Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1894-11-07
$taunto1t Spectator.
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER
Our Trade With japan.

Our Trade with Japan.
In an article on the Commercial De-
velopment of Japan, in speaking of
our trade with that country, the New
York Journal Of Commerce says that
''about half the value of the merchan-
disc we import from Japan is repre-
sented by raw silk: tea comes next,
with a value of about six millions of
dollars, and silk handkerchiefs third,
with a value of eighteen hundred
thousand dollars, according to the last
published returns. The last annual
value of the floor mating we bought
from Japan was half million of dol
lars, little oyer the value of the
porcelain and earthenware and a little
less than that of the silk piece goods.
The impressive total of 100000 fans.
decorated, apparently, was bought for
$11s.OOO, and $780, 600 round fans
cost only $4,000. In 1891 we took
1927 600 worth of rice from Japan, and
insignificant quantities of a great
variety of curious and interesting
things, from cuttlefish to tooth powder.
In the way of barter we send to Japan,
chiefly, kerosene oil to the average
value of three millions and three
quarters, and raw cotton to the value
of million of dollars a year. OF cot
ton fabrics, the value is hardly worth
mentioning, and other textiles practi-
cally nothing at all. There seems to be
the beginning of a trade in fiour-it
has reached 100000 in one year; but
American clocks seem to be declining
in popularity, having dropped from
$500, 900 to $175, 900 in two years. Nor
do our exports in sole leather grow,
since 1889 at least, when they reached
the maximum figure of $205, 900. A
similar figure was reached by our ex
ports of machinery in 1888, but they
have sadly declined ever since. In fact,
our whole export trade with Japan has
of late years been chiefly remarkable
for the lack of elasticity. Now that
the blight of McKinleyism has been re-
moved the results ought to be more
promising.
The Japanese themselves classify
their industries into two groups, "origi-
nal" and introduced" The former
are those which have existed from an
cient times, and they comprise ceramics,
weaving, embroidery, lacquer work,
paper-making, working in leather,
metals, bamboo and wood, and the
production of raw silks and indigo
They attribute the first introduction
of these to China and Corea. though,
as the little manual before us has it,
1.-The elapse (sic) of several hundred
wears obliterated the original trace,
and there seems to have sprung up a
new process 1t is further explained
in regard to these original industries,
that their scope OF working is gener
ally small, and is worked with rude
and simple Instruments, especially IL
the fine arts industry and some others
pertaining to the individual hand
work, the artisans apply their resi-
dences for the workshops, and employ
only a small number of apprentices. y
introduced" is the name given to the
new Industries brought over from
Europe and America. the principal Of
them being cotton spinning, glass
manufacture, brick-making, drug ano
chemical preparations, cement making
shipbuilding and the making of ma
chinery, paper, matches, soap ano
wine. These are conducted on a large
scale and employ many workmen, il
striking contrast with the home indus
tries. AS our Government scribe
quantity puts it, specially since five OF
six years this kind of industrial in
fiuence spread over the country, thai
in every industrial district companies
and factories rose up one afteranothe
bristling with thousands of chimneys.'
Could further proof be desired of the
march of progress in Japan?'