Japan by the Japanese/Appendix I

In the 3rd year of Meiji (1870) Reiganjima Kaiso Kaisha (the Reiganjima Sea Transport Company) received a grant of two steamers from the Government, and opened the regular monthly service between Tokyo and Osaka, this being the first regular steamship service on the coast of Japan. In the 5th year of Meiji (1872) the company was dissolved, and soon after the Nippon Koku Yubin Jokisen Kaisha (the Japan Mail Steamship Company) was established. The new company also undertook the regular services under the order of the Government, in consideration of which the company was allowed to buy several boats belonging to the Government in yearly instalments. In the 8th year of Meiji (1875) the Government gave a grant to the Mitsu Bishi Kisen Kaisha (the Mitsu Bishi Steamship Company) of several steamers recently acquired by the Government. The Mitsu Bishi Company, receiving an annual subsidy, opened the Shanghai line and several regular coasting services, under the order of the Government. In the 15th year of Meiji (1882) the Government, giving aids to the Kyodo Unyu Kaisha (the Union Transport Company), ordered it to maintain regular lines. After a long struggle the rival companies were amalgamated into one, under the name of Nippon Yusen Kaisha (Japan Mail Steamship Company). The newly-organized company came under an obligation to maintain several mail services—foreign and home—in consideration of which a yearly subsidy was granted by the Government. In the 21st year of Meiji (1888) the Government made an order to the Osaka Shosen Kaisha (the Osaka Mercantile Marine Company) entitling it to receive a subsidy for eight years, thereby obliging the company to improve the vessels within a certain specified time, and to maintain the regular mail services, especially on the western coasts of Japan. In September of the 35th year of Meiji (1902), the Government gave its consent to pay the Konan Kisen Kaisha (the Konan Steamship Company) interest, at a certain percentage, on the paid-up capital in case of any loss sustained.

Article I.—The bounty for the encouragement of navigation will be granted, according to the provisions of this Act, to Japanese subjects or mercantile companies of which the members or shareholders shall be exclusively composed of Japanese subjects, engaging in the business of transportation of goods and passengers, with ships solely owned by them and registered ​on the register of ships of Japan, either between various foreign ports or between ports of Japan and those of foreign countries.

Article II.—A vessel entitled to the bounty according to this Act must be an iron or steel steamer of not less than 1,000 tons gross, having maximum speed of not less than 10 knots per hour, and complying with the requirements of the shipbuilding regulations to be determined by the Minister of Communications.

Article III.—An owner of a ship wishing to receive the bounty for his ship shall first obtain a certificate of competency of the ship from the Minister of Communications.

Article IV.—The following classes of ships are not entitled to receive the bounty:

1. Ships built in foreign countries which have passed five years since construction at the time of registration on the register of ships of Japan, the time of registration being after this Act is put in operation.
2. Ships that have passed fifteen years since construction.
3. Ships employed on routes under orders from the Imperial Government.

Article V.—The bounty will be granted at the following rates: For a vessel of 1,000 tons gross, having a maximum speed of 10 knots per hour, 25 sen per ton for every 1,000 miles she runs; and an increase of 10 per cent. for every additional 500 tons, and of 20 per cent. for every additional maximum speed of 1 knot per hour.

But for a vessel of not less than 6,500 tons gross, or not less than 18 knots maximum speed, the rate will be the same as for a vessel of 6,000 tons gross, or maximum speed of 17 knots per hour.

For a vessel which has not passed five years after construction the full amount of the bounty shall be granted, but for those having passed five years after construction every addition of one year to the ship’s age will entail an annual reduction of 5 per cent. on the rate of the preceding year.

For foreign-built ships registered in the register of ships of Japan on and after the 1st day of the tenth month of the 32nd year of Meiji (1st October, 1899), one-half the amount of the bounty specified in the two preceding clauses shall be granted.

In making calculation of the amount of the bounty for a vessel fractions of a ton or a mile shall not be taken into account.

Article VI.—The number of miles navigated shall be calculated according to the distance of the shortest route between the respective ports.

In case of a vessel leaving Japan for foreign ports after ​calling at various ports in Japan, the last port in Japan called at shall be deemed as the starting-point, and in case of a vessel coming from foreign countries to Japan, the first port called at in Japan as the last point.

In proof of the mileage navigated certificates issued by the local authorities of the ports called at shall be produced.

Article VII.—The Minister of Communications may issue an order to employ the vessel for which the certificate referred to in Article III. has been obtained for public service upon payment of reasonable compensation.

Should the owner be dissatisfied with the amount of compensation mentioned in the preceding clause, he may sue in the court within a period of three months from the date of receiving the notification.

The aforesaid lawsuit will not prevent the employment of the vessel referred to herein.

Article VIII.—Every owner of the vessel for which the certificate mentioned in Article III. has been obtained shall, at the order of the Minister of Communications, have to carry apprentices on board such vessel at his expense, within the limit of the following rate of number, and shall pay them such allowance as determined by the said Minister:

Article IX.—Owners of the vessels for which the certificate mentioned in Article III. has been obtained are not allowed to employ foreigners in the head or branch offices, or as officers on board the said ships, without first obtaining the sanction of the Minister of Communications.

Should any vacancy in the officers be caused on board a vessel abroad, such vacancy may be filled up by the commander, but at the same time the certificate of the local authorities of the place where such an event takes place must be obtained.

In the event of having taken the aforesaid measure, the owner or master shall immediately seek the approval of the Minister of Communications.

Article X.—In the voyage undertaken by owners of the vessels for which the certificate mentioned in Article III. has been obtained, postal officers, mail matter, parcels and their accessories, shall be carried free of charge, if their conveyance be ordered by the Minister of Communications.

Article XI.—Owners of the vessels for which the certificate mentioned in Article III. has been obtained, or successors to their rights, are not permitted, either while employed on ​voyages under the aid of this Act, or during a period of three years after the completion of such voyage, to sell, lend, exchange, give, pawn, or mortgage such vessels to any foreigner, except the bounty already received on said vessels be first returned, or in case of said vessels becoming unserviceable through natural calamity or any other irresistible force, or when the owners have the special permission of the Minister of Communications.

Article XII.—The Minister of Communications may issue necessary instructions in connection with the obligations laid down upon the owners of ships by this Act, directly to their representatives or to masters of such vessels.

Article XIII.—Any person who receives the bounty by means of fraud, or violates the provisions of Article II., shall be punished by imprisonment with hard labour for a period of not less than one year and not exceeding five years, with a fine of not less than 200 yen and not exceeding 1,000 yen.

Any person detected in his intention to commit the above offences shall be dealt with according to the provisions of the Criminal Code relating to the unconsummated infractions of law.

Article XIV.—Any person violating the provisions of Article IX., or acting in defiance of the instructions issued by the Minister of Communications in accordance with this Act, shall be liable to a penalty of not less than 20 yen, but not exceeding 500 yen.

Article XV.—The provisions of the Criminal Code relating to the concurrence of several infractions by the same person shall not be applied to a person violating this Act.

Article XVI.—Any person obtaining the bounty by means of fraud shall be ordered to refund all such amount as he unlawfully secured, and any person violating provisions of Article IX. shall be ordered to refund such amount as he has already received.

Article XVII.—The Minister of Communications is authorized to suspend the grant of the bounty to any shipowner violating this Act, as also in the case of violation of the Act by his representative, or by the master of his vessel, under the circumstances referred to in Article XII.

Article XVIII.—The rules of punishment mentioned in the preceding articles shall be applied in case of a commercial company to a managing member or director who is responsible for the acts mentioned in the respective articles.

Article XIX.—This Act shall be in force for a period of eighteen years, from the 1st October, 1896.

Since the operation of the Law for the Encouragement of Navigation, the number of steamships which have received the ​bounty, their gross tonnage, the number of miles of their voyage, and the amount of the bounty which has been granted to them, in accordance with the said law, are as follows:

The names of steamships which held a valid certificate in September, 35th year of Meiji (1902), and for which the bounty is to be granted in accordance with the said law, their gross tonnage, their routes, and the names of their owners, are as follows:

Name of Ships.	Gross Tonnage.	Routes.			Owners.
​
Kiushiu-Maru.	3,853	—		${\displaystyle \scriptstyle {\left.{\begin{matrix}\ \\\\\ \\\ \ \end{matrix}}\right\}\,}}$	The Nippon Yusen Kaisha (Japan Mail Steamship Company).
Ryojun-Maru.	4,805	Hong Kong.
Tosa-Maru.	5,823	Seattle Line.
Idzumi-Maru.	3,229	Bombay Line.
Akunoura-Maru.	1,717	${\displaystyle \scriptstyle {\left.{\begin{matrix}\ \\\\\ \\\ \ \end{matrix}}\right\}\,}}$	Chinese Coast, Straits Settle- ments, and Australia.		The Mitsubishi Goshi-Kaisha (Mitsubishi Com- pany).
Wakamatsu-Maru.	2,774
Daiya-Maru.	2,795
Atagosan-Maru.	2,043	${\displaystyle \scriptstyle {\left.{\begin{matrix}\ \\\\\ \\\ \\\ \ \end{matrix}}\right\}\,}}$	Ditto.	${\displaystyle \scriptstyle {\left\{{\begin{matrix}\ \\\\\ \ \end{matrix}}\right.}}$	The Mitsui Busan Kaisha (Mitsui and Company).
Asosan-Maru.	1,701
Tsurugisan-Maru.	4,128
Fujisan-Maru.	2,043
Hikosan-Maru.	3,712
Kelung-Maru.	1,669	Ditto.			The Osaka Shosen Kaisha (Osaka Mercantile Marine Company).
​

Between the years of 1899 and 1905 the yearly subsidies to be paid to the three leading steamship companies were approximately as follows: