Expenditures of the Russo-Japanese war / by Gotaro Ogawa.

232 ECONOMIC EFFECTS OF THE RUSSO-JAPANESE WAR

foreign steamers, which relieved the situation to a certain
extent; but they did not care to come near our waters, being
afraid of the Russian warships from Vladivostok and the
Baltic Sea. Most of them placed restrictions on their cargoes
and refused to convey any goods which might be suspected
as contraband; others took a long circuitous route, rounding
South America for safety. All this resulted in great inconvenience for Japan.
The freight rates in the foreign service also soared at the
beginning of the war, the rise ranging from 30 to Ioo per cent,
according to the kinds of goods. But by the latter half of
1904 the rates settled down to a level of increase which was
trifling as compared with the rates in the home service.
Too many vessels after the war
Upon the close of the war and the triumphal return of the
troops, vessels of some half million tons which had been commandeered were released. These being restored to the mercantile marine, which now included vessels added during the
war through new construction, purchase, and chartering, it is
small wonder that there were too many vessels in the country
INCREASE OF VESSELS, I903, 1905, I906
December, I903 October, I905 September, 1906
Class
Number Number Number
of vessels Tonnage of vessels Tonnage of vessels Tonnage
Tons
20-50........ 303 9,764 399 I2,786 7 3892
50-I1oo....... I99 14,036 225 I5,943
100-300..... 228 37,926 246 41,460 257 43,560
300-500....... 84 33,I75 92 35,748 9I 35,15I
500-I,000..... 77 50,596 112 79,009 I34 96,107
1,000-2,000.... 86 126,234 121 181,454 I31 198,662
2,000-3,000... 66 165,334 96 232,678 io6 258,054
3,000-4,000oo.... 8 62,978 39 132,215 41 I39,54I
4,000-5,000.... 5 22,478 II 48,633 I 48,671
5,000-6,000oo.... 3 6,438 5 26,755 6 3I,972
6,000-7,000.... 1 118,305 I8 112,138 I9 I8,305
Above 7,000........ I 7,463 I 7,463
Total..... I,oo8 657,269 1,365 926,285 1,468 I,008,383