The morning times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1897, 1896-09-11
BUDGET FROM THE ORIENT
Our Financial Uncertainty Is
Reflected in Japan.
HER EXPORTS DECREASED
This Is Believed to Be Due to the
UnwiIhngness OF Americans to
Purchase Much Abroad-Russia's
Lines Out on China-Intrigues In
the Politics of Korea.
Correspondence OF the United Associated
Presspsl

Correspondence OF the United Associated
Presses.l
Toxic, Japan, Aug. 20. via San Francisco,
Sept lo.-During the first half OF the
current year japanese imports exceeded
her exports by nearly % 100000 yen.
preponderance 81 imports Is by no means
a new feature OF Japan's foreign trade, but
nothing on so large a scale has been pre-
yiously reported.
The causes are apparent, namely: On the
one hand the flush OF prosperity that
always folio VS. victorious war, and, on the
the other hand, the duh state OF the Ameri-
can market. During the war great sums of
money were spent IN the country and large
profits accrued To the farming and Industrial
classes, 80 that the purchasing power OF
the people at large developed considerably.
A keen demand for imported goods nat
uraliy ensued. AS an export trade. how
ever. depends largely upon the mood OF the
American nation, JapaI's chief customer
for tea and silk, and since Americas gold
and silver uncertainties cripple her deal
ings all around, her sufferings are wildly
reflected in the Japanese export trade.
RUSSIA'S NAVAL FLEET.
A new link between Russia aud China
has been forged by the arrangement that
the steamers OF the Russia volunteer fleet,
plying between Odessa and Vladivostock,
snail nenccrorth call at Shanghai. There
are twelve of these steamers and excluding
the Habarovsk, a vessel o. only $500 tons,
they range from 1876 to 1O,5OO tons,
their speed varying from Is to ID knots.
The constant passage OF such vessels to
and fro between European Russia and her
most extreme port in the far east, suggests
the ease with which she could gradually
muster strong military forces at VIadlvo-
stock, were She so disposed.
At the same time experts are well aware
that KussIa's naval strength IN the Orient
is greatly overestimated blythe general pub
lie She has, it is true, squadron power
Iul III number Of ships, displacement and
weight of arnor and armament; but among
all her cruisers in Japanese and Chinese
waters, one OILY carries quick-firing guns,
and the significance OF that fact is not to
be underrated-
MATTERS IN KOREA.
The death OF the queen of Korea has not
released the little kingdom from petticoat
government. The kings favorite concu-
bipe, Nine ON Sang, now exercises as
great influence over him as did his highly
gifted cupsort, and rumor says that the
wife OF the Russian representative does
not shrink from this lady's compromising
on the back stairs of Korean politics.
subscription has been started in Japan
for the relief of the Formosans rendered
homeless by the recent rebellion. The
emperor set the example by subscribing
5000 yen; the treasury gave 1000, and
private subscriptions are rapidly coming
into the newspaper offices.
1t has always been the habit OF Chinese
ms urgents or disbanded soldiers to burn,
pillagc and murder. and many excuses OF
that nature perpetrated by the Fornosan
rebels have been laid at the door OF the
Japanese.
As for the rebellion, it is Cow virtually
stamped out. though desultory raids con-
time to be made by little bands of des-
peradoes.