Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1895-10-04

! OlutT MAUI, JdPdu lulpOlltu ldoL ytdl
eleven times the quantity OF raw cotton
! imported in 1887, and since the same
year her export of fabrics manufactured
In Japan has increased nearly four hun
dred per cent. In the far East. Japan
has become competitor with England
in certain lines of cotton goods" The
competition of Japanese goods has also,
according to the same authority, reacted
on the imports of wOollens which are
decreasing. In the 1892 Consular Report
from lliOgo particulars were given of
twenty-ore cotton mills, only three of
which paid dividends of less than II per
cent (none below per cent?, while ten
of them paid over 20 per cent. The
1893 report shows that two of the mills
which only paid and per cent in 1892,
had improved their profits to 10 and l24
per cent respectively. Nor do the Jap
anese cOntine their rivalry with Eurcp-
cans to cotton, much of which goes to
China to compete with us. They have
successfully introduced the manufacture
of beer, gunpowder, saddlery, cement,
matches, printing paper, soap, bricks
and leather. besides minor sundrlcs, with
the result that imports of these articles
from Europe have practically died out.
And they are supplying goods of these
classes TO all the neIghbouring silver
countries. The latest Consular Reports
also indicate that Japan will soon be in
dependent of foreign iron and sugar.
Not only that. but it is mentioned by our
consul at Ningpo, that the machinery
used for cleaning and ginning raw cot
ton there is supplied by the japanese.
From Macao we learn that cheap Japan
csc limitations of European goods of all
sorts flood the bazaars.
Even sleepy, unenterprising China
has awakened to the fact that she can
successfully and profitably make her
own cotton yarn and cloth. The build
ing of mills has been kept back through
the extreme caution of the Chinese.
They fear that a recovery in silver might
rob them of their advantage in the ma
tive market and might enable later com
petitors to buy European machinery
more cheaply and so cut the pioneers
out. The lowness of exchange has thus
helped us by retarding Chinese invest
ments in machinery. But in 1892 two
mills were in full operation in Shanghai,
one combining itself to the manufacture
of yarn, the other both spinning and
weaving. The first employed $1,000
spindles and turned out 100000 10. of
yarn in 1892. the second employed
%, 900 spindles and 80 looms, producing
i'm 1892 million pounds of yarn and
four million yards of drills and sheet
ings. This mill was burned i'm October,
/ 1893, but rebuilding was begun at once
and the new machinery includes 100000
spindles and 1900 looms. Other three
mills are IN course of construction and
by the end of this year Shanghai is eX-
pccted to have 100000 spindles running.
In April, 1893, mill of 700 looms was
opened at IIankow, and spinning mill
is being erected, the machinery having
already arrived from England. Par
tlculalS of the output of the factory are
not obtainabe. But our cOnsuls at va
rious ports note striking increase in
the arrivals of native cloth, most notable
in 1892, for the burning of the Shanghai
mill made big difference last year. At
NingpO cotton mill opened in 1892
earned an acknowledged profit of Sl0,-
600 last year and our consul thinks this
is greatly understated. 4 spinning mill
Is now nearing completion at NingpO.
Even at Chungking, right in the interior,
a project is on foot for the establishment
of cotton mill and the capital had been
| largely subscribed at the date of the
latest Consular Report. Like the Jap
anese, the Chinese have also turned their
attention to the manufacture of Portland
cement, and Il well-eQuipped mill has
been for several years at work near
Tientsin, with which it is connected by
railway, and Il factory in the same town
supplies local requirements In the way
of matches. which formerly were i'm
ported. The St straws show which way
the wind is blowing and it has set i'm a
direction that bodies no good to English
manufacturers. but much permanent in
jury.
Mexico is doing precisely the same as
Japan aud China. At Ori2aba. i'm the
State of Vera Cruz. Twill bc found some
of the finest Euglish-made machinery
aud cotton prints are now turned out as
good a.. if not superior to. the imported
article The production of these mills
has been affected bv the great difference
i'm exchange: sales have increased con-
siderahlv during the last three years.
whilst profits have been very fair. Some
of The shares of cotton factories IN Mex
leo are at from go to 81 per cent prem
iun." So writes our consul AZ Vera
Cruz and he further points ont that
though at first these mills used imported
row, notton .lu,o-t oD,olusivol,. ..tio fan