Page:Japan by the Japanese (1904).djvu/444

In 1890 or 1891 the weaving industry did not make any marked development, and the value of goods woven was about 30,000,000 or 40,000,000 yen. But recently, aided by the progress of applied chemistry, and also of technology, the industry has made considerable progress, and in 1899 the weaving capacity reached 150,000,000 yen. During ten years the increase has been more than fourfold. Now, with the cotton-yarn industry, it has become one of the principal industries of the empire. (See Table, p. 405.)

This kind of industry had its origin in 1880 or 1881, and developed gradually until in 1890 the total number of spindles reached 277,895, producing 5,132,588 kwan of cotton yarn. But since, in 1894, the duty on exports of cotton yarn, and, in April, 1896, that on the import of raw cotton, were removed, the industry made marked progress, and in 1901 the number of spindles in use daily reached 1,181,762, and the productive capacity had increased to 33,323,770 kwan. To-day cotton-spinning has become the chief industry of the country.