nese authorities as they
now are. At the present time the Post Office Savings Bank in Japan is
so worked that it not only pays all its expenses but returns a profit
to the national exchequer. In this respect it very favourably compares
with the Post Office Savings Bank as administered in this country,
which is not only worked at a loss, but, owing to various causes, has
entailed a liability, nominal though it be, on the British taxpayer.

Telegraphs were first introduced into Japan in 1869, and, as was the
custom at that time in almost all countries, the telegraph followed
the railway. The first line was between the capital and Yokohama. As
time progressed some steps were taken in the direction of developing
the system, but it was not until 1878 that the telegraph service in
Japan was placed on a proper footing. In 1879 the International
Telegraph Union was entered. At the present time Japan is covered by a
network of telegraph wires, and every important island is in
communication with the capital. Telegrams may be sent either in the
Japanese or European languages. Like every other means of
communication, the telegraph has been rapidly adopted by the Japanese
people, and it now forms such a part of the national life that it is
almost impossible to imagine the country without a telegraph system.
There are about 2,600 telegraph offices in Japan, and over twenty
million messages are annually despatched therefrom. I think it will be
admitted that--especially in view of the difficulties occasioned by
the necessity of the operators in the telegraph offices being
conversant to some extent with the characteristics of two absolutely
different descriptions of languages--the progress made by Japan, and
the development and extension of the telegraph service of the country,
have been really remarkable.

When the question of introducing telephones into Japan came up for
consideration it was treated somewhat more practically than was the
case with reference to a similar matter in this country. There was
there as here a difference of opinion as to whether telephonic
communication should be left to private enterprise or be constituted a
Government monopoly. After somewhat prolonged investigation it was
decided that the telephone service should be set up and worked by the
Government, and in the year 1890 the first telephone, that between
Tokio and Yokohama, was opened. At first, strange to say, this new
device of Western civilisation a