Office of the Historian

Mr. Buck to Mr. Sherman.

Legation of the United States,
Tokyo, Japan, April 1, 1898.
No. 114.]

Sir: I have the honor to inclose herewith translation copy of an imperial ordinance bringing into operation the law providing for a bounty to be paid to Japanese exporters of raw silk.

I am informed by the foreign office that under the constitution the Government has been obliged against its will to bring this law into operation, though steps will be taken to secure its repeal upon the assembling of the Imperial Diet, on or about the 15th of May next.

I have, etc.,

A. E. Buck.
[Inclosure in No. 114.]

japanese silk regulations.

The Official Gazette of the 29th contains the following notifications:

We hereby give sanction to the provisions regarding the inspection as well as the classification of raw silk, and the amount of encouragement funds to he granted, in accordance with law No. 49, issued in the 30th year of Meiji, embodying the regulations for the encouragement of the direct export of silk, and direct the same to be promulgated.

(Imperial sign manual and great seal.)

March 26, of the 31st year of Meiji.

(Countersigned)

  • Count Inouye Kaoru,
    Minister of Finance.
  • Baron Ito Miyoji,
    Minister of Agriculture and Commerce.
[Page 448]

Imperial ordinance No. 51.

  • Article I. The inspection of raw silk shall be undertaken at the raw-silk inspection office with reference to the items mentioned below: (1) Original weight, (2) luster, (3) rereeling, (4) fineness, (5) nibs.
  • Art. II. Silk will be held to have passed examination as to the above particulars when more than 500 catties of raw silk are found to fulfill the following provisions: (a) Luster and clearness to be uniform throughout; number of breaks, not more than 3; difference in fineness, 2.5 denier; number of nibs, not more than 50; (b) luster and clearness to be uniform; number of breaks, not more than 6; difference in fineness, 4 denier; nibs, not more than 100; (c) uniformity of luster and clearness; breaks, not more than 9; difference in fineness, 5 denier; nibs, not more than 150.
  • Art. III. The amount of encouragement funds shall be calculated or determined according to the following classification, fraction of a catty being excluded from the calculation:
    • For every 100 catties of raw silk qualified in respect of qualities specified in (a), 50 yen.
    • For every 100 catties of raw silk qualified in accordance with (b), 30 yen.
    • For every 100 catties of silk qualified in conformity with (c), 20 yen.