2238 



COMMEECIAL JAPAIS". 



[December, 



I. Navigation. 



Our natural facilities for navigation are unsuri:ia.ssed. Among the many directions in -which the country has been pushing itg 

 economic expansion in recent years, none is more remarkable than the development of the maritime interests, which Include shipbuilding, 

 carrving power, and harbor improvements, together with its protection from foreign attack. Sea interests and sea powers are the natural 

 corollaries of trade interests and industrial power, and they to-day take a leading place in the country. 



(a) vessels. 



All countries have discovered that if they are to find a market for their growing surplus, they mast have their own ships. Within 

 the past years our Government has been increasing directly its subsidies, to encourage the enlargement of the shipyards and the 

 construction and operation of steamships. Independently, however, of this artificial stimulus shipbuilding is vearly progressing, 

 encouraged 1)y the daily increa.se and improvement in methods of production and by the gradually increasing facilities of carriage, the 

 natural results of the industrial and trade prosperity. About the middle of the last century Europe and America began to give attention 

 to gaining the controlling power over the Paciiic Ocean, and with the increase of traffic, an increase of vessels, both foreign and domestic, 

 entered and cleared the Japanese ports. According to the stati-stics showing the increased number of the vessels entering and clearing 

 our ports Japan improved very rapidly in later years. 



Vessels which Cleared the Ports of Japan. 



Vessels Entered the Poets of Japan. 



•1S!>5 shows the effect of Chino-.Tapanese war, while sailing vessels of the country and foreism steam and sailing vessels 

 are not alToctfrl by it, yet there is the steady substitution of steamers for sailing vessels. The sailing vessels of the country 

 are increasing as well us tlie steamers, while foreign sailing vessels are decreasing more rapidly than foreign steamers. 



Shipping, since 1891, shows an enormous development in its total capacity; showing relative growth as follows: 



STEAMERS. 



SAILlXa VESSELS. 



While tlic nnmbcr of 8lnp.s is increasing, the size is also incivasiug, especially of sloaniers. In 1891 the average si/.o of stoaniets was 

 157 loii«; in 1 S^".'> hrrjiuic LV)S, and in ISDS increased to 422 tons. During the same period sailing vessels increased only from 60 to 89 tuns. 



Thus tlie count I y is uliliziug iniinensoiy the facilities of navigation. 



