Directory_and_Chronicle_1910 — Page 642

MOJI AND SHIMONOSEKI

These two towns are situated one on each side of Shimonoseki Straits, the western entrance of the Inland Sea-the former on the north and the latter on the south side. The interests of both towns, so far as shipping is concerned, are identical. Shimonoseki is under the jurisdiction of Yamaguchi, 51 miles away, and Moji under that of Fukuoka, 47 miles away. The foreign merchants have their offices on the side that suits their own convenience, but the principal banks and shipping offices are at Moji. There is a fairly strong tidal current through the Straits, but the anchorage, which is at Moji, is only affected by an eddy, and good holding ground is general. Steamers entering from the West can get pilots at Rokuran Light, where boats have to stop in any case for medical inspection and harbour master's instructions. From the eastward this inspection takes place at Hezaki Light. Means of transport are good. Liners run regularly to all foreign ordinary ports of call; and while from Shimonoseki the Sanyo Railway taps the North, from Moji the Kiushiu Railway taps the South of Japan. Excellent foreign accommodation can be had at the Shimonoseki Station Hotel, belonging to the Imperial Railway Bureau. This Railway has also two large ferry boats plying between Moji and the Shimonoseki Station, while a ten-minute ferry plies between the usual landing places at Moji and Shimonoseki. Waterworks are completed for Shimonoseki and are in course of construction at Moji. Both places are lit by electricity and are connected by telephone with the principal towns, from Kumamoto and Nagasaki in the South. to Tokyo in the North East. Imports for 1908 amounted to Yen 24,640,380, and Exports to Yen 22,742,722. Imports consist principally of machinery, iron ore, sugar, raw cotton, and flour; and Exports of coal, cotton yarn, and rice. The quantity of coal exported from Moji and Shimonoseki in 1908 was 1,166,085, tons; 3,381 vessels engaged in foreign trade entered Shimonoseki and Moji in 1907, representing a total tonnage of 4,498,473. The population of Shimonoseki at the end of 1908 was 56,857, and of Moji 56,789. It should be specially noted that photographing and sketching are forbidden within a radius of ten miles round Shimonoseki and Moji on land and sea.

The law in this respect is strictly enforced and ignorance is not accepted as an excuse.

DIRECTORY

BAGNALL & HILLES, Moji

T. Kato, manager

Browne & Co., Merchants-3,338 Kiu-

Moji; Telephone No. 260

C. M. Birnie (Kobe)

Horace Nutter (Moji)

Leonard Birnie

J. Jesselsen

Agencies

Apcar Line of Steamers

Austrian Lloyd Steam Navigation Co.

British India Steam Nav. Co., Ld.

Glen Line of Steamers

North China Insurance Company, Id. Yangtsze Insurance Asstn., Limited New Zealand Insurance Company Sun Fire Office

P. & O. Steam Navigation Company Lloyd's (Sanyo District) Java-China-Japan Line of Steamers Commercial Union Insurance Co., !! British Dominions Mar. Insce. Co., Id American Asiatic S. S. Co.

CITY COMMERCIAL SCHOOL-Shimonoseki M. Henry, English instructor