JAPAN.
499
the kens. The latter are all on an equal footing, are under control of the Naimu Sho, and have limited powers, being required to submit every matter, unless there is a precedent for it, to the Minister of the Interior. Nor have they any concern in judicial proceedings since the establishment of the twenty-three local Courts and the four Supreme Courts at Tokyo, Sendai, Nagasaki, and Osaka, over which the Daishin In presides at Tokyo.
Previous to the last change of Government, which restored the ancient Imperial régime, the administrative authority rested with the Shogun (Military Commander) whom foreigners were at first led to recognise as the temporal sovereign, and with whom they negotiated treaties of peace and commerce. The Shogunate was founded in 1184 by Yoritomo, a general of great valour and ability, and was continued through several dynasties until 1869, when the Tokugawa family were dispossessed of the usurped authority. Under the Shogun two hundred and fifty Daimios (feudal princes) shared the administrative power, being practically supreme in their respective domains, conditionally upon their loyalty to the Shogun; and the Mikado's power was thus reduced to a shadow. A list of Daimios, published at Yedo (now Tokyo) in 1862, stated their incomes to vary from 10,000 koku of rice to 1,000,000, while that of the Shogun is said to have amounted to 8,000,000 koku. All these princes, after the overthrow of the Shogunate, surrendered at will their estates and every attribute of authority to the Mikado, and thereafter ranked as kuazoku (noblemen), quietly living in Tokyo. On the 7th July, 1884, however, His Majesty issued an Imperial Notifica tion and Rescript rehabilitating the nobility, and admitting to its ranks the most distinguished civil and military officials who took part in the work of the Restoration, The old titles were abolished, and have been replaced by those of Prince (Ko), Marquis (Kô), Count (Haku), Viscount (Shi), and Baron (Dan). The nobles now number 500, and the future House of Peers will thus be easily constituted.
REVENUE AND EXPENDITURE.
The estimated total revenue of Japan for the year 1885-86 was given in official returns at $56,622,173, and the total expenditure at $56,620,275, a large reduction on the previous year's estimate. The sources of revenue and branches of expenditure were as follow:
Customs Duties
Land Tax
Other Taxes
REVENUE.
Profits from Industrial Undertakings
Reduction of Paper Currency..
Miscellaneous Receipts
Redemption of National Debt
...
EXPENDITURE.
Interest and Expenses on National Debt
Civil List and Appanages of Imperial Families Pensions, Gratuities, &c.
...
•
...
Expenditure for Council of State, Ministries, Senate, &c.
Administration of Cities and Prefectures
Police Expenditure
Shinto Shrines..
Relief Fund for Agricultural Distress
Miscellaneous, Ordinary...
...
...
...
...
Expenditure for Creation of Public Industries
Miscellaneous, Extraordinary
...
...
Genshi Kuri-ire, Reduction of Paper Money
+
...
...
...
$ 2,042,698 42,775,732 7,408,668 743,103 1,113,155 2,458,817
$ 5,576,518 8,143,2/19
1,566,242
368,789
21,030,258
5,248,447
1,826,392
115,754
900,000
302,663
72,995
4,267, 75 5,400,000
The domestic debt of Japan on July 1st, 1885 was, inclusive of paper money in
circulation, Capitalized Pension Bonds, &c., &c., $231,066,226. amounted to $8,015,400..
The Foreign debt