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OSAKA.
Osaka is the second city in Japan in point of size and commercial importance, and has not inaptly been termed the Venice of the Far East, owing to the manner in which it is intersected by canals. It is situated in the province of Settsu, and is built on the banks of the river Ajikawa, about five miles from the sea. The river is only navigable for small vessels, and on the opening of the railway to Hiogo the foreign trade of Osaka commenced to decline. Almost all the foreign firms in the latter city have removed to Hiogo, and there is now not a single British firm in Osaka. The most imposing and at the same time the most interesting object to be seen in Osaka is the Castle, erected in 1583 by one of the Shoguns, the famous Tai-ko-Sama. Though less extensive than that of Tokio, it is a much grander and more striking edifice, and is indeed, on the whole, the first among the many hundreds of castles in Japan. It is now occupied by the Osaka garrison, and forms the headquarters of one of the six great military districts. The city is the seat of the provincial government, which is called Fucho, in contradistinction to the other provincial governments, which are termed Kencho. Osaka is the seat of numerous industries, including shipbuilding yards and iron works, and the Imperial Mint is located there. In 1876 coins to the value of $6,613,405 were struck at this Mint, in 1877 to the value of $5,701,555, in 1878 to the value of $4,615,676, in 1880 to the value of $6,899,084, in 1881 to the value of $4,695,402, and a continuous supply of yen (dollars) is issued from the establishment, which are of similar weight and fineness to the Mexican dollar, but owing to Chinese combination they only obtain currency in China and Hongkong at a discount. The population of the city is given as 549,210; the number of foreign residents in 1881 was 180, of whom 136 were Chinese. The value of the imports for 1881 was $1,095,463, compared with $931,499 in 1880, and that of the exports $626,886 as against $471,167 in 1880.
DIRECTORY.
Consulates.
SWITZERLAND.
Consul-H. Stannius, LL.D.
BELGIUM.
Consular Agent-L. Du Bois
Government Departments.
IMPERIAL GOVERNMENT MINT. Kawasaki. (Foreign Staff).
Wm. Gowland, F.C.S., technical adviser,
chemist and assayer
R. MacLagan, M.I.M.E., engineer
IMPERIAL GOVERNMENT RAILWAY. (See Yokohama List).
DOBUKU RIYO. (Construction Section)
J. de Ryke, 17, Concession
MUNICIPAL COUNCIL.
The Governor of Osaka
The Consular Body
Rev. A. D. Hail, chairman
Rev. C. F. Warren
J. A. Weed, secretary
T. Georges, superintendent