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of Meiji (1874), and which was used for the purpose of repairs, was also transferred to private possession in the 17th year of Meiji (1884), the new owner being the Kawasaki Shipbuilding Company, who has lately commenced to take orders for the construction of ships.

To review the general progress of the shipbuilding industry since the new era of enlightenment was inaugurated by the restoration of political power to the Imperial Court in 1868: The effect of the healthy stimulus supplied by the policy of reform and progress pursued by the new Government was at once apparent in the rapid growth of commerce and navigation. The steamships used in the newly-developed carrying trade were, however, all brought from abroad until about the 10th year of Meiji, when small wooden steamers for use in the Inland Sea began to be built at Osaka, Hyogo, Tokyo, Hakodate, etc. A year earlier—that is to say, in the 9th year of Meiji (1876)—the building of a steamship of 1,500 tons, named Kosuge-Maru, was commenced at Nagasaki. About the same time the Government commenced the construction of war-vessels at Yokosuka. From that time the shipbuilding industry made such a steady progress that all the steamers required for purposes of the rapidly-growing carrying trade in the Inland Sea were supplied by the home dockyards at Osaka, Nagasaki, Kobe, Tokyo, etc. In the 23rd year of Meiji (1890) three steel steamers, of 700 tons gross each, were launched at Nagasaki. About this time steel steamers also began to be constructed at Osaka and Kobe.

The real development of the shipbuilding industry in Japan, however, dates from the termination of the Chino-Japanese War. In 1896 great stimulus was given to the growth of shipping and shipbuilding in Japan by the enactment of the Navigation Encouragement Law and the Shipbuilding Encouragement Law. About this time the Nippon Yusen Kaisha first organized its European line, and decided to build six steamers, of 6,000 tons each. The construction of one of these steamers was undertaken by the Mitsu Bishi Dockyard at Nagasaki, where it was finished in 1898. This was the first steamer of such dimensions ever built in Japan, and since then the abovementioned dockyard has been busily engaged in the construction of large ships.

In January, 1903, the ships building there were eight in number, with an aggregate tonnage of 23,500 tons. As to the other private dockyards, the Kawasaki Dockyard of Kobe was then engaged in the construction of several ships, varying in tonnage from 1,000 to 2,000 tons. The Osaka Ironworks, owned by Mr. Hunter, is chiefly busy with the construction of smaller craft for use on the Inland Sea or on lakes and