14
JAPAN
The total Shipping, including junks, from and to Foreign countries, for the year 1897 was-
Entered
Tonnage
Cleared
Steamers
2,237 3,569,877
1,897
Tonnage 2,949,637
Total Tonnage
Sailing Vessels
1,287
201,012
1,360
196,920
4,134 2,647
6,519,514
397,932
3,524 3,770,889
3,257
3,146,557
6,781 6,917,446 1,686 steamers of 3,109,983 tons and 18 sailing vessels of 22,880 tons entered, and 2,011 steamers of 3,707,060 tons and 20 sailing vessels of 26,554 tons cleared in the coast trade between the open ports. Of this tonnage employed coastwise 56 per cent. was under the British flag and 28 per cent. Japanese vessels employed in foreign trade. The merchant vessels entered from Foreign countries in 1897 were divided among the different nationalities as under :-
Sailing Tonnage
Strs.
Tonnage
Total Tonnage
British
950
1,890,227
70
84,668
1,020
1,974,895
Japanese (excluding Junks)..
529
650,839
64
8,688
593
659,527
German
348
448,126
13
23,729
361
471,855
Norwegian
193
182,774
2
848
195
183,622
Russian
79
152,247
6
694
85
152,941
United States of America
26
69,467
50
57,357
76
126,824
Austrian
29
68,798
29
68,798
French
26
56,119
26
56,119
Other Countries
57
51,280
1
1,650
58
52,930
2.237 3,569,877
206
177,634 2,443 3,747,511
The total Customs Revenue for the same year consisted of-Export Duties yen 2,540,783; Import Duties, yen 5,295,123; Miscellaneous, yen 258,650; Total, yen 8,094,556. The revenue has more than 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 is abolished and the whole country opened to foreign trade and residence, but it does not come into force until July, 1899, nor then, unless similar treaties be effected with the other Powers. This has now been done and formal notification of the coming into force of the treaty has been given.
Railways are being rapidly pushed forward. 1,874 miles of private and 631 miles of Government railways were open to traffic in 1897, as compared with 1,697 miles private and 593 miles Government lines in 1895.
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,
EDUCATION.
Education is very general in Japan, and is making great progress. There are numerous Middle Schools, Normal Schools, and Colleges for special studies, such as Law, Science, Medicine, Mining, Agriculture, and Foreign Languages, and several Female High Schools have been established, and are carefully fostered by the Government. In order to facilitate the prosecution of foreign studies the Government of the Mikado has engaged many European professors, and also sent, at the public expense, a large number of students to America and Europe.
TOKYO
The capital of Japa [until the Restoration called Yedo] is situated at the north of the Bay of Yedo, has a circumference of 27 miles, and covers a surface of nearly 36 square miles. The Sumida, or Okawa (Great River), runs through the city, dividing Tokyo proper from the districts on the east side called Honjo and Fukagawa.
Tokyo as viewed from the bay is a pleasant-looking city, being well situated on undulating ground, and possessing abundant foliage. The city is divided into fifteen grand divisions, and its suburbs into six divisions. It is in fact more like
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