The Far East (periodical)

"The Far East" was a newsmagazine published by J. R. Black in Yokohama, Japan between 1870 and 1878. The periodical was illustrated with original, pasted-in photographs, at a time when photomechanical reproduction was still in its infancy. During its run, "The Far East" published approximately 750 photographs, mostly of Japan and China, by at least 20 different photographers. [Bennett, "PiJ", 146.]

Before J. R. Black began publication of "The Far East", he had been partner in and editor of the "Japan Herald", the first English-language newspaper in Japan. When that newspaper declared bankruptcy in 1867, [Bennett, "PiJ", 147.] Black founded his own newspaper, the "Japan Gazette", which offered coverage of the reform movements of the Bakumatsu. [Heinz and Miyoko, 135.] He then founded "The Far East", in 1870, with a view to promoting "goodwill and brotherhood between the outer world and the subjects of the most ancient imperial dynasty of the world". [John Reddie Black, "The Far East", No. 1, 1870. Quoted in Heinz and Miyoko, 135.] The first issue appeared on 30 May 1870. [Bennett, "PiJ", 147.]

The in-house photographer for "The Far East" was the Austrian, Michael Moser, but Black, an amateur photographer himself, supplemented Moser's images with his own. [Moser worked for the newspaper until 1873. Bennett, "PiJ", 147.] Significant photographers whose work also appeared in the newspaper included Uchida Kuichi, the elder Suzuki Shin'ichi, [Bennett, "OJP", 93.] and William Saunders. [Bennett, "OJP", 95.]

"The Far East" began as a fortnightly publication, then, between June 1873 and October 1875, it was published monthly, and from 1876, publication was irregular. [Bennett, "OJP", 94, 280-281.] In 1874, subscription prices were $4 quarterly, $7 semi-annually, and $13 annually. [The currency may have been Mexican dollars. Bennett, "OJP", 95.] By 1876, in response to increased circulation, the prices were slightly reduced. [Bennett, "OJP", 96.]

From 1876, "The Far East" was published in Shanghai, where J. R. Black had settled. Accordingly, the photographic subjects appearing in the newspaper were now predominantly Chinese. [Bennett, "OJP", 94.] By that year, the circulation was probably in the order of 300 readers, and between 1876 and 1878 the maximum circulation was probably between 500 and 1000 readers. There is no evidence of further publication of "The Far East" after December 1878. [Bennett, "PiJ", 149.]

Notes

References

* Bennett, Terry. "Old Japanese Photographs: Collector's Data Guide" London: Quaritch, 2006. ISBN 0955085241 (hard)
* Bennett, Terry. "Photography in Japan: 1853–1912" Rutland, Vermont: Charles E. Tuttle, 2006. ISBN 0804836337 (hard)
* Heinz, Morioka, and Sasaki Miyoko. [http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0027-0741%28198322%2938%3A2%3C133%3ATBSHBA%3E2.0.CO%3B2-F "The Bue-Eyed Storyteller: Henry Black and His "Rakugo" Career"] . Accessed 4 January 2008. Originally appeared in "Monumenta Nipponica" Vol. 38, No. 2. (Summer, 1983).