16
JAPAN
The total Shipping, including junks, from and to Foreign countries for the year 1902 was-
Steamers
Entered 6,211
Tonnage Cleared Tonnage
Total Tonnage.
11,399,413 175,033
6,218 1,634
11,421,591 183,482
12,429
22,821,004
3,187
358,515
7,764 11,574,446
Sailing Vessels ... 1,553
7,852 11,605,073 15,616 23,179,519 The merchant vessels entered from Foreign countries in 1902 were divided among the different nationalities as under:
Japanese
Strs. Tonnage Sailing Tonnage 3,226 4,309,164 1,465
Total Tonnage
72,254 4,691 4,381,418
British
1,618
4,126,659
21
29,130
1,639
4,155,789
German
362
1,186,273
20
41,971
382
1,228,244
Russian
316
466,351
3
264
319
466,615
United States of America
191
536,333
19
24,533
210
560,866
Norwegian
253
279,650
1
710
254
280,360
French
112
249,696
1
1,417
113
25,113
Austrian
63
163,595
63
163,595
Other Countries
70
81,692
23
4,754
93
86,446
175,033 7,764 11,574,446
6.211 11,399,413 1,553
The total Customs Revenue for the same year consisted of-Export Duties,nil; Import Duties, yen 14,727,596 ; Miscellaneous, yen 585,476 ; Total, yen 15,313,072. The revenue shows an increase of yen 190,456 compared with that of 1901.
Extension of the Japanese railway system goes on uninterruptedly. The most recent returns give the length of the railway lines as 4,038 miles, 1,089 miles of Govern- ment and 2,949 miles of private railway, on August 31, 1902. The principal private lines are the Nipon Railway, mileage 852 miles; Kiushiu Railway, mileage 401 miles; Sanyo Railway, nuleage 329 miles; Hok-kaido Tanko Railway, mileage 207 miles. A Private Railway Law and Railway Business Law were promulgated on March 15, 1900, for the better exercise of control over the construction of railways and matters connected with railway work in general, which came into force on October 1, 1900. Sleeping-cars were brought into use on the Tokaido line from the same date.
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 was abolished and the whole country opened to foreign trade and residence, the treaty to come into force in July, 1899, provided similar treaties were effected with the other Powers. This was done and extraterritoriality ceased to exist on August 4th, 1899.
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. A scarcity of money available for mercantile purposes with a high rate of interest, was much felt during 1900.
EDUCATION
Education is very general in Japan, and is making great progress. There are num- erous Higher Schools, 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 Govern- In order to facilitate the prosecution of foreign studies the Government em- ploys many European professors, and also sends, at the public expense, a large number of students every year to America and Europe.
ment.
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.