JAPAN
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carries 25 guns and three torpedo tubes. The first class steel cruiser Yoshino, built in England, is of 4,200 tons displacement, with engines of 5,500 horse power, and steams 224 knots.
POPULATION, TRADE, AND INDUSTRY.
The total area of Japan is estimated at 156,604 square miles, and the population, according to census returns taken in December, 1891, was 40,718,677, namely, 20,563,416 males and 20,155,261 females. The increase during the last ten years has slightly ex- ceeded one per cent. per annum. The empire is geographically divided into the four islands: Honshiu, the central and most important territory; Kiushiu,
Kiushiu, "nine provinces," the south-western island; Shikoku, "the four provinces," the southern island; and Yezo, the most northerly and least developed. The former three islands are sub-divided into eight large roads, containing sixty-six provinces, and the latter (Yezo or Hokkaido) is divided into eleven provinces. Administratively, as before mentioned, the Empire is divided into fu and ken, each ken containing more than one province.
The total value of the foreign trade for the last six years was:
1889
Exports, Yen 70,060,706 Imports, 9 66,103,766
Total
1890 56,603,506
1891 79,527,272
1892 91,102,754
81,728,580
62,927,268 71,326,079
1893 89,712,864
1894 113,246,086
88,257,172 117,481,955
136,164,472 138,332,086 142,454,540 162,428,833 177,970,036 230,728,041 The export of Raw Silk increased from 2,110,315 catties in 1890 to 3,712,213 catties in 1893 and to 5,484,059 in 1895. There has been a very large increase in the export of Silk Piece Goods. The export of Tea varied little during the last three years and amounted to 37,543,587 catties in 1894. The export of Coal and Coal Dust in 1894 was 1,265,504 tons and 435,626 tons for ships' use, against 1,094,754 tons and 410,659 for ships' use in 1883, that having been an increase of 18 per cent. in quantity and of 6 per cent. in value over 1892, which was about the same in amount and value as for the two previous years. The export of Matches steadily increased till 1894 when it was checked by the war with China. It was 13,843,022 gross in 1894, against 13,541,287 in 1893, 9,242,035 in 1892, 8,029,932 in 1891, and 6,724,585 in 1890.
Of Imports, Raw Cotton increased from 52,141,752 catties in 1890 to 115,831,776 catties in 1893 and to 119,931,185 in 1894; showing the rapid progress the country is making in supplying herself with the manufactured goods she requires; the erection of mills being of course greatly stimulated by the recent appreciation of gold. 24,308,491 catties of Cotton Yarn were imported in 1892, 19,405,152 in 1893 and 15,942,797 in 1894. There has been a continuous increase in the importation of Cotton Piece Goods, the values being yen 3,502,127 in 1891, yen 4,789,240 in 1892, yen 5,795,015 in 1893, and yen 7,069,694 in 1894. Woollen Goods were imported to the value of yen 5,481,938 in 1891, yen 6,988,164 in 1892, yen 8,304,240 in 1893, and yen 7,982,882 in 1894. Metals increased from yen 4,990,580 in 1892, to yen 8,792,024 in 1893 and tó yen 10,932,716 in 1894. The importation of Kerosine Oil rose from 32,689,275 gallons in 1892, to 49,763,392 in 1893, and to 55,643,719 gallons in 1894. Sugar imported showed an increase from 167,531,523 catties in 1891 to 196,912,263 in 1892, 214,855,484 in 1893, and 228,664,363 in 1894.
The trade of 1894 was divided between the Treaty Ports as under :--
Yokohama Kobe Nagasaki Osaka Hakodate Other Ports Totals Exports, Yen 73,015,678 29,438,113 3,558,711 764,367 668,473 5,800,744 113,246,086 Imports, 50,447,371 56,910,503 5,413,748 4,014,813 55,421 640,099 117,481,955
་་
Totals, 123,463,049 86,348,616 8,972,459 4,779,180 723,894 6,440,843 230,728,041 The following was the total value of commodities exported to and imported from Foreign Countries in 1894 :-
Exports
Imports
United States of America
Yen 43,323,557
10,982,558
Total 54,300,115
Great Britain..........
"
5,950,198
42,189,874
48,140,072
Continent of Europe
11
25,339,620
14,390,463
39,730,083
China
8,813,987
17,511,507
26,325,494
Hongkong
16,199,481
8,999,718
25,199,199
India, Australia and Canada
>>
6,997,911
11,140,606
18,138,517
Annam, Philippines and Siam
248,063
8,521,825
"}
8,769,888
Corea
Other Countries
Coal for Ships' use
2,365,112
2,183.313
"
4,548,425
"}
2,059,760
1,562,091
3.621,851
"}
1,948,397
1,948,397
Yen 113,246,086
117,481,955
230,728,041