The Far East (periodical)
Encyclopedia
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.
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, Black founded his own newspaper, the Japan Gazette, which offered coverage of the reform movements of the Bakumatsu
. 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". The first issue appeared on 30 May 1870.
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. Significant photographers whose work also appeared in the newspaper included Uchida Kuichi
, the elder Suzuki Shin'ichi, and William Saunders
.
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. In 1874, subscription prices were $4 quarterly, $7 semi-annually, and $13 annually. By 1876, in response to increased circulation, the prices were slightly reduced.
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. 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.
J. R. Black
John Reddie Black was a Scottish publisher, journalist, writer, photographer, and singer. Much of his career was spent in China and Japan where he published several newspapers including The Far East, a fortnightly newsmagazine illustrated with original photographs.-Early life:John Reddie Black was...
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.
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, Black founded his own newspaper, the Japan Gazette, which offered coverage of the reform movements of the Bakumatsu
Late Tokugawa shogunate
, literally "end of the curtain", are the final years of the Edo period when the Tokugawa shogunate came to an end. It is characterized by major events occurring between 1853 and 1867 during which Japan ended its isolationist foreign policy known as sakoku and transitioned from a feudal shogunate...
. 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". The first issue appeared on 30 May 1870.
The in-house photographer for The Far East was the Austrian
Austrian Empire
The Austrian Empire was a modern era successor empire, which was centered on what is today's Austria and which officially lasted from 1804 to 1867. It was followed by the Empire of Austria-Hungary, whose proclamation was a diplomatic move that elevated Hungary's status within the Austrian Empire...
, Michael Moser, but Black, an amateur photographer himself, supplemented Moser's images with his own. Significant photographers whose work also appeared in the newspaper included Uchida Kuichi
Uchida Kuichi
was a pioneering Japanese photographer from Nagasaki. He was greatly respected as a portrait photographer and was the only photographer granted a sitting to photograph the Emperor Meiji....
, the elder Suzuki Shin'ichi, and William Saunders
William Saunders (photographer)
William Thomas Saunders was a British-born photographer who settled in China and became one of the main commercial photographers in nineteenth century China.- Life and career :...
.
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. In 1874, subscription prices were $4 quarterly, $7 semi-annually, and $13 annually. By 1876, in response to increased circulation, the prices were slightly reduced.
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. 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.