The times., 1899-02-13
AMERICA AND JAPAN.
The Enormous Expansion of Their
Eynprf Trade.

The Yankees of America and the YAM
KEGS Of the Orient have out-expanded the
world in the last decade in the growth Of
their commerce. and especially their ex-
port trade From 1883 to 1887 the exports
Of the United States increased more than
50 per cent, and those Of Japan more than
so per cent. In the matter of imports.
however. the Yankees OF America exhibit
far greater ability to supply the home de
mand than their namesakes OF the Orient,
the imports OF the United States in 1885,
being but about 6 per cent in excess OF
those Of 1883. while the importations OF
Japan show an increase of more than 100
per cent.
Some tables just prepared by the Treas
ury Bureau of Statistics comparing the
growth OF the commerce of the United
States with that of other nations show
clearly how the United States has sur
passed her neighbors, both in Europe and
other parts of the world. In her export
trade during the decade. and that she has
at the same time made greater progress In
supplying the home demand, her increase
in imports in 1897 over those of 1898 being
less than that of almost any other ma
tion.
A comparison Of the United States for
presents some interesting facts. both as
to present conditions and comparative
growth. decade ago France, Germany.
and the United Kingdom exceeded the
United States in their exports, those OF
the United Kingdom being more than
double our own In 1897 those oil the
United States were greater than those OF
France or Germany. and but &c per cent
less than those of Great Britain. while
in the calendar year just ended the United
States expectation of domestic products
actually exceeded the export of domestic
products by the United Kingdom. y de-
tailed study of the commerce of the great
European nations from lssS to 1897 shows
that none has made so rapid progress in
exports as the United States. but that in
most cases they have increased their i'm
ports much more rapidly than this .oun-
try. From 1883 TO 1897 United States eX-
ports increased 81 per cent. while those
of the United Kingdom fell OF Ii per cent
France showed an increase of but 10S per
cent: Netherlands. 33.6 per cent; British
Australasia, 80 per cent; Belgium less
than l per cent, and Russia a decrease of
81 per cent. Germany showed gain OF
I35 per cent from 1891 to 1891. the figures
for earlier years not being in form to per-
nit an accurate and just comparison.
In imports the United States showed an
increase of but 5.s per cent from 1883 to
1887 while the United Kingdom showed
16.3 per cent. the Netherlands, "a per cent.
and Russia. 51.4 per cent. Germany showed
an increase of 1913 per cent from 1891 to
1897: France. Belgium. and British Aus
traIia showing a slight decrease in their
importations from 1883 to 1897 China in
creased her imports 1874 per cent fro 1885
to 1896, and Japan increased hers 1919 per
cent; while in exports China increased ISL
and Japan 63.1 per cent. No other coun-
try shows so large an increase in exports
and so small an increase in imports mean
time as does the United States. while no
other is able to present a record such as
that which this country has made in the
fiscal year 1898 of exports double the
amount of imports.
The following table shows the value
of imports of the leading countries in
1897, compared with ISIS: