JAPAN
15
Alcohol
The Imports in 1898 are classified by the Department of Finance as
2,699,982 Machinery, Instruments, &c.Yen 7,224,888 1,218,842 Machinery, Spinning
Aniline Dye
"
39
Arms, and Munitions of War Yen 1,936,686 Metals and Manufactrs. of...
Beans, Peas and Pulse
Beverages and Provisions
Books and Stationery
Clothing and Apparel Cotton, Raw Cotton Yarn
Cotton Piece Goods
>>
35
7,101,103 Oil and Wax (ex. Kerosine)..
""
3,088,762 ,23,676,063 1,000,691
19
2,824,798
Oil-cakes
""
4,614,967
"
488,745 Paper
3,520,731
1,061,444 Portland Cement
""
"}
""
45,744,371 Railway Carriages.
8,547,588 Rice
"
"}
Drugs, Medicines, & Chemicals,, Dyes and Paints Dynamite
Flax, Hemp, and Manufs. of Flour....
Glass and Glass Ware
""
"
9,884,340 Silk and Silk Manufactures 5,219,391 Steam Boilers and Engines 1,670,938 Sugar
507,591 Textile Fabrics, Miscellaneous 1,086,914 Tobacco, Cigars & Cigarettes 2,031,825 Vessels, Steam and Sailing...
917,237 Watches and Clocks.... 884,579 Wines and Liquors 3,077,509 Wool and Manufactures of... 2,270,814 Sundries
19
""
Grain and Seeds..
19
Hair, Horns, Ivory, Skins, &c.
99
Indigo
""
Kerosine Oil
""
7,552,879
Locomotive Engines.
4,265,854
827,209 497,179 48,219,810
1,920,492
""
697,173 28,619,563
""
3,252,062
""
6,639,436
7,508,394
"}
3,313,610
"
1,398,338
""
13,069,870
7,419,488
Yen 277,502,156
The total Shipping, including junks, from and to Foreign countries, for the year
1898 was-
Entered
Tonnage
Cleared
Tonnage
Total Tonnage
Steamers
2,035
3,174,516
2,152
3,322,434
4,187
6,496,950
Sailing Vessels
1,339
207,047
1,383
211,026
2,722
418,073
3,374 3,381,563
3,535
3,533,460
6,909 6,915,023 2,400 steamers of 4,621,052 tons and 25 sailing vessels of 30,629 tons entered, and 2,308 steamers of 4,489,646 tons and 21 sailing vessels of 27,179 tons cleared in the coast trade between the open ports. Of this tonnage employed coastwise 54 per cent. was under the British flag and 27 per cent. Japanese vessels employed in foreign trade. The merchant vessels entered from Foreign countries in 1898 were divided among the different nationalities as under :-
Strs.
Tonnage
Sailing Tonnage Total Tonnage
British
712
1,408,160
59
92,577
Japanese (excluding Junks)..
701
845,458
149
16,073
771 1,500,737 850 861,531
German
240
329,447
17
31,700
257
361,147
Norwegian
148
152,904
2
2,100
150
155,004
Russian
93
175,192
17
1,438
110
176,630
United States of America
43
101,047
26
39,203
69
140,250
French
31
64,860
1
1,229
32
66,089
Austrian
16
41,940
16
41,940
Other Countries
51
55,508
4
2,421
55
57,929
2.035 3,174,516
275
186,741 2,310 3,361,257
The total Customs Revenue for the same year consisted of-Export Duties yen 2,080,072; Import Duties, yen 6,280,620; Miscellaneous, yen 314,207; Total, yen 8,674,899. The revenue has doubled since 1887.
By treaties made with a number of foreign Governments the Japanese ports of Kanagawa (Yokohama), Nagasaki, Kobe, Hakodate, Niigata, and the cities of Tokyo (formerly called Yedo) and Osaka were thrown open to foreign commerce. In 1894 a new treaty was signed with Great Britain by which extraterritoriality was abolished and the whole country opened to foreign trade and residence, the treaty to come into force in July, 1899, provided similar treaties were effected with the other Powers. This was done and extraterritoriality ceased to exist on August 4th, 1899.
Railways are being rapidly pushed forward, the mileage having risen from 2,136 miles in March, 1894, to 4,200 miles in March, 1899. The State owns 1,000 miles of the above 4,200 miles of railway.
CURRENCY.
From October 1897, Japan placed her currency on a gold basis. The unit of value is a gold dollar weighing .8333 grammes and containing .75 grammes of fine gold. The conversion from silver to gold was effected at the ratio of 1 to 32.348.