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JAPAN.
471
four Supreme Courts at Tokio, Sendai, Nagasaki, and Osaka, over which the Dais1·in In presides at Tokio.
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 (feudał princes) shared the administrative power, being paa.fically 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 Tokio) 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 Tokio. 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civil and military officials who took part in the work of the Restoration, The old titles were abolished, and have been replaced by those of Prince (Ko), Marquis (Kö), Count (rraku), Viscount (Ski) and Baron (Dan).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 1884-85 was given in official returns at $75,982,969, and the total expenditure at $75,982,562, a small increase on the previous year's estimates. The sources of revenue and branches of expenditure were as follow:-
Customs Duties
Land Tax ...
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Mining Tax
Tax on Productions of Hokkaido
Tax on Alcobolic Liquors, &c.
Tax on tobacco
PJI
Stamp Tax on Legal Documents
Postage Stamps
Tax on Ships
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REVENUE.
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$ 2,610,000 42,888,566 16,092 656,656 16,879,462 1,588,200 886,336 2,252,708
Tax on Vehicles
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FR
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198,145
453,847
531,483
1,299,281
1,581,296
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2,190,926
1,949,971
Tax on Companies
Various Taxes and License Fees
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Profits from Industri-1 Undertakings Reduction of Paper Currency... Miscellaneous Receipts
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4
Total Estimated Revenue
Redemption of National Debt
EXPENDITURE.
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Interest and Expenses on National Debt
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441
Civil List and Appanages of Imperial Families Pensions, &c.
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Council of State (Dai Jo Kwan) Foreign Department (Gai Mu Sho) Home Department (Nai Mu Sho) Finance Department (0 Kura Sho) War Department (Riku Gun Sho) Navy Department (Kai Gun Sho)...
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$75,982,969
$ 7,282,571 14,908,255
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2,221,656
472,665
672,232
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198,420
637,425
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596,594 10,615,156 3,225,830
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