Page:Japan by the Japanese (1904).djvu/502

The revolution of Japanese industrial conditions came with the introduction of elaborate Western machinery. Branches of manufacture that had formerly been what might be termed ‘family industries’ progressed to the small shops, and from there, with the employment of large capital and with the formation of joint-stock and limited liability companies, to the factory. During the four years from 1897 to 1900 inclusive, the number of companies increased by about 87 per cent., gross capital by about 66 per cent., and paid-up capital by over 75 per cent., while the reserves increased by more than 200 per cent.

Thus, according to official returns, there were at the end of 1900 2,554 Japanese manufacturing companies employing not less than ten workpeople each, and whose aggregate financial standing was: Gross capital, £22,000,000; paid-up capital, £16,000,000; reserve, £1,800,000.

Of the foregoing companies, 1,009 were joint-stock, 1,271 limited liability, and 274 partnership and similar unlimited liability companies. The total number of workshops at the same period was 6,317, as distinct from companies. The employés of these establishments may be summed up, broadly speaking, as follows:

Those in shops using motors of various sorts:

Those in shops not using motors:

Of this number, there were in the motor-using class of shops, of children under fourteen years of age: