『日本初期新聞全集』を通して見た洋釘類輸入の開始時期と価格の変動

抄録

 The author has considered the spread of nails and the changes in prices during the Meiji era in the previous article. The price of the Western nails since at least 1885 became clear from the explanation of “Chugai-bukka-Shinppo”the business situation of Yokohama City, which was published in Chugai Price News. As a result, the price of the Western nails since at least 1885 became clear from the explanation of the Yokohama business, which was published in Chugai-Bukka-Shimpo. Comparing this with the price of Japanese nails in the written estimates of Kaichi-Gakko in 1875, the price of nails in 1885 were already 1/21 that of Japanese nails in 1875, furthermore, it shows that it was about 1/50 at the end of the Meiji era. Regarding the appearance of nails before 1885, it was revealed that imports of "tetsukugi-rui", "kugisao-rui" and "kugitetsu-rui" from 1877 to mid-Meiji 20 (1887) will be listed in Chugai Price Newspaper. And this indicates that Japanese nails and Western nails were used together because “Kugitetsu-rui” were imported and Japanese nails in were made in Japan.

 However, no consideration has been given to the actual state of the import of nails before the Meiji 10 (1877) period, that is, the earliest period. The purpose of this paper is to show the timing of the start of the import of nails and to clarify the change in prices at the time when the import of nails began, and the following points became clear.

 The most pioneering article on the import of nails is from the THE JAPAN HERALD., published on April 16, 1864, with "Nail-rod" recorded at $ 4.25 to $ 4.50 per picul = 60.48 kg. Since then, Nail-rod's price has been reported to be 415 on English paper until 1873. Considering the exchange rate and price fluctuations, the price of Nail-rod on April 16, 1864 was 1, which was about 0.3 in the early Meiji era. The price of nail-rod during this period was not linked to prices, and had a close relationship with Japanese iron, which was widely distributed in Japan. To be precise, it can be considered that the influx of cheap iron and nail-rod reduced the price of Japanese iron after the end of the Edo period.