Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1871-08-04
THE CENSUS OF JAPAN.
"a, 1855 LAP" More He's than Shes
The Yeta---The MIkados Revenue.


On the first day of the japanese
year, styled in the vernacular Meigi,
or, according to our computation, the
lst OF February, 1871, the MikadO or
dered a census of his dOminiOns, and
in Yokohama paper appears the first
official announcement Of results. The
population is given as 34,785,9 1851, or
about three millions more than the
United Kingdom of Great Britain
and Ireland, and about the same less
than the United States. Heretofore
there has been only an estimate of the
number OF apanese-statisticia con-
ceiving that on the hypothesis Of the
empire being as thickly populated per
square mile as China, il must have
some AZ, ,000, 900 inhabitants. By some
six millions the census shows them to
have been out of the way. OF the
population returned, 1856, 200 are
given as males, and II, l98, ,62E females
this excess of males which is Ordin-
populations of comparatively new
countries forming a very peculiar
feature in 50 ancient an empire as
Japan. The royal family is given as
made up OF twenty members, in
Guiding the Miksdo, and under the
blood royal the daimias, or great lords,
number 3lS6. The SG1ltSraTi, or Hbe-
l-ati and military orders, number ,872,-
959, and the farmers, ,arti1eers, ,labOrers,
and work-a-day people generally,
81 1854, ,S21. The priests of the Bud
ihist faith number 244, ,S69, and the
Jintoo clergy 163, 40, with GIL nuns.
The professional beggars are 81, ,920.
After all come in the returns, as in
the daily life Of Japan, the Yeta or
Oute8sts, q class Of parians, who are
treated pretty much as the cagOts
we're in old Bourbon France-her1ed
together In filthy villages and con-
demned to the most servile trades.
These gentry number 456,695. The
number Of houses In Japan is given as
Z ',O92, 728, which allows about five per-
sons to dwelling, and il is remark
able that this is the exact ratio shown
by the late census OF England. The
figures curiously compare:
Population. Houses. TO House.
Japan .........84, ,765, ,321 7,092728 4e2
England. ...2l ,4S7, ,68s 4,259. .OS2 5.Oa
The unit in estimating the revenue
is the kOlsu, measure Of grain worth
$40 "a currency, and the receipts are
estimated at 81, ,559, ,0l9 bOkIGs, or s88l,-
259, ,765. This gives per capita tax Of
s3 40, but when the Jap has paid that
there is an end OF ii, his life apparently
not being worn out Of him by the
complicated taxes civilization entails.
OF the $33l, ,259, ,765 raised In Japan an
nuaIly-and this it must be Temem-
bered is for rent and every public pur-
pose for the throne, the daimiOs, the
towns, etc.-the MikadO has a nomi-
nal amount OF. S9S, ,732, OH, but it seems
almost like home TO read that 'tOf this
sam but a comparatively small por-
ton, there is reason TO believe, ulti-
nlately finds its way to the imperial
treasury; much Is not collected at all,
while from the excessive number OF
officials employed, their ineficiency
and corruption, the cost of collection
ls undoubtedly swollen to an amount
per cent. that would altogether appal
European fnanciers."
e---s--
fnl.o NJox,y Worlr Iss,aesj JITo,1.sa.