Page:Japan by the Japanese (1904).djvu/525

The first railway thrown open to traffic in Japan was that between Shimbashi and Yokohama, in 1872.

In 1869 the Government had decided to build railways, and a line then contemplated was the railway between Tokyo and Kobe, passing through Kyoto and Osaka as the trunk line, with a branch line starting off from a point in the vicinity of Lake Biwa, connecting to Tsuruga.

The construction of the line was undertaken at once. Thus originated the Tokyo-Yokohama railway on this side of Mount Hakone, and shortly afterwards the Kobe-Osaka line on the other side was opened.

Thanks are due to the far-sighted statesmen of that time for having taken proper and decided steps for the furtherance of industrial enterprises, the result of which we are now fully enjoying, despite the fact that they had to fight against many difficulties. In December of 1872 work was commenced on the line between Kyoto and Osaka.

Beginning with these, the progress of railway enterprise has been steady, and the railway mileage has increased year by year. In 1879 the first private railway company was organized under the name of the Nippon Tetsudo Kwaisha, which is the present Nippon Tetsudo Kwaisha operating 800 odd miles of railways. The construction of this line was started in June, 1880, and a year after, in June, 1881, the line between Uyeno and Kumagaye was opened to traffic.

New railway companies soon began to spring up everywhere in rapid succession, like mushrooms after heavy rain, and existing companies have extended the scope and area of their business.

When it is remembered that some thirty years ago there were only eighteen miles of railway, some idea may be gained as to the marvellous nature of the progress which has been