New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-03-06
Japan.

empire of Japan, with a total area Of 162,153
square miles. Only five hundred islands, how
ever are inhabited. the remaining isles being
mere heaps OF rocks The chief islands are five
in number, the Hondo. or Main Land" with
an area OF SI,1I1 square miles; Shikoku. south
Of and separated from Hondo by a shallow
channel, with an area OF 1880 square miles;
Kiushiu, west Of Shikoku. with the Bungo Chan
mel between. area 15,5S7 square miles; Yezo.
north of Hondo. with an area Of 3O.143 square
miles; and Formosa, Off the coast of China, area
13,41S square miles
The japanese Archipelago occupies the same
latitude that part of America between Sa-
vannah and Halifax. Formosa. which Japan
obtained as the result Of the Chino-Japanese
War. lies between the same parallels as Tampa
and Havana The chief group is separated from
the Philippines to the south by the Bashi Chan
lei. from China by the Formosa Channel, ninety
to a hundred miles wide; from Corea by Brough-
ton Channel. less than twenty-five miles wide;
from the Russian island Of Saghalien by Ia
Perouse Strait twenty-five miles wide, and
Kamtchatka ny the Kurile Strait. Between the
! japanese Archipelago and the Asiatic coast OF
COrea and Manchuria lies the Sea Of Japan.
The population OF Japan was estimated at 49,
15299S, according to the last census. taken in
1898. There are four classes. in the following
proportions: Imperial family. j3: nobility. 4.551:
gentry, 2.lOJ,C96; common people 41.OJO.JGS. In
these figures are included 1873 Amos. OF HOk-
iaido ~, sol japanese living abroad and 1864
foreigners. In addition however. are the 3.OO0-
coo inhabitants OF Formosa, so that the present
population is estimated at JOOOOOOO. Hondo,
the chief island. is the most denscly populated
part OF the empire. having ISL people to the
square mile. and its southern districts have 475
Inhabitants 10 He mil
there has been rapid concentration OF popula-
ton in the cities. There were seventy-eight
towns, according TO the census Of 1S9S having
a population of 10000 over.
Because OF the insular character of their
home the japanese in recent years have taken
greater interest in their navy than their army.
They have added to their fleets as rapidly as
their means would permit. that at the be-
ginning OF the war with Russia they pos
sessed ships having a total tonnage OF 100000
Aside from four torpedo gunboats, twenty tor
redO boat destroyers. with ten building forty-six
torpedo boats. with many more building. Japan's
fleet has a displacement Of III g74 tons. IL con-
sists Of six batteships. six aTmored cruisers and
fourteen protected cruisers OF the battleships
four have displacement OF more than 1900
tons each. The remainder are OF more than
1000 tons All supposed TO have a speed
Of eighteen knots an hour The armored cruis-
ers are Of the same size, just little less than
10000 tons. The protected cruisers range IN
size from 200 to 400 tons displacement One
has a speed Of twenty-four knots an hour.
Japan has the great advantage of being able
to use her own fortified ports naval bases.
She has four well equipped dockyards capable
Of both constructing and repairing ships. In the
japanese Navy In 1902 there were two admirals,
nine vice admira1s twenty-five rear admirals.
tenant commanders. 40 neutenants. 300 sub
! lieutenants, besides other subordinate officers.
and 81 6SS sailors.
The Japanese Army has war footing OF
900 men Military service is compulsory.
and the army, so far as military instruction is
| concerned. has adopted Germany as a model.
The army is divided into three groups. the per-
manent establishment, consisting of 1900 off,
GERS and 10000 men; the reserve. OF 5000 ad-
ditional men; and a Territorial reserve" which
would bring another 100000 men into line.
The artillery numbers 100 guns. and the cav
airy $1,000 horses
Since Japan was opened to the world. # has
been rapidly growing In wealth. Six great
| banks and 500 smaller institutions carry on
| the banking business The Bank OF Japan,
| founded In 1882 has a capital OF $1,000 600
| In the 6S1 banks there deposits In
1900 amounting to S139. 534. $50. or 81 80 per
capita The unit Of circulation is the yen, worth
so cents, which is divided into 100 sen Smaller
4 IN n