Directory_and_Chronicle_1903 — Page 538

KOBE-HYOGO

7i

Kobe Chronicle and the Kobe Herald, are published in Kobe. There are one or two native papers. The population of the city of Kobe in December, 1900, was 249,987. There were over 2,700 foreign residents in Kobe in June, 190 1, of whom 1,655 were Chinese. The British numbered 508, the Germans 173, the French 53, the Portuguese 69, and the Americans 154. The old town of Hyogo is only divided from Kobe by the river Minato, which is spanned by several substantial stone bridges. Hyogo contains few features of interest, and the streets and shops are inferior to those of Kobe, its population being much smaller and nearly stationary. The Temple of Shinkoji, which possesses a large bronze Buddha, is worth a visit; and there is a monument to the Japanese hero Kiyomori, erected in 1286, in a grove of trees in the vicinity of the temple, which claims some attention from its historic associations. On the Kobe side of the Minato-gawa also stands a temple dedicated to Kusunoki Masashige, so famous in Japanese history for loyalty and valour, who died on the spot in 1336 during the unsuccessful wars for the Restoration of the Mikado's power. The Kawasaki Shipbuilding Yard situated at Hyogo is one of the largest in Japan. The new graving Dock will accommodate vessels of some 5,000 tons.

Kobe's excellent railway communications both north and south have naturally tended to centralise trade at this port.

In 1901 the values of the different classes of Imports were :—

Beans

Cotton, Raw ...

Yen 2,284,957

Rice...

52,417,835 Sugar

...

4.603,335

8,988,360

Cotton Yarn and Piece Goods 5,579,415 Wland Woollen Manufactures 3,363,854 Drugs, Chemicals, etc., Kerosine Oil

Machinery, Watches, Arms, &c. Metals and Manufactures of.......

The values of the principal Beverages and Comestibles Yen Cotton Yarn

...

3,022,879 Sundries...

5,578,837

6,653,849 Total Imports Yen 11,232,738

20,252,063

. 125,979,022

articles of Export in the same year were as follows :—

4,630,122 Rice

17,384,374 Straw-plaits .......

Drugs etc. (mostly Camphor) 4,610,977 Tea Matches

Mats for Floor

Metals (chietly Copper)...

6,904,228 Sundries... 5,215,369

8,316,925 Total Exports Yen

5,988,962

2,849,921

3,432,101

17,873,237

77,206,226

The quantity of tea shipped from Kobe-Hyogo during the season 1900-1901 was 15,908.430 lbs. Practically the whole of this went to the United States of America

and Canada.

The following table of values in Yen shows the rapid increase of the foreign trade of the port from 1893 to 1898. In 1899, however, imports show a decrease of Yen 17,844,274 as compared with 1898, while exports increased from Yen 60,119,645 to Yen 75,320,884. The value in 1900 was Yen 207,190,830 and in 1901 Yen 203,185,248.

Imports Exports 24,968,974

1893

41,294,276

1894

56,910,503 1595 63,098,427 1896 1897

29,438,113

Total 66,263,250 | 1898 86,348,616 | 1899 38,307,955 101,406,382 | 1900 137,484,281 82,546,593 40,317,817 122,864,410 | 1901 125,979,022 110,741,830 51,408,080 162,149,910

120,289,524

Imports Exports Total 138,133,798 60,119,645 198,253,443 75,320,884 195,610,408 69,706,549 207,190,830

77,206,226 203,185,248

DIRECTORY

E. Kroneck

ABELL, J. C., Exchange and Bullion Broker

ABRAHAM & Co., L. D., Comsn. Merchs. 51

L. D. Abraham

V. E. Abraham (absent)

J. W. Ottoson

AHRENS & Co., H., Nachfolger, Merchs.--10

E. Wismer (absent)

M. Suerth (Yokohama)

A. Hofmann

F. Popert

H. Hoffmann

Agencies

Norddeutscher Lloyd Steam Nav. Co. Norwich Union Fire Insurance Society London Assurance Corporation

Navigazione Generale Italiana

Chinese Eastern R. Co. S.S. Service

AILION, I. A., Import and Export, Com-

mission Agent, 21, Harima-mâchi

D. Ailion

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