The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-07-24
FINANCIAL AND ECONOMIC COW.
DITION or JAPAN.


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Japan adopted the European postal
system In 1871, and In 1877 joined the Inter-
national Postal Union. Uniform postal
rates were adopted In 1882. Tho report
for 10000 shows e.s70 post Offices and about
i,7oS. 600. 900 letters and parcels handled.
There are $4,000 miles Of postal route.
A telegraph service vas installed In 1900.
but for a number OF years tho system vas
crude and unsatisfactory. In 10000 thers
were 7 900 miles Of line. over which "a. 800 900
messages were distributed through 1900
Offices. Tho lines are owned by the Gov
eminent, and receipts for the servioe and
tho cost OF maintenance are included In tho
postal receipts and expenditures. During
the same year usO5-Oe) there were in opera
ton $40 public telephone stations with
service, and l43 with automatio Instruments.
n business is reported approximately
as 1856, 0O0. 900 messages. There were 3.4ie
milcs Of line and $500 miles Of wire.
For purposes Of comparison it may be
raid that in this country OF much loss than
twice Japanis population the Western Union
Company alone has Dos. 900 miles OF telegraph
line In comparison with Japan's 1900 miles.
and the American Telephone and Telegraph
Company alone has e.O00.O0O miles OF tele-
phone wire. compared with Japan's a, 500
miles. The latter company alone handles
as many messages every twelve days as the
Japanese line handles in q year.
JHpan's shipping register for 1908 shows
1892 steamers and 4.O44 sailing vessels OF
more han twenty Tons. The steamer list
shows ga between % and 100 tons, and the
sailing list 2 .7s9 Of similar tonnage. There
are 35s steamers and 1853 sailing vessels
bet ween 100 aud 500 tons. There are only
two sailing vessels above 500 tons. On
the steamer list there are 1874 from 500 70
1000 tons. i3i from 1000 to 1000 tons, 1913
from 1000 to 5000 tons. and tventy-seven
of more than 5000 tons. The gross ton
mage Of the entire steamer feet Is reported
as loss, 7&2. None Of the steamers OF less
than 1000 tons is reported as having q
greater speed than IL TO 10 knots, and 4
large percentage in that class Ia rated at
9 TO 10 knots. With increased size there
comes. of course, an increase In speed. but
there are only sixteen steamers on the list
rated at Is knots or better.
Under the laws OF 1894 Japan pays boun-
ties on the construction of iron or steel ves-
sells OF not less than 200 gross tons. and
under laws OF the same year subsidies are
paid to duly registered Japanese vessels
of AZ least 1000 tons. The amount Of the
subsidy Ia proportionate to the tonnage OF
the vessel and the distance run. A recent
report made by Consul-Genersl Miller of
Yokohama states that the annual appro-
priation for promoting shipping and aiding
lines OF the merchant marine was for the
fiscal year ended March 81, 1907, and for
previous years, s3,52e, $50, and for ship
building s3se, $50. This has been increased
for the current fiscal year and several suo-
ceeding years by sTsi 1873 per annum In sub
sides for various lines. More thar half
this increase goes 10 sustain old and estab-
lish new lines to China
Japan's Nippon Yusen Kaisha (Iapan
Mail Steamship Company and her Togo
Risen Kaisha (0riental Steamship Com
panyl run steamships which compare favor
ably in size. speed and service with the
Oriental lines from Europe and the United
States. A regular service il maintained
covering all the principal points between
the west coast of America and the west
coast Of Europe. The traveller may sail
from a Pacific coast port. travel many
thousands of miles. visit many different
countries, land finally in England. and
make the entire trip on Japanese steamers
of large size and most comfortable equip
meut: but while this is an important part Of
Japan's maritime policy II il not the largest
feature of that policy. That Ia the smaller
routes which will feed the larger lines and
make Japan the great central depot Of the
trade of the Far East. Her branch lines
will cover the Asiatic coast. follow up the
great rivers Of China. and get business md
make business throughout a vast and
heavily populated area. The recent or
ganization of the Nisshin Kisen Kaisha
(Japan-Chipa Steamship Company. CAPT
tai %. 900, 900 gold. il one Of the steps in that
direction. Its nucleus Ia a combination
Of four already important lines. and Q con-
siderable expansion Is o under way.
Four new steamers OF 1900 tons will be
added TO the present feet, and q subsidy
Of ttoO .o01 a year will be granted for a
term Of Ave years.
No secret Is made OF Japan's maritime
policy. She intonds TO dominate the ocean
transportation Of the waters of the Far
East and to have as large a place rs possible
in the m between that region and
the markets Of the Western world.