Arizona republican., 1906-03-28
A JAPANESE COLONY.
Some New and Interesting Facts
 About Formosa.

The development by Japan of the is land of Formosa, lying about 100 miles north of the Philippines group, is discussed somewhat at length by two publications of the Japanese gov ernment. which has just reached the Department of Commerce and Labor through the bureau of Statistics. one entitled, Japan in the Beginning Of the Twentieth Century" and the other Fifth Financial and Economical An nuaI of Japan" These show that For mosa, which was subject to military government for a short time after its transfer from the control of China 10 that of Japan, was in 1906 given a civil government directed by the govern ment of Japan. A single great mili- taFv expedition sent throughout the is land terminated hostilities among the natives. except as to the small ele- ment known asathe head hunters" in the inaccessible forests of the interior, who will probably submit only when their haunts are invaded through the spread of cultivation. The foremost re- quisite to effective control was com munication. Thus far about 1900 miles of roads have been built. A line Of railway 232 miles long was construct ed from near the southern to the northern extremity of the island, be- ing opened to traffic throughout its length on May Is, 1905. Postoffices' were established, their number in 190S- 1904 being IF, with 76OS miles of pos tai routes. and the number of pieces ot mail handled in 1903-4 being 13,192,- 55I, against 5,237,279 in 1S96-97. In lg83-4 the telegraph lines, sos miles long, delivered 1O27,471 messages,
 
 long, delivered 3,57S,267 messages.
 Education, the distinguishing feature of modern Japan, received immediate attention. The system is divided into three departments, according to the three classes of the population: CD Japanese immigrants (42,12D; (2( Chinese settlers and their descendants. C27Ss .633); (3) Malay aborigines C94.- 315). For the Japanese immigrants 60 teachers are provided whose pupils in 1904 numbered about 2000. The Chi nese have 13O schools. with 521 teach CTS and about 1S,OOO pupils. Besides these there are about 1900 family schools" of the old style, with some g 06@ pupils. The medical school at Taiholzu., with Instruction conducted in Japanese, has 130 students, with a five year course The National Language
 
 To the native children and the native languages to Japanese children, and it also comprises Q technical course. The normal school trains native youths as teachers of native primary schools. A number of graduates have already been turned out. Five main schools and II branch schools have been established fer the aboFigines. In addition to these there are missionary schools, both Christian and Buddhist, as well as q museum and . library.
 Hygiene received immediate and careful attention. Numerous artesian wells were provided. supplying pure drinking water for the inhabitants, more than 500 such wells being locat- sd in the district of Taihoku, which comprises about one-tenth of the popu lation. In the capital of that district extensive water works were built. Sew craze was introduced in a number O. cities. Nine large towns have hoSpit als many smaller places have branch establishments of that kind, and more than 200 physicians are practicing on the island. The number of deaths from the plague fell from 2619 in the first half year of 1901 to 606 in the same period in 1903.
 The natural resources of the island