Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-10-17
JAPAN'S BUSINESS.
OSAKA THE SEAT or THE COTTON.
SPINNING TRADE.
A Population of Nearly a Million
Much Progress Being Made-The
banking System of Jspnn-Money-
Lending Methods Simple.
(Correspondence OF the nIsnatrh /,

n.y
AoMARI, JAPAN, September l.-o
purely japanese commercial cit,
there is only one good example, it (.
Osaka. the seat OF the cotton-spinnips
industry.
Though only an hours ride by railway
from the European settlement of Kobe
1t has retained its native character I'M
| qualified by foreign influence, and OF this
| fact the japanese are particularly
| proud. They plume themselves more on
the cotton-mills and iron foundries OF
Osaka. to say nothing OF the mint. than
on the temple OF Nikko and the palaces
OF Kyoto and Tokyo.
Osaka represents New Japan in It's
most advanced and highly developed
form. Commercial foreigners are not sup
posed to be able to live in 1t, the Japa-
nese being too smart for them. Only
one foreign firm has succeeded in estab-
fishing Itself, and it is Swiss.
Kobe, the foreign settlement on the
west side OF the bay Is In a sense a
rival of Osaka. 1t has gradually taken
possession of the best part of the ship
ping trade Of the district and constituted
itself the local port.
Thirty years ago foreign ships used 70
run right up to Osaka, several miles
from the mouth of the Yodo river. At this
time Kobe was a village OF two or three
score of foreign houses, lying along the
shore beside the native town OF Hlogo.
In course of time Europeans, through
their superior methods of handling freight
and the facilities they provided for ii, in
tercepted most of the foreign trade All
the time the Yodo river was silt
ing up. and while foreign vessels were
increasing In draught. its channels were
becoming shallower every year, so it be-
came cheaper and more convenient for
vessels to unload at Kobe.
In manufacturing, however, Osaka
maintained its supremacy as few i'm
portant factories or Industrial works
have been attempted in Kobe or any
other foreign concession. This may be
due 10 lack of enterprise among the |
foreign settlers, or to limited area, or
more probably. to lack of faith in the |
legal status OF foreign property within |
the concessions.
SHIPPING BUSINESS.
Whatever the cause. Kobe concentrated |
itself on the shipping business, and I
has In few years built up one Of the |
most hourishing ports in the Far East, |
and by tact division of labor, Osaka
betook Itself to manufacturing and |
worked up the raw materials which Kobe |
from all parts OF the globe
Europe, India, and China.
The japanese. though they have every
reason 10 be satisfied with this arrange I
nent, do not however, regard 1t as per-
hax Mo %, |
opening up the Yodo river and making
Osaka it's own port.
This Is frankly avowed by them. and
I charming outline OF the scheme APP
Deared recently In the handbook Of the
principal Japanese shipping company. Its
description OF Osaka finished up thus:
Nothing delays the city's rapid rise
except the want of port accessible TO
steamers, the estuary OF
he Yodo river being too shallow for the
purpose. A programme of harbor con-
involving an outlay of 100000
;en has now been elaborated. and Osaka
will doubtless soon become the shipping !
and commercial capital of the empire"
Hints like these are the more signiif-
amt just now in view OF the new regime
which will open with the revised treaties
| year hence. While the foreign conces-
sions retain their full force and for
,igners are virtually independent within
he conceded areas, japanese rivalry cam
rot do much to prejudice either Kobe or
fokohama. To be fair TO the japanese,
[ must be admitted that they have not
attempted any open hostility.
They have in various underhand ways
favored native traders, to the prejudice
If foreigners, as in the calculation OF
on customs duties but the con-
session ports, as a whole, have been free
o do the best they can for themselves.
When the concessions lapse, and japan
ecovers all her territorial rights, a diff
erent policy may be adopted; If so, It is
ure TO find one Of its earliest express
'ions i'm the local rivalry between the
European portion of Kobe and its Japan |
.se neighbor, the enterprising city OF |
osaka, which aims at becoming the first |
,ort of the empire. as well as its greatest |
centre.
OSAKA.
Already Osaka is in population the Sc
,ond city in Japan, only Tokyo, the capt.