The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1889-01-12
TRADING II JAPAN.
Some Figures Showing How Much of It
We DO-Imports and Exports.


Some Figures Showing How AIuci, of It
We DO-Imports and Exports.
Governor Hubbard tells me that we
buy more from Japan than any other
foreign nation. last year, said he,
''our imports from this country
amounted to 21,000, 600 Japanese dol
lars, or about 16, 900, 900 American dol
lars We bought $11, 600, 900 worth of
her saw silk, and nearly S7,000,0 900
worth of her teas The fair cheeks of
our ladies were cooled last yea with
$97, 900 worth of japanese fans, and
our noses were wiped with $S16, 900
worth of japanese silk handkerchiefs.
We buy nearly $500 600 worth of
porcelain every year, and our imports
OF bamboo ware amount to $102, 600 of
japanese money. We buy more than
twice as much off Japan as any other
country, and our imports are increas-
ing every year. In 1887 we bought
81, 500, 600 more goods than in 1886,
and the United States will probably
continue to be Japan's best customer
What are the chief articles of ex-
port from the United States to Japan2"
I asked.
Kerosene oil leads the list" was
the reply. ''Half Of the Japanese ma
ton lights its houses with our coal oil
lamps, and we sold in 1886 over 81
900, 900 worth of coal oil to Japan.
There has been falling off this year
in this, but the export is still large.
Then the American clock is popular in
Japan, and you may see thousands of
them in Toxic The common office
clock, which hangs upon the wall, is
very popular, and one sale of clocks
here amounts to 160,000 japanese dol
lars year. Many a Japanese baby is
now brought up on American con-
densed milk, and $55, 600 worth was
sold last year. We sell sole leather,
books, machinery and provisions, and
Japan bought $94, 600 worth of our
-four last year. Their figures are small,
but American foreign trade is in its
infancy, and it has a world yet to con-
quer. Here in the east there are 600,-
600, 900 of people who require more or
less of some kinds of goods, which
American brains, push and capital can
furnish at profit and in Japan there
are 38,000,0O0 of people who are
ready to take from America what she
has to sell that fits her needs, whenever
they can buy it as cheaply of her as of
other nations We sell to north China
$6, 900, 600 worth of cotton sheetings
year, and this in the teeth of the
manufacturing nations of Europe.
Japan is much more accessible to us
Why should we not sell to herr"
How much do we sell2" I asked.
None, replied Governor Hubbard
''The American cottons do not enter
the japanese markets. We do not
make the cheap and light article of
cotton required by the Japanese. A
slight change in the factories, how
ever, would adapt them to this class OF
goods, and there is no doubt but that
our American mills can get limited
market here when they are forced to
look abroad for foreign trade. They
will then have to sell their goods in
close competition with England. We
are Japan's nearest foreign neighbor.
We have the cotton at our doors, and
our factories are in operation. Japan
raises some cotton, but it is of an in
ferior quality It seems to me that
foreign trade offers the solution of
many of the labor and capital troubles
of the United States When the home
markets are glutted and factories
closed for want of demand, this for
eign trade could eat up some of the
surplus and keep the mills from rest
ing.
Japan buys" Governor Hubbard
went on, 1851, 900, 900 worth of goods
year from foreign nations. It sells
in round $50, 100000 worth of goods
abroad, and its imports are thus nearly
1000, 900 less than its exports The
needs of the nation will grow with the
new civilization, and an increased de-
mand for our productions will be the
result. Among the chief things it now
buys are steam engines, clocks,
watches, hats and caps, iron, steel,
window glass, sugar, woolen and cot
ton yarns. It's importations of cotton
yarns last year were $0, 900, 000, and ii
bought $500,000 worth of wines. 1t
sells abroad about forty different arti-
cles, and some of these will be new to
you. In camphor there is an export
of 81, 900, 600, and in cutie fish like
amount. Japan sells 50, 900, 900 worth
of copper a year, and it has one of the
largest copper mines in the world 1t
sells 81, 600, ,000 worth of porcelain,
81, 900, 900 worth ofsilk handkerchiefs,
and 81, 600, 900 worth Of tea We buy
nearly all of the Japan tea that goes
abroad The sales of raw silk amount
to SIS, 200, 600 year, and of cocoons
to $500, 900 a year. 1t sells $400, 600
worth of mushrooms, and 100000
worth of rice The trade of the country
is susceptible of increase, and Japan is
by no means at the end of its material
development. Frank G. Carpenters
Letter.