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
Japanese steamship establishments, with lines running to the same ports
to which the American steamers run.
Coincident with the State-aiding of steamship companies was the granting
of liberal postal subvention. Next followed the institution of a general
subsidy system, frankly designed to stimulate domestic shipbuilding and
to further navigation by Japanese ships.
This system was embodied in two acts promulgated in 1896, the year after
the finish of the Japan-China War (1894-95), when the merchant marine
was growing pretty rapidly, but not rapidly enough for the aspiring
nation. These were, a Shipbuilding Encouragement Law, the aim of which
was to stimulate the building of vessels above 700 tons; and a
Navigation Encouragement Law, to foster open-sea navigation. Their model
was the French system.
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