CHAPTER XI

JAPAN--CHINA


While France is the bounty-giving nation _par excellence_, Japan is a
pressing second. The development of a modern merchant marine, together
with a modern navy, was among the first undertakings of the awakening
empire upon her assumption of Occidental civilization. Adopting what
seemed to her statesmen of the new regime, from their study of Western
methods, to be the speediest way to that end, she started out
energetically to attain it through lavish money-grants from the national
treasury for the establishment of steamship companies of her own people
in coastwise and ocean service, and of modernized ship-yards and
shipbuilders.

The initial venture resulted in the creation of a steamship monopoly.
This was the subsidizing, in 1877, of the pioneer concern, to supply
steam communication between various domestic ports, and also with
Siberia, China, and Corea. It was founded by a broad-visioned Japanese
merchant, Jwasaki Yataro,[FC] and controlled by him. To break his
monopoly the Government in 1882 set up a rival State-supported
company.[FC] After a period of "desperate competition" and warfare,
Jwasaki persuaded the new concern to unite with his. So was effected a
community of interests after the most approved Western pattern.[FC] By
this union was formed, in 1885, the powerful _Nippon Yusen Kaisha_
(Japan Mail Steamship Company), which remained the most powerful of