Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1860-06-16
Our Trade WIN Japan.

who can tell the amount Of trade that
will be carried on with this people in the
manufactures Of porcelain, no doubt the
finest in the world, after they have seen and
learned the form, style, and decorations cal.
culated to suit our modern tastes. The
very low price of these goods in that coun-
try, either for ornament or use, would no
doubt yield large percentage, and amply
repay the adventure of some Of our mer-
chants in this respect.
In such articles as grapes or silks they
are far superior to the Chinese, and it is
the opinion of many, who have visited that
country, that vast amount Of the grapes
we get from China are taken from Japan
and finished at Canton into shawls. This,
no doubt, would form another item Of ex-
pert, and even if the price of such goods,
which at present is very low, were doubled,
1t wonld form very small obstacle to a
good return being received from their ex-
portation.
An inadequate supply of material to
make good paper in this country is a want
that has turned great many minds to de-
wise some remedy, by which cheap and
unlimited supply may be obtained. Why
cannot the material from which the Japan.
ese paper is manufactured be turned into
some shape so that it can be brought to
this country, and made up by our improved
paper-making machinery. Even 10 their
rude way, they manufacture paper from the
finest tissue to the thickest board the great
length of the 6bre making IL very strong,
the material might he used for other pur-
poses besides paper.
Their vegetable wax, beautiful compo-
stion, might form another article. TO
these might be added camphor, lacquered
ware, both metallic aud wooden, inaid fur
nitnre, toys, &c.
The Japanese are not very far behind us
in fine ornamental castings in brass or
bronze. OF leather, there seems to be an en-.
tire absence. The japanese have large
herds of cattle, but appear to make no use
of them, except rs beasts of burden. We
think it would be remunerative to introduce
the art of tanning among them, or to bring
the hides to this country TO be finished
Tea OF the finest quality is also grown
The peculiarly fine hemp raised there might
What they will want from us. at present,
will be cotton goods of the cheaper sort,
and there is no reason why we cannot car
ry on just as good trade with them in
this line as the English do with China.
Agricultural implements will be wanted.
There appears to be want of machinery
to prepare their rice in the different ways
it is used for food. Their lumber being all
prepared by hand, some simple means to
work their logs into boards, driven by water
or horse power, might also be in demand.
Machinery for making sugar could be in
troduced, with profit.
ln the above enumerated articles steady
trade, increasing with the developments OF
the next five years, will, we think, be car.
ried on with profit to the United States
and Japan. Goods could be brought to
San Francisco and thence to the Atlantic
coast cheaper, after we get our great Paci
fic railroad finished, than by any other
route, and who can tell whether all our
trade with the East will not be from the
same point, this route being safest and
much nearer than by the way of China.