12th Aug.
Tus is the title of the opening article in the July number of the Kokumin-no-Tomo's English edition, the Far East, There was now a really severe com- materials subjugated Corea about two petition. The Yubin Jokisen Kaisha, thousand years ago; of Toyotomi formerly the Kaiso Kaisha, got into Hideyoshi, who frightened the people such trouble that the Government took of China and Corea by his enormous back the eighteen steamers formerly expedition three hundred years ago: sold to it, and sold them eto the! of Date Masamune, who sent messengers Mitsubishi, who had now only the to Rome early in the reign of the Third and a very good historical summary of Pacific Mail Company to fight, a very Shogun; and of many other nameless the growth and progress of steamship formidable competitor. But Mr. Iwa-j heroes who have performed deeds of owning in Japan it is. The writer saki was equal to the occasion, He, maritime valour. By encouraging the begins by noting that modern Japan bought up the Pacific Mail Co.'s/ art and business of modern navigation has passed through three stages of local line, and made an agreement let us testify that the enterprising progress. At first, directly after the that the Pacific Mail Ca. should blood of these ancestors is stil! ranning revolution, the Japanese were blind run no steamers on the Shanghai line in our veins." worshippers of the West, and eagerly for thirty years, the Jitsubishi Ca, adopted everything that Western civil-agreeing to ran no steamers to Ameri i isation had to offer. 'I'he second stage was that of discrimination, when the in competition with the Pacific Mail) ''HE NEW ''ERMINUS OF THE for the same period. hen the P,& O.' 'TRANS-SIBERIAN RAILWAY. Japanese began to choose what was good Company began to compete with the! 18th Ang. in Western. civilisation, and to hope Mitsubishi; the latter spent $294,000 Te Novoe Vremya, x Russian uews-that they might some day take an in the competition, and its rival retired paper which is not fond of England, equal place with the so-called civilised nations of the world. With the late leaving the monopoly to Mr. Iwasaki's jand which often receives inspiration company. from the Russian Foreign Office, has war came the third stage, when the After this the Satsuma Rebellion been making a fresh suggestion as to Japanese found that their hopes were took place, and the Mitsubishi company desirable port for the terminus on realised. "Now we have not only the formal recognition of -onr claim to was furnished by the government with this side of the Trans-Siberi: Railway, funds to buy ten more steamers. and has fixed upon Mokpo in Coren, equality with other nations, but we have awaked in ourselves the faith In 1882 the Government assisted Mokpo is a port that is not yet open to the formation of the Ktodo Unyu! foreign trade, though its opening has that our power to accomplish what we undertake is not less than that of other Kaisha (The Uniov Transportation been more than once suggested, "It is Company), providing two and three- in the south-west extremity of Corea, nations." Considering what has occurred recently in Corea and Formosa, it fifths of its capital of six million dollars, lat. 34° 47', and is stated to possess The new company and the Mitsubishi great strategical as well as commercial will be generally felt that the Japanese fought resolutely for three years, but advantages, The St, James's Gazette have reached the third stage a little too in September, 1885, under the auspices calls Mokpo a "Corean Gibraltar 3" it quickly. of the Government, they were amalgam-|dves not freeze up in winter, it is at The development of navigation, the mated into the Nippon Yusen Kaisha the mouth of a fine river, the Yangsan Far East goes on to say, has passed through similar stages. "'towards the (he Japan Mail Steamship Ca.). Kang, small islands mark its mouth, Between 1885 and 1893 the steam and there are uwo entrances into it, close of the Tokugawa Shogunate, various Daimios bought steamers for their tonnage owned in Japan had increased which would add to the difficulty from 59,613 to 110,205 net tons.j of blockading it. It is surrounded by private use, most of them old-fashioned Daring the late war with China, commanding heights, and the harbour paddle-wheel boats that had outlived steamers were bought up eagerly, until is protected by high headlands, which their utility; and numerous and roman-in November, 1895, the tonnage reached would render its defence very ensy, tic were the stories that were told of 331,000 tons. It was known that! The anchorage, which is well sheltered, them and their behaviour in the hands as soon as the war was over these would easily accommodate thirty iron-of their new owners. When the feudal steamers would be despatched to foreign clads; there is a depth of from eight system was abolished, these vessels ports, opening up new lines east, south, to eighteen fathoms, while wharves were taken over by the Imperial and west. Sowesee the Nippon Yusen with deep water alongside could Government, and by it transferred Kaisha sending its steamers to Europe, easily be constructed along the banks to a private company called the Australia, and the Pacific Slope. The|of the river. The advantage it Kaiso Kaisha ('Vransportation Com-most remarkable point about the whole possesses as an ice-free harbour over pany), "which, however, was not able matter is that the Companies have Port Lazareff, or any other port on the to maintain itself even in the coasting found Japanese officers and engineers east side of Corea is very considerable. trade." In 1874 the first Formosa ex-able to take charge of all these steamers Vessels coming from the east coast of pedition took place, and the Government and run them successfully, A few of Corea to the Yellow Sea must pass bought thirteen steamers for use as the steamers, those which carry large through Broughton Channel, which is transports. When by the influence of numbers of foreign passengers, are still commanded by the Japanese stronghold the British Minister at Peking this officered and engineered by foreigners on 'I'sushima, while at Mokpo the incident was amicably settled, and the but the majority of them have native Russians will be actually on the Yellow Japanese troops were withdrawn from officers and engineers, and they are|Sea. The French have received a con-Formosa, the Government had no more run very successfully. he writer in cession for a railway from the Yalu to use for its thirteen newly-bought trans-the Far East says, indeed, that "as Seoul, and this could be continued as ports. But, "before this, an extra-regards the education of officers and soon as desired to Mokpo, while the ordinary man, a retainer of Tosa clan sailors, the condition of affairs at present Russian line through Manchuria will of named Iwasaki Yataro, established is far from satisfactory." And no doubt course be brought to the Yalu, a small steamship company at Osaka." this is true as far as regards the mauning We do not suppose that the Russians It was called the Mitsubishi Shokai of the smaller coast steamers, and those have come to any decision to take (Three Caltrops 'I'rading Co.), and owned two or three steamers, which ran on short. belonging to private owners. Special Mokpo, and the ove Vremya's schools, the Far East says, must be pro- suggestion is probably put out as a coasting voyages from Osaka. The Government's thirteen steamers were lent vided where navigation may be taught, feeler. The Trans-Siberian railway to Mr. Iwasaki, who was thus enabled more lighthouses must be built, and the will undoubtedly be a great advantage life-saving service must be improved. to all foreigners in China. It will bring to open a regular line between Yokohama, Kobe, and Shanghai, This was And he patriotically concludes:—us all so much nearer home, and gives "Let it be remembered that we are|an alternative route for those who dis-the nucleus of the great Nipper Yusen Kaisha, the posterity of the Empress Jingo, like a sea voyage or to whom time is who, with imperfect transports and warn object. That it will give Russia
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.