Production and Industry. About three-fifths of the arable land is cultivated by peasant proprietors, and the remaining portion of it by tenants (1892). According to the official report of January 1, 1904, taxed land owned by private persons and local corporations was in cho 13,846,329; of which under cultivation, 5,207,811; forests, 7,080,023; open field, 1,134,283. The following are some agricultural statistics for five years :— In 1902 the number of cattle was 1,275,382; of horses, 1,515,373; sheep, 2,289; goats, 62,203; swine, 213, 417. The mineral and metal products in two years were :— 2,494,656 2,467,162 2,558,178 2,599,570 31 kwan 8-28 pounds avoir. In the province of Echigo the petroleum industry is being developed. At Wakamatsu there is a large Government foundry turning out pig-iron, Siemens' steel, and rails and plates. At Nagasaki are important shipbuilding works with the newest machinery under the supervision of skilled European workmen. Silk, cotton, and other textiles were manufactured to the value of in 1900, 178,234,498 yen; in 1901, 153,595,919 yen; in 1902, 151,187,473 yen. Cotton yarn was manufactured in 1900 to the extent of 32,419,641 kwan; in 1901, 33,115,829 kwan; in 1902, 38,458,947 kwan. In 1902 there were 80 cotton spinning mills with 1,301,118 spindles, employing 14,375 men and 57,513 women. About 34,000 persons are employed in shipbuilding, machinery and tool-making, &c.; 13,600 in pottery: 42,000 in metallurgy; 54,600 in manufacturing inflammable substances. Some of the marine products in 1902 were:-dried fish, 10,937,380 yen ; fish oil, 6,277,729 yen, and table salt, 8,869,569 yen. Commerce. The following tables show the value of the foreign trade (merchandise only) of Japan (without Formosa, the foreign trade of which is shown separately) for five years (the yen is worth about 2s. Od.). Imports 220,401,926 287,261,846 255,816,644 271,731,259 317,135,518 Exports 211,495,335 198,063,547 252,349,543 258, 303,065 289,502,443 In 1902 the imports subject to duty were of the value of 151,037,566 yen, and the duty-free imports 120,693,692 yen. All exports are duty-free. The commercial intercourse of Japan was mainly with the following countries, and to the following values in two years : The recorded values are ascertained from shipping documents and invoices, in the case of exports being given as the market values in Japan, and of imports as the values in the countries of purchase, inclusive of the cost of transport, insurance, &c. The prime origin and ultimate destination, as far as they are known, are recorded as disclosed in the shipping documents. The import duties levied in Japan are usually from 10 to 25 per cent. ad valorem, but in some cases they are as low as 5, and in others as high as 150 per cent. On rough woven goods of mixed cotton and wool the rate is 5 per cent.; on ordinary cotton, linen, or woollen tissues, 10 per cent.; on finer tissues, such as curtains, shawls, &c., 20 per cent.; on silk tissues, 25 per cent. On metal work and machinery the duty is from 5 to 10 per cent., but in some cases 15 or 20 per cent.; on glass-work 10 to 25 per cent. ; on hides 5 per Production and Industry. About three-fifths of the arable land is cultivated by peasant proprietors, and the remaining portion of it by tenants (1892). According to the official report of January 1, 1904, taxed land owned by private persons and local corporations was in cho 13,846,329; of which under cultivation, 5,207,811; forests, 7,080,023; open field, 1,134,283. The following are some agricultural statistics for five years In 1902 the number of cattle was 1,275,382; of horses, 1,515,373; sheep, 2,289; goats, 62,203; swine, 213,417. The mineral and metal products in two years were :— In the province of Echigo the petroleum industry is being developed. At Wakamatsu there is a large Government foundry turning out pig-iron, Siemens' steel, and rails and plates. At Nagasaki are important shipbuilding works with the newest machinery under the supervision of skilled European workmen. Silk, cotton, and other textiles were manufactured to the value of in 1900, 178,234,498 yen; in 1901, 153,595,919 yen; in 1902, 151,187,473 yen. Cotton yarn was manufactured in 1900 to the extent of 32,419,641 kwan; in 1901, 33,115,829 kwan; in 1902, 38,458,947 kwan. In 1902 there were 80 cotton spinning mills with 1,301,118 spindles, employing 14,375 men and 57,513 women. About 34,000 persons are employed in shipbuilding, machinery and tool-making, &c.; 13,600 in pottery; 42,000 in metallurgy; 54,600 in manufacturing inflammable substances. Some of the marine products in 1902 were :-dried fish, 10,937,380 yen ; fish oil, 6,277,729 yen, and table salt, 8,869,569 yen. Commerce. The following tables show the value of the foreign trade (merchandise only) of Japan (without Formosa, the foreign trade of which is shown separately) for five years (the yen is worth about 2s. 0d.). 1899 1900 1901 1902 1903 Yen Yen Yen Yen Yen Imports 220,401,926 287,261,846 255,816,644 271,731,259 317,135,518 Exports 211,495,335 198,063,547 252,349,543 258, 303,065 289,502,443 In 1902 the imports subject to duty were of the value of 151,037,566 yen, and the duty-free imports 120,693,692 yen. All exports are duty-free. The commercial intercourse of Japan was mainly with the following countries, and to the following values in two years : The recorded values are ascertained from shipping documents and invoices, in the case of exports being given as the market values in Japan, and of imports as the values in the countries of purchase, inclusive of the cost of transport, insurance, &c. The prime origin and ultimate destination, as far as they are known, are recorded as disclosed in the shipping documents. The import duties levied in Japan are usually from 10 to 25 per cent. ad valorem, but in some cases they are as low as 5, and in others as high as 150 per cent. On rough woven goods of mixed cotton and wool the rate is 5 per cent.; on ordinary cotton, linen, or woollen tissues, 10 per cent.; on finer tissues, such as curtains, shawls, &c., 20 per cent. ; on silk tissues, 25 per cent. On metal work and machinery the duty is from 5 to 10 per cent., but in some cases 15 or 20 per cent.; on glass-work 10 to 25 per cent.; on hides 5 per cent.; leather 10 per cent.; leather goods 20 and 25 per cent.; chemicals, oils, &c., 10 per cent.; paper, 10 to 15 per cent., but books are free; matches, 20 per cent. Food imports are usually taxed; rice is free, but on wheat the duty is 34d. per cwt., and on flour, 9}d. per cwt. On butter the duty is 178. 1d. per cwt.; on cheese, 108. 7d. per cwt.; on sugar, 54d. to 48. 24d. per cwt. On cattle and sheep the duty is 5 per cent. ad valorem; on pigs, 10 per cent.; on meat, 10 per cent. On ale the duty is 113d. per gallon; on spirits 28. 63d. per gallon, or 100 per cent. ad valorem. On tobacco-leaf 35 per cent. ad valorem is levied ; on manufactured tobacco 150 per cent. The treaty of commerce and navigation between Great Britain and Japan, made in 1894, came into operation in 1899. It provides for the most favoured nation treatment between the two countries. The foreign commerce of Japan is carried on through the open ports of Yokohama, Kobé, Osaka, Nagasaki, Hakodate, and 21 special export ports. The following table shows the chief articles of the foreign commerce, excluding re-imports and re-exports, for 1902 and 1903 : The imports of bullion and specie in 1902 amounted to 32,161,358 yen, and exports to 2,028,982 yen. The extent of the trade of the United Kingdom with Japan, according to the Board of Trade Returns, is shown in the subjoined table for five years : The staple articles of import from Japan into Great Britain in the year 1903 were silk manufactures, 856, 2347.; copper, 303,5571.; straw plaiting, 266,7847.; rice, 12,3277. The staple articles of British export to Japan consist of cotton goods, of the value of 922,4087.; cotton yarn, 76,0337.; woollen fabrics, 476,5271.; iron, wrought and unwrought, 1,088,0487.; machinery, 560,8617.; chemicals, 212,8147.; arms and ammunition, 126,5457.; new ships and boats, 55,8177.; telegraph wire and apparatus, 22,7037. in the year 1903. The commerce of the United States with Japan (according to U.S. |