The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1918-01-24
japanese Shipping
By Frederick J. Haskin

OldIeS is not the only country winch is
creating shipbuilding industry to meet
war needs. The Japanese yards are
also making ships and millionaires, who
promise to exert an important influence
on the future of Nippon.
At the beginning of the war Japan
had several shipyards, but they were
more ornamental than useful, doing
little work and looked upon as a govern
ment hobby than anything else. For
they were subsidIze by the governmet,
in spite of the fact that almost all
japanese shipping was built in Great
Britain at a much lower price than it
could be built in Japanese yards. Later
the government had reason to congratu-
late itself upon what for years had ap-
peared to be a somewhat unreasonable
subsidy.
When the demand for ships came in
1915 Japanese shipyards were ready.
The value of shipping rose so rapidly
that there was no longer any danger of
European competition, even if Europe
had been in the position to compete,
which. of course, it wasn't. The ship
yards of Great Britain, most efficient
in the world, could not supply their own
war demand. Japan was not long in
recognizing its opportunity. By the
end of 1915, SO ships with a total ton
mage of 481,000 tons were in the pro-
cess of building in japanese shipyards.
Since then many other yards have
opened up, carloads of machinery have
been imported, thousands of men tram
ed, millions paid in dividends. 1t is esti-
mated that there are now about 238
shipyards in Japan, turning out on the
average of 200, 600 tons a year and pre-
pairing to turn out 300, 900 tons before
long. 1t is not known how many ships
have been sold outright to the Allies,
but 1t is known that japanese ships are
carrying much war cargo, that Japan
now stands fifth on the list of the worlds
marines.
AS matter of fact, shipbuiding is
not a new industry in Japan; it is old as
the country itself. Where these modern
shipyards build huge steel bottoms, the
ancient Japanese once built sturdy
wooden boats.
Today the word "maru" signifies
ships, but the word actually means
round. Historians believe that this
word has come down from the time
when the ship-building of Japan was
confined to round, tub-like boats, such
as were used in the primitive days of
man and are now to be found only in
museums and on the Tigris and Euph-
rates. At any rate, some of the earliest
battles recorded in japanese history
were fought with large fleets of wooden
ships.
At the end of the sixteenth century
Japanese ship-builders were experts IN
their lines. They built ships several
times as large as the junks now so com
mon on the coasts and rivers of Nippon.
much sturdier than that which carried
Columbus safely to America and quite
as commodious as the Dutch and Portu-
guese ships of that period. Came to
Japan, also, about this time an English
pilot by the name of VIII Adams, who
proceeded to settle there and teach the
ship builders all he knew about ship
building. Under his able direction the
ships grew bigger and sturder, capable
of long voyages, and Japan began to
build up large foreign trade on the
Pacific. Her ships carried cargoes to
the Philippines long before the white
man had discovered the existence of
the islands; large trade was built up
with Korea, South China, India, Siam
and Java, and there is evidence that at
least one trip was made to Mexico.
japanese sailors became famous all
over the Pacific for their ability and
daring-a fact which led more than one
of them into unexpected adventures.
Thus it happened that Yamada Maya
masa, the captain of a vessel that carri-
ed cargoes between Japan and Siam,
noted for his comely appearance and
reckless bravely, attracted the atten-
ton OF the Queen Of Siam.
This lady became so enamored finally
that she poisoned her husband in order
to make Yamada king. Followed
dangerous career for Yamada. Already
in love with royal Siamese princess,
he carried his bravery little too far
and spurned the advances of the queen,
married his fiancee and settled down as
viceroY of an important Siamese pro-
vince. Shortly afterwards a wedding
present came from the queen-an ordi-
nary Siamese trinket, presumably but
Yamada was found deaG.
Whether due to such incidents as this
or to the emigration from Japan, the
shogunate decided in 1886 to adopt its
famous policy of exclusion. All for
eigners were at once notified to leave
Japan, while the Japanese themselves
were forbidden to 90 to other coun-