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COMMERCE AND INDUSTRIES

399

Banks.

Banking business commenced with the promulgation of the National Bank Act in 1872. Since then banks were established at several places until, in 1879, there were 153 banks. Notwithstanding the suspension of the right of establishing new national banks, several private banks were added. In 1890 there were 353 banks with a paid-up capital of 82,121,278 yen, but during the last few years there has been a marked increase, and in 1899 there were 2,105 banks, with a paid-up capital of 268,024,897 yen.

Number of Banks and Amount of Capital, Etc.

(As Standing at the End of December of the Respective Years).

Year.	Number of Head Offices.	Paid-up Capital.	Reserves.	Net Profits.
		Yen.	Yen.	Yen.
1890	0,353	082,121,278	24,017,814	13,768,616
1891	0,388	082,997,920	26,356,773	14,613,537
1892	0,405	085,681,777	26,040,111	14,184,387
1893	0,763	094,512,848	27,104,047	13,968,684
1894	0,863	101,409,881	30,231,153	17,453,796

1895	1,019	127,807,715	34,623,518	26,282,162
1896	1,321	167,271,488	55,353,268	46,422,600
1897	1,594	211,047,470	36,116,252	44,622,320
1898	1,875	257,447,002	40,795,138	38,277,336
1899	2,105	288,024,897	51,151,558	44,988,747

Note.—The table includes the Bank of Japan, the Crédit Foncier, the Yokohama Specie Bank, the National Banks, Agricultural and Industrial Banks, Joint Stock Banks, Private Banks, and Savings Banks.

Railways.

The first line of railway was constructed between Tokyo and Yokohama—eighteen miles—in 1872. Since that time the Government railroads have been yearly extended at a varying rate of increase. The first private line was built in 1883, and covered sixty-three miles. After that, the railroad construction was somewhat slow, but recently, with national progress, it has been progressing very fast. In 1890 we had 551 miles of Government lines, and 896 miles of private lines—total, 1,447 miles. Since the war with China marked development has been made, and in 1901 there were 1,059 miles of Government lines, and 2,966 miles of private lines, a total of 4,025 miles.