Directory_and_Chronicle_1915 — Page 609

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JAPAN

At the conclusion of the war with China, Japan found herself in possession of a fighting fleet of forty-three serviceable vessels-independent of twenty-six torpedo- boats their aggregate displacement being 78,774 tons. Of these, ten, with an aggregate displacement of 15,055 tons, had been captured from China, namely, an armour-clad turret-ship of 7,335 tons, two steel cruisers, six steel gunboats, and one wooden gunboat. Prior to the capture of the Chen-yuen, now called the Chin-yen, Japan did not possess a line-of-battle ship. Her fleet consisted entirely of compara- tively small vessels. There were also on the stocks two steel cruisers and a steel despatch vessel. An expansion scheme, extending from 1st April, 1896, to 31st March, 1906, was then adopted and orders were subsequently placed for ships in Great Britain, the United States, France, and Germany, as well as in the home yards. The war with Russia augmented Japan's naval strength considerably, and many fine ships have since been built. She possesses now a fine fleet of 18 battleships, 13 first-class battle-cruisers, 13 armoured cruisers, 19 protected cruisers, 4 unprotected cruisers, 117 torpedo-boats and destroyers, and 15 submarines. The shipbuilding yards of Japan are now constructing super-Dreadnoughts.

POPULATION, TRADE, AND Industry

The total area of Japan, exclusive of Formosa and Chosen, is estimated at 163,042 square miles, and the population in 1913 was estimated to be 52,985,423. There are, exclusive of Chinese, about 5,000 foreigners residing in Japan, more than one-third of that number being British subjects. Japan is geographically divided into the four islands: Honshiu, the central and most important territory; Kiushui, "nine pro- vinces," the south-western island; Shikoku, "the four provinces," the southern island; and Yezo, the most northerly and least developed. The former three islands are sub-divided into eight large areas, containing sixty-six provinces, and the latter (Yezo or Hokkaido) is divided into eleven provinces.

The total value of the foreign trade for the last six years was:-

1908

1909

1910

1911

1912

1913

Exports, Yen378,245,673 413,112,511 455,091,860 442,996,848 526,981,842 632,460,213 Imports,,,

436,257,462 394,198,843 463,482,735 512,942,169 618,160,786 729,431,644

Total Yen 814,503,135 807,311,354 918,574,595 955,939,017 1,145,142,628 1,361,891,857 The balance of trade for some years past has been against Japan, excepting in the years 1907 and 1909. In 1912 imports exceeded exports to the value of ninety-two million yen, and in 1913 by nearly ninety-seven million yen. Nearly 33 per cent. of Japan's total foreign trade is with Great Britain and its Colonies and Dependencies.

The trade of 1913 was divided between the old Treaty Ports as under:-

Yokohama Kobe Nagasaki Osaka Moji Other Ports. Totals. Expts., Y.316,821,388 170,470,039 4,745,618 73,452,4501 20,895,808|46,074,910 632,460,213 Impts.,,, 235,102,105 346,608,977 16,136,906 41,675,529 39,534,075 50,374,052 729,431,644 Totals,„, 551,923,493 517,079,016/20,882,524|115,127,979 60,429,883 96,448,962 1,361,891,857

The following was the total value of the trade with Foreign Countries in 1913-

United States of America

India, Australia and British America China....

Exports

Yen 184,473,382

Imports

122,408,361

Total 306,881,743

19

Great Britain

Continent of Europe...

"1

43,601,406 154,660,428

189,956,432

233,557,838

61,223,038 215,883,466

"}

114,355,824

97,553,154

211,908,978

Hongkong

Kwangtung Province.

}}

32,869,657

122,736,970 155,606,627

>>

29,836,345

30,877,894

60,714,239

Dutch Indies

33,621,978

1,294,749

34,916,727

Philippines and Siam

"

5,148,686

37,389,257

42,537,943

British Straits Settlements.

7,318,849

13,440,957

20,759,806

French Indo-China

Hawaii, Egypt and South Africa

"

.10,141,558

5,205,014

15,346,572

""

6,837,848

7,279,328

14,117,176

Other Countries.

11

1,055,194

24,699,894

25,755,088

Asiatic Russia

11

1,655,891

7,389,190

9,045,081

Argentine

Mexico, Peru and Chili.

Unknown

11

4,271,413

750,486

5,021,809

,,

774,547

2,779,363

3,553,910

**

1,422,567

414,640

7,522 4,440,035

1,430,089

4,354,675

632,460,213

729,431,644

1,361,891 857