The Mikado's Empire/Catatan dan Apendiks/Percetakan Uang Logam dan Kepegawaian Negeri

MINT AND PUBLIC WORKS.

The Ozaka mint is a series of fine and substantial buildings, in the Roman style of architecture, equipped with twelve first-class English coining-presses, thirty-seven melting-furnaces, and a sulphuric and nitric acid manufactory. The mint makes its own tools, cuts its own dies, and performs the usual bullion, as- saying, refining, and analyzing business of a mint in other countries. The estab- lishment was organized by Major T. W. Kinder, who was the efficient superin- tendent from 1870 to 1875. To his energy and ability are due the success and reputation of the mint, which it devolves upon the Japanese to maintain. Three hundred and eighty natives and several Englishmen are employed in it The coins minted are gold, silver, and copper, and of the same weight, fineness, de- nomination, and decimal division as the American coinage. They are round, with milled edges. They are stamped with the devices of the rising sun, coiled dragons, legend of date and denomination, in Chinese and Roman numerals,

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608 NOTES AND APPENDICES.

chrysanthemum, and Patdovmia imperidLis leaves and flower. Japanese preju- dices are against the idea of stamping the mikado's image on their coins. This dislike will probably pass away before many years. From 1871 to 1875, the num- ber of pieces coined was 136,885,541, their value being $62,421,744. The denomi- nations are fourteen : five being gold, five silver, and four copper. The average metal money now in circulation is nearly two dollars per head of the population, and of gold about seven-eighths of that sum per head.

The coasts of Japan, once the most dangerous, are now comparatively safe by night and day. The statistics of 1873 (below the maximum in 1876) show that there are thirty-one light-houses, two light-ships, five buoys, three beacons, and two steam tenders in operation. Over three million dollars have been expended by the Light-house Bureau (To Dai Rio). All the modern improvements dictated by advanced science and mechanical skill have been made use of. The coast of Japan now compares favorably with any in Europe. Mr. R. H. Brunton, the cap- able foreign superintendent, was in the Government service from 1868 to 1876.

The railway from Yokohama to Tokio, eighteen miles long, carried, in_1873, 1,435,656 passengers ; and, in 1874, 1,592,314 passengers. The railway from Ozaka to Kobe", twenty - two miles long, began operations in 1873. The railway from Ozaka to Kioto is nearly finished, and will probably open in autumn, 1876. From Kioto the road is surveyed to Tsuruga. Steam-transit lines are also projected from Kioto into Kii, from Kioto to Tokio and thence to Awomori. The excel- lence and convenience of transit by sea, and the fact that the mass of the people follow the agricultural life and habits, more than the lack of capital, will delay the completion of these enterprises for years. The great need of Japan is good wagon roads : comparatively few of these exist.

Telegraphs are now completed from Nagasaki to Sapporo, in Tezo. The main line connects the extremities, through the centre of the empire. A number of branch lines are also in operation. All the kens will probably soon be in electric communication with the capital. Two submarine cables cross the Sea of Japan to Asia, and two wires the Straits of Shimonose'ki and Tsugaru. The material used is English, and the Wheatstone system and katagana letters are used. All the above are Government enterprises and property. The Public Works Depart- ment also has charge of mines (see page 602), dock-yards, and foundries. A num- ber of steam paper-making, weaving, spinning, sawing, planing, printing, type- casting, and other establishments, representing a great variety of new industries, are being established by natives with foreign assistance. Many of these are assist- ed or encouraged by the Government.