Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1904-03-15

area of 1000 square Hhio"' -,
west of Shikoku, with the buhso Ciia
mel between, area 1857 square l'liles, .
Yezo north of HOndo. with an area -. -.
30. l43 square miles; and Formosa' oii
the coast of China, area l3,4ls SQUIRE
miles.
The Japan archipelago occupies the
Same Iatitude as that part OF America
between Savannah and Halifax. For
mosa. which Japan obtained as the re-
sult of the Chino-Japanese War, lies
between the same parallels as tampa
and Havana. The chief group Is sep
arated from the Philippines to the
south bv the Bashi Channel, from emma
by the Formosa Channel. ninety 10
hundred miles wide; from Corea "
Rroughton Channel. less than twenty
five miles wide; from the Russian IS
land of Saghalien by La Perouse Strait.
twenty-five miles wide, and kemtchat-
ka by 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 esti-
mated at 43,152,99S. according to the
last census. taken in 1888. There are
four classes, in the following proper
tons: Imperial family. SO; nobility.
ASH: gentry, 2,1D5, 696; common people,
41.O5O,56S. In these figures are included
1853 Amos, of HOkkaido. 70.S01 jap
anese living abroad, and 1864 foreign
ers. In addition, however. are the
5000. 900 inhabitants of Formosa, so
that the present population is estimated
at 5O.O0O.OOO. Hondo, the chief island,
is the most densely populated part of
the empire, having 3S1 people to the
square mile. and its southern districts
have AIS inhabitants to the square mile.
OF recent years there has been rapid
concentration of population in the
cities. There were seventy-eigh
towns, according to the census of 1898,
having a population of 10000 Grover.
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, so that at the be-
ginning of the war with Russia they
possessed ships having total tonnage
of 100000. Aside from four torpedo
gunboats, forty-six torpedo boats. with
many more building, Japan's fleet has a
displacement of 111.974 tons. 1t con-
sists of six battleships, six armoIed
cruisers and fourteen protected cruis-
ers. OF the battleships four have dis
placement of more than $4,000 tons
each. The remainder are of more than
10000 tons. All are supposed to have
speed of eighteen knots an hour. The
armOred cruisers are of the same size
just a little less than 10000 tons. The
protected cruisers range in size from
200 to $4,000 tons displacement. One
has speed of twenty four knots an
hour. Japan has the great advantage
of being able to use her own fortified
ports as naval bases. She has four
well fortified ports as naval bases. She
has four well equipped dOckyards, cap
able of both constructing and repairing
ships. In the japanese Navy in 1902
there were two admirals nine vice.
admirals, twenty-five rear admirals.
sixty-five captains, 119 commanders.
167 lieutenant commanders. 220 lieu
tenants. sos sub-lieutenants. besides
| other subordinate officers, and 31,6SS
sailors.
The Japanese army has 81 war footing
of $4,000 men. Military, service is
compulsory. and the army, \so far as
military instruction is concerned. has
adopted Germany as Suodel
The army is divided into NAree
groups. the permanent establishment
Sict inv nf En0A nOA
men; the reserve, of $4,000 additional
men: and territorial reserve" which
would bring another 100000 men into
line. The artillery numbers 1900
guns. and the cavalry 10000 horses.
Since Japan was opened to the world,
it has been rapidly growing in wealth.
Six great banks and 1902 smaller insti-
tutions carry on the banking business.
The bank of Japan. founded in 1882, has
capital of 15.500,000. In the 6S1 banks
there were deposits in 1900 amounting
TO Sl"9,5"4,"%S0. or 1913 per capita. The
unit of circulation is the yen, worth 50
cents. which is divided into 100 sen.
Smaller coins are 5, TO- 20 and so silver
sen pieces.
foreign trade in the last five years.
Japans imports and exports in 1901
amounted to $272, 100000. The leading
countries from which Japan obtains her
imports. and the value of the commerce,
are as follows: England, $35, $50, 800;
United States, $31. 2460O; China, $14.-
$4,000; Germany, s14.491, 800, and British
India, s11.703,O00. The United States
leads as the market for Japanese ex-
ports. and in 1900 bought $26,145,OOO
worth. The British island of Hong
Kong stands second with $19,521 800;
France. 1851. 800; England, $5.577, 500
and Corea, $4,930,2 200. Among the chief
imports into Japan from this country
are raw ginned cotton and kerosene oil
(Which form about one-half the totaD,
engines. locomotives, electrical appara-
tus and other kinds of machinery.
from all parts of the world Japan i'm
ported in 1900, according to 1.-THE New
international Encyclopedia" cotton and
seed worth 1851. 200; iron, steel and
manufactures, s15,7S6,600; sugar, $13.-
296,6Oo; cotton manufactures. $12.79S,6 800;
woollen manufactures, $11,7O3,0OO; pc
troleum, s7,021,sOO arms, machinery.