1901.] COMMERCIAL JAPA^. 



The number of letters tminailable, stolen, and burned varies according to the circumstances, as — 



2245 



Money orders and deposits are rather in the nature of social correspondence, with small amounts, and they are not of very much 

 help to transportation. 



Length of TELEOHApn Routes. 



International, taking the year 1892 as a standard as 100, the increase is as follows: 



"The war ellected a considerable change in 1895. 

 Eevenue and Expense of Post-Office and Telegraph. 



The net revenue of the department in 1897 was 2,891,793 yen, an increase over 1892 of 1,871,907 yen, equal to about 174 per cent. 

 The telephone system is being constantly extended throughout the country. 



The net revenue of the department in 1898 was 250,294 yen, an increase over 1892 of 241,013 yen, about 269 per cent. 



ARTICLE II. INDUSTRY. 



After the war the industry of Japan made wonderful improvement in all lines, especially in manufacturing, being helped somewhat 

 by the amendment of the customs tariff. A near approach was made to the English principle of levying customs merely for revenue, 

 and not for protection. Hitherto treaty conventions restricted the levy to not more than 5 per cent. The actual state of industry is best 

 explained by statistics. 



A. AGEICULTUEAL, FOREST, AND ANIMAL. 



Maintaining that the broad foundation of the wcalt'i of the country rests upon its honest farmers and its skilled agricultimsts, 

 farming was the principal source of industry for a long time, having quite a variety of products such as rice, wheat, pease, corn, radishes, 

 ginger, onions, teas, potatoes, indigo leaves, cocoons, rape seed, cotton, tobacco leaves, hemp, flax, all kinds of papyrus plants, sugar cane, 

 mushrooms, bamboo, fuel, charcoal, timber, persimmons, sweet oranges, grapes, and other fruits, cattle, horses, other domestic animals, 

 etc., many of which are of benefit to the manufacturers for their supply of raw materials. Rice for home use, cocoons for silk, and tea 

 for export are the most important and staple products of the country, and many areas are cultivated in all parts of the country. 



No. 6 ^15 



