Directory_and_Chronicle_1902 — Page 597

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YOKOHAMA—HAKODATE

INSURANCE OFFICES—Continued

OFFICES

State Fire Insurance Co., Liverpool

Sun Insurance Office, London

Sun Life Assurance Company, of Canada Switzerland Marine Insurance Co.

Thames and Mersey Marine Insurance Company Transatlantic Marine Insurance, Berlin

Transatlantische Feuer Vers. Actien Ges., Hamburg

Triton Insurance Company

Underwriting Agency Association, Limited Union Assurance Society..

Union Insurance Society.

Union Insurance Society of Canton. Union Marine Insurance Company Union Marine Insurance Company United Dutch Marine Insurance Companies United Swiss Marine Insurance Companies Vers. Ges. Oesterrischischer Phönix, Wien World Marine Insurance Company, Limited Württembergische Transport Versicherungs Ges. Yangtsze Insurance Association

AGENTS

C. Weinberger & Cc Robison & Co.

Jardine, Matheson & Co. Klingen & Seux Mollison & Co.

C. Weinberger & Co C. Illies & Co.

Jardine, Matheson & Co. Cornes & Co. E. Flint Kilby J. Johnstone

A. J. Easton, agent Findlay, Richardson & Co. Kingdon, Schwabe & Co. Dodwell & Co., Ltd. Kingdon, Schwabe & Co. Carl Rohde & Co. Hutchison & Co. Carl Rohde & Co. J. Johnstone

HAKODATE

This, the most northerly of the treaty ports of Japan, is situated in the south of Yezo in the Straits of Tsugaru, which divide that island from Houshiu. The port lies in latitude 41 deg. 47 min. 8 sec. N., and longitude 140 deg. 45 min. 34 sec. E., and the harbour is nearly land-locked. The town clusters at the foot and on the slope of a bold rock known to foreigners as Hakodate Head, 1,106 feet in height. The surrounding country is hilly, volcanie, and striking, but the town itself possesses few attractions. A row of fine temples, with lofty picturesque roofs, occupying higher ground than the rest of the town, are the most conspicuous buildings. There are some Public Gardens at the eastern end of the town, which contain a small but interesting Museum. Water- works for supplying the town with pure water were completed in 1889. The climate of Hakodate is healthy and bracing. The hottest month is August, but the thermome- ter then rarely rises above 90 degrees Fahr.; in the winter it sometimes sinks to 18. degrees. The mean temperature throughout the year is about 48 degrees. The population of Hakodate in 1900 was 87,159. The number of foreign residents in 1899 was 156, of whom 34 were British.

The foreign trade of the port is small. The value of the imports declined from $676,534 in 1890 to $12,101 in 1892, but increased by an average of slightly over a hundred per cent. each year to yen 1,744,181 in 1899 and yen 3,009,284 in 1900. The exports in 1908) amounted to yen 2,127,614 against yen 2,116,050 in 1899. 561 vessels of 192,368 tons cleared in 1990 against 382 vessels of 143,11 in 1899. The agricultural resources of Yezo have been to some extent developer under the auspices of the Kaitakushi or Colonization Department. The rich pasture lands are well adapted for breeding cattle. In the valuable and extensive fisheries on the coast, however, the chief exports of the future from Hakodate are to be looked for. Increasing quantities of dried fish and seaweed are exported annually, mostly to China. The mineral resources of Yezo are large, and may also some day yield a valuable addition to the exports of this port. There are now three large coal mines in operation, one in Poronai, one at Ikushumbetsu, and a third at Sorachi. Washing for gold dust is being energetically carried on and there is reason to believe with proper machinery the gold mines of Hokkaido may be worked with fair profit. Up till the summer of 1899 but little interest was taken by the public in the oil production of

REMINGTON TYPEWRITER, 327 Broadway, New York, U. S. A.