404 PAPER IN FOREIGN COUNTRIES. 



Chemical fiber is mostly imported from Germany, Norway, and 

 the United States. 



BANKS. 



The following is a list of the banks in this consular district (Osaka 

 and Hiogo) which have extended their business to foreign countries: 



Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation; English. 



Chartered Bank of India, Australia, and China; English. 



Yokohama Specie Bank, Limited; Japanese. 



Mitsui Bank; Japanese. 



Mitsu Bishi Goshi Kaisha, banking department; Japanese. 



National Bank of China, Limited; English. 



Russo-Chinese Bank; Russian. 



In addition to the above-named banks, there are about 50 others 

 with smaller capital situated in Hiogo (Kobe) and Osaka. 



CABLE LINES. 



Cable lines under the control of the Japanese Government con- 

 nect with the Eastern Cable Company and overland lines to Europe, 

 through China, India, and Siberia; also with the telegraph lines in 

 China. 



OCEAN FREIGHT AND MAIL FACILITIES. 



Japan joined the International Postal Union several years ago 

 and is entitled to credit for the degree of efficiency attained in hand- 

 ling foreign mail matter. 



The steamship mail service is all that can be desired, and is being 

 rapidly developed by the addition of other vessels to the old lines 

 and by the replacing of the old and slow boats by new and fast ones. 



New lines of communication, also, have been started to the United 

 States and to Europe during 1898, one to the United States being a 

 freight line, named the California and Oriental Steamship Company, 

 with terminal at San Diego, Cal. , via Yokohama and Honolulu, 

 connecting with the Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe Railroad sys- 

 tem ; and the other being the Toyo Risen Kaisha (Oriental Steamship 

 Company), which owns three fast mail boats and now runs in con- 

 junction with the Pacific Mail and Occidental and Oriental Steam- 

 ship companies to San Francisco, Cal. 



The average time between Japanese ports and the United States 

 is now about fifteen days, and between Japan and various European 

 countries forty days. As the whole world is now struggling for 

 commercial supremacy in the East, the proximity of the United States 

 to this trade should not be overlooked by American manufacturers. 



SAMUEL S. LYON, 



HIOGO, March 7, 1899. Consul. 



