12
JAPAN
each, 1 torpedo depôt-ship, 11 torpedo-boat destroyers, 89 torpedo-boats. If these ships be added to the strength of the Navy at the date of the commencement of the expansion scheme it results that the total force in 1906 will be 6 first-class battle ships from 12,510 to 15,240 tons, 1 second-class battle ship of 7,335 tons, 6 first-class armoured cruisers of over 9,200 tons each, 7 second-class cruisers of over 4,000 tons each, 6 third- class cruisers of over 3,000 tons each, 12 fourth-class cruisers of over 1,500 tons each. 3 torpedo gunboats of 1,200 tons cach, 1 torpedo depôt-ship of 6,750 tons, 11 torpedo- boat destroyers, 115 torpedo-boats, 25 gunboats, sloops, &c. The battle ships Fuji and Yashima, built in England, arrived in Japan in the latter part of 1897. The Fuji is somewhat after the Royal Sovereign type; she has a displacement of 12,450 tons and engines of 14,000 horse-power, and carries a powerful armament. Acting on the ex- perience gained at the engagement at Yalu, especially of the disastrous effects of shell fire from machine guns, metal has been substituted for wood wherever possible, even in the light cabin and seamen's quarters fittings; and there are armoured screens everywhere. There are two barbettes plated with 14 in. armour, a conning tower forward also 14 in. thick, and the director tower aft 3 in. thick.__The deck is armoured all over, terminating in a formidable ram at the bows, the best Harveyed armour being used in construction. The Yashima is a sister ship to the Fuji. The Takusago, an Elswick-built cruiser of 4,300 tons, carrying a powerful armament and having a speed of twenty-four knots, arrived in 1898.
POPULATION, TRADE, AND INDUSTRY.
The total area of Japan, exclusive of Formosa, is estimated at 156,604 square miles, and the population, according to census returns taken in December, 1893, was 42,270,620, namely, 21,345,750 males and 20,924,870 females. The increase during the last ten years has slightly exceeded one per cent. per annum. The empire is geographically divided into the four islands: Honshiu, the central and most important territory; Kiushia, "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 :-
1892
1895
1896
1897 Exports, Yen 91,102,754
136,112,178 117,842,761 163,135,077 71,326,079 88,257,172 117,481,955 129,260,578 171,674,474 219,300,772
Imports,
Total
19
19
1893 89,712,864
1894 113,246,086
162,428,833 177,970,036 230,728,041 265,372,756 289,517,235 382,435,849 The export of Raw Silk increased from 2,110,315 catties in 1890 to 5,810,046 in 1895, fell to 3,918,994 in 1896, but increased to 6,919,861 catties in 1897. The export of Tea varied little during late years; it amounted to 38,826,661 catties in 1895, 33,241,472 in 1893, and 32,632,683 in 1897. The export of Coal and Coal Dust in 1897 was 1,530,147 tons and 572,865 tons for ships' use, against 1,614,724 tons and 579,688 tons for ships' use in 1896. The export of Matches has steadily increased.
It was 19,543,646 gross in 1897, against 17,979,849 in 1896, 16,914,027 in 1895, and 13,843,022 in 1894.
Of Imports, Raw Cotton increased from 52,141,752 catties in 1890 to 155,152,728 in 1895, 176,555,051 in 1896, and 230,364,341 in 1897; showing the rapid progress the country is making in supplying herself with the manufactured goods she requires 14,591,083 catties of Cotton Yarn were imported in 1895, 20,014,128 in 1896, and 16,090,855 in 1897. There was a continuous increase in the importation of Cotton Piece Goods, from a value of yen 4,789,240 in 1892 to yen 11,783,944 in 1896, but a fall to yen 9,868,130 in 1897, an inevitable result of the establishment of so many mills in the country and in its near neighbour China. Woollen Goods were imported to the value of yen 7,982,882 in 1894, yen 12,780,326 in 1895, and yen 20,213,010 in 1896, the value in the latter year being an increase of 58 per cent. over that of its predecessor, which was 60 per cent. more than that of 1894, but 1897 shewed a marked reverse, the value being yen 12,677,370, a fall of over 37 per cent. Metals have shewn a steady increase from yen 6,792,024 in 1893 to yen 18,421,317 in 1896 and yen 20,389,830 in 1897. The importation of Kerosine Oil rose from 32,689,275 gallons in 1892 to 54,692,886 in 1896 and to 61,058,217 gallons in 1897. Sugar imported showed a steady increase from 167,531,523 catties in 1891 to 233,352,777 in 1896, and to 331,421,22 catties in 1897.