit to drink at all as the examination result shows which was written on another sheet of paper.

●I believe that cultivation of vegetables for side dishes for watchtower officials would be impossible because the land is sterile and pebbly without soil and we have a few rain here.

..........................................................................................................

The above are from what the officials we dispatched observed. During the dispatch we tried to make our ship go around the islands with keeping one nautical mile off from the
islands and found no reef there. However, there was a vein of reef running from
northeast side of the east islet and its length seems to be 2-ren (370 m) by eye
measurement.

It is a hunting season of seals at present at these islands. The number of hunters (maybe fishermen rather than hunters) is 35 or 36. They have rifles and nets to catch
seals. It is worth seeing theｍ catching such an abundant seals. I caught some of the hunters and had a conversation with them while we stayed there for a short time, it was worth mentioning. To follow is the summary of the information.

.....................

These islands are one of the largest hunting grounds of seals. The hunters (fishermen) reside at this place from mid-April until mid-July by the lunar calendar and engage in hunting day after day.

The main products made from seals are skin and oil. They are sent to Osaka district, which makes \4,000 or \5,000 of money per year.

The man who directs the hunters now is a man named Nakae [sic] Yozaburo from Oki county. According to him, he would try to make some of the hunters pass this winter at
the islands if there would be volunteers.

They get a little of abalones in addition to seals.

As to the climate, although they feel terrible heat during the daytime in summer, they
feel coolness in the morning and in the evening. The hottest month is June by
the old calendar. It is moist but they have very few rain compared to the mainland.

The tide around the islands seems to be directed to northeast and flows rapidly. There is a great range of tides. The difference between the tidemarks is about four feet
(a reporter says that although it seems that four feet is too much but it was
hunters’ opinion so we have to keep it untouched).

They have neither firewood nor water in these islands. So they keep communicating with a sailing boat to Oki county once or twice in a month in order to be supplied
food, firewood, water and another things.

........................................

(Another sheet of paper)

Analysis of water

Odour: none. Turbidity and colour: slight yellowish brown, a little floating
leavings.

Clorine: much. Lime: a little.

Ammonia: much. Sulfuric acid: relatively much.

Nitrous acid: none. Nitric acid: none.

Organic matter: much.

Summary: Not fit to drink.