Evening star., 1898-10-07
OUR TRADE WITH JAPAN
Rapid Growth of Commerce With the
Orient.
Exports Increased Over 80 Per Cent
Our Raw Cotton Used Instead
of British.

| The steady and rapid growth of our COM
| merce with Japan is Illustrated by a
| statement Just received by the treasury
| bureau of statistics showing the imports
| and exports of Japan during the first half
| of the present calendar year This shows
| that JaDans purchases from the United
States continue to increase with great rap
| ldlty, while in many cases those which she
has been accustomed to make from otter
parts OF the world are being reduced. Her
lmportations of raw cotton from the United
States in the first six months of 1898 were
l., 49, O64 yen in value, against 3,S11 .S2S yen
in the corresponding months of the preced-
ing year, the quantity being given in the
six months of 1898 at $50 ,716 piculs, against
1S4,O2J piculs in the corresponding months
OF last year, the picul being equivalent to
l13 pounds. On the other hand the impor-
tation of cotton from British India, whence
most of the cotton for Japan had formerly
been drawn fell from 7yI ,621 picus to 697 -
OH The total importations of cotton into
Japan in the half year amounted to y ,7U2,-
963 yen in value, an increase of little over
4,UD,ouO yen over the corresponding months
of 1897 while the increase from the United
states alone was nearly 5000, 900 yen show
ing general reduction from other parts of
the world, while the imports from the
United states were more than trebled.
Iron and Steel Manufacturers
Our manufactures of iron and steel seem
to be especially satisfactory to the Japa-
nese, the increase in nearly all articles of
this class being strongly marked. Imports
of locomotive engines from the United
States increased from S24 $50 ven in the
first half of last year to ,443 ,240 yen in the
first half of the present year. OF nails, the
imports into Japan from the United States
increased from $500 s5S catties in the first
half of last year to 7,494 ,197 catties in the
first half of the present year, the catty be-
ing one and three-tenths pounds, the total
importations of nails having fallen mean
time from 10394,I17 catties in the first half
OF last year to S,1Ji,O35 in the first half of
the present year. The imports of bar and
rod iron" from the United States increased
from 16S,0So catties in the first half of 1891
to 1,011 ,43O in the first half of 1888: while
under the head Of other iron and steel"
the imports from the United States in
creased from 9,410 yen in the first half Of
1897 to 19I 40 IN the first half of 1898, the
value of the gold yen being 1913 cents.
lmportations of alcohol from the United
States increased from U2S3 yen in value
to ltJ,2J4; those of cigarettes, from 2S4 ,U91
yen to S51 $40; of beans and peas, from Ala
yen to IL, ,J66, while other articles of this
class also showed marked increase.
The finer grades of American manufac
ture also seem to be finding special favor
among the Japanese, imports Of American
watches having increased from 90 ,5l1 yen in
the first half of last year to 16J $50 yen in
the first half of the present year, while our
own records of expectations show in
crease i'll exports of typeWTiterS, sewing
machines ana other articles of this class to
Japan in the fiscal year just ended COM
pared with those of the preceding year.
Increase in Our Exports.
Returning to own statements of ex-
ports to Japan, it is found that in the first
seven months of 1898 our exports to Japan
increased over 81 per cent, compared
with the corresponding months of 1897.
This increase was in a large number of
articles. Exports of books, maps and en-
cravings Increased from $12329 to s14, ,OS1;
these of wheat -four, from 30, 152 barrels to
@,SS6 barrels; cycles, from 41,9O9 to $59,-
III; clocks and watches, from $9S SS4 to
Sl03,o94; raw cotton, from 81 490, 157 to So
Ub3,ii5; hides and skins, from 4,00S pounds
to 1000 pounds: instruments and appara-
tus Tor scientific purposes, including tele-
graph and telephone, from $101 ,9O1 to SILL
23S; steel rails from $685. S5si to S91U117;
sewing machines. from S3,2IS to 4,062; sole
leather, from 653 1873 pounds to S764i9
pounds; kerosene oil, from 24,97O. .OSS gal
Ions to 31,210, 492 gallons: paraffine, from
2,3l9G3S pounds to 3,906,713 pounds; but
ter, from 41,170 pounds to 1884 pounds:
cheese, from 1866 pounds to 10 935 pounds
and a corresponding growth in many other
articles.