The First Port Built in Japan in the Modern Era by prof. Isami Hiroi

 Reading “Port of Osaka” Magazine (Extra Edition 1): The First Port Built in Japan in the Modern Era

　With the start of the new fiscal year, we would like to look at the Port of Osaka from a slightly different perspective. The first issue of the magazine “Osaka Port” was published in 1950, so we have to rely on other sources for information on the state of the port prior to that time. The Japan Ports and Harbors Association was established in 1923 and has played an important role in the construction of modern ports in Japan. In this issue, we would like to focus on “Japan's First Port Construction in the Modern Era: Isami Hiroi, Director, Doctor of Engineering,” which appeared in “Kowan(Port and Harbor)” Vol. 1, No. 1 (the first issue). Dr. Isami Hiroi is also known as the “Father of port engineering of Japan” and has made many achievements in the Civil engineering fields of ports and bridges (please check his career and achievements).

During the Tokugawa era, the Tokugawa government's policy of national seclusion prohibited the building of large ships, and ports and harbors were not developed. The author personally investigated the situation and found out how much the port had changed over the years. The author personally investigated the construction projects at the two ports, and introduces the port construction projects in the sense that we can see how Japan's technology was childish at the time, how it did not work due to lack of funds for the state and citizens, and how Japanese port technology has progressed since then by making the most of this experience. The following is a summary of the contents.

Sakai Port (Mikuni Port): A pioneer of modern port construction in Japan, construction began in 1877, and the survey and design was initially conducted by Dutch engineer G. A. Escher and later by Johanes Drijke. The local share is reimbursed by charging 1.5% of the value of the cargo as an entry fee. The project did not go well due to the lack of practical experience of the designer, Escher, and the fact that Drijke had experience in river construction but was inexperienced in underwater construction. The depth of the water was 10 feet (about 3 m), so the port initially thrived with sailing vessels, but later declined as ships became too large to accommodate even 1,000-ton vessels.

Nobiru Port: With the aim of promoting industry in the Tohoku region, the Dutch engineer Van Doorn's opinion led to the construction of an inner and outer port in Nobiru, which was a cold village at the time, to connect it to the Kitakami River via the Kitakami Canal and to Matsushima Bay via the Tomei Canal. Although the project incorporated technology, including the use of Japan's first steam-powered dredger, the sunken mattress construction was lost again and again, and the embankment was destroyed. Despite the cost of 68,000,000 yen, the maritime construction work was halted in 1884, and after further study under the leadership of Home Minister Yamagata, the construction of the outer harbor was abandoned. The reasons for the failure were cited as the financial crunch, the lack of technical capabilities in the public and private sectors, and the fact that the project was commissioned to a foreigner of dubious skills.

Finally, the author states that the construction of both ports, which began the year after the Civil War, was an achievement to improve the convenience of transportation in a time of national budget shortages. In the first issue of “Ports and Harbors,” the author dares to introduce some of the past failures, and he seems to be appealing to the readers to learn from them, which led to the improvement of Japanese technical capabilities. Later, Japan's modern port construction led to the ports of Yokohama, Osaka, and Kobe.　We recommend reading the report.　　　　

　（Japanese）

情報誌“大阪港”を読む（番外編１）近代における我が国最初の築港

新年度を迎え、少し違った面から大阪港を眺めてみたい。情報誌“大阪港”は昭和25年に創刊されており、それ以前の港湾の状況は他の資料に頼ることになる。日本港湾協会は大正12年に設立され、日本の近代港湾建設に重要な役割を果たしてきたが、協会刊行の“港湾”には、明治以降の日本の港湾建設についての興味ある寄稿がある。今回は、“港湾”第１巻第１号（創刊号）に掲載された「近代に於ける我国最初の築港　理事　工学博士　廣井勇」を取り上げてみたい。廣井先生は「港湾工学の父」とも言われた方で、港湾、橋梁分野などで多くの業績を残されている（経歴、業績はお調べください）。

徳川時代には、鎖国政策により、大船建造が禁止されており、港湾整備がなされていなかったが、維新後、明治８，９年に日本で最初に築港整備に取り組んだのが、坂井港（福井県　三国港　九頭竜川河口）と野蒜港（のびる　宮城県　鳴瀬川河口）であり、いずれも大久保内務卿の方針で進められた。筆者自ら調査して、いかに当時、日本の技術が幼稚で、国家、市民に資金なく、うまくいかなかったか、この経験を生かしてその後の日本の港湾技術がいかに進歩したかを知ることができるという意味で、２港における築港事業を紹介している。以下内容要約。

坂井築港（三国港）：日本の近代港湾築港の先駆で工事着手は明治１０年、調査設計は当初、オランダ技師エッセル、後にデレーケとなり、築港工事は、最終、当初予算の６倍３０萬円（国１４、県０．３　地元８萬円）となり、地元負担は入港料として貨物価値の1.5％を徴収して償還する仕組み。設計者エッセルの実地経験の少なかったことやデレーケは河川工事には経験があったが海中工事には未熟であったことでうまくいかなかった。水深は１０尺（約３m）であったため、当初は帆船などで繁盛したが、後に船舶の大型化で１０００ｔの船も入れなくなり衰退した。

野蒜築港：東北地方の産業振興を目的に、オランダ技師バンドールの意見により、当時一寒村であった野蒜に内、外港を築港し、北上運河により北上川と、東名運河により松島湾とを連絡させる計画で、明治11年７月着工した。日本初の蒸気力浚渫船を使用するなど技術を取り入れたが、沈床工事も再々流失、築堤も破壊されるなどして、６８萬円の費用を要したにも関わらず、１７年には工事中止し、その後、山縣内務卿の元で検討おこなった結果、外港建設を断念した。失敗の原因として、財政の窮迫、官民での技術力のなさ、技量疑わしい外人に依頼したことを挙げている。

　最後に、筆者は両築港事業が、西南戦争の翌年に着工し、国庫窮乏の中、運輸交通の便を良くするため、築港したことは功績があり、成功には至らなかったが、後年の多くの築港工事に多大な教訓を与えたと述べている。成功事例の紹介の多い昨今ですが、筆者はあえて“港湾”の創刊号で過去の失敗事例を紹介し、これらを教訓として日本人による技術力の向上につながったことを訴えているように思われる。その後、日本の近代港湾建設は横浜、大阪、神戸港に繋がっていく。　ご一読をお勧めします。