The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-03-07
TRADE OF DISTURBED TERRI
TORY


The total commerce of the territory
fronting upon and Immediately ada
cent to the scene of present hostili-
ties aggregates, in round terms, about
$500. 900 600. of which considerably more
than one-half is imports Japan's com
merce is about equally divided between
imports and exports. but in the case of
China and Asiatie Russia imports
greatly exceed exports, and this is also
true OF Hongkong,- which passes most
of its imports on into China and draws
from China most of the articles which
become it's exports. Probably three
fifths of the total commerce of the
countries in question, taken as whole,
is in the form of imports, and the
United States is year by year supply
ing larger share of those imports of
the countries in question and gaining
upon other countries in the relative
share which it supplies thereof OF the
exports from the countries named the
United States is the largest single pur-
chaser. The tea, the raw silk, the
manufactured silk, the rice, the MAJ
tings, and other products of this char
acter which form the bulk of the ex-
ports of China and Japan go more
largely to the United States than to
any other single country of the world,
while as to Asiatic Russia and Korea
their exports are at present SO small as
to be of little Importance in a discus
sion of the commerce Of the countries
in question.
The more important of the exports CT
the United States to the section in
question are cotton and cotton goods.
kerosene flour. lumber, manufactures
of iron and steel, manufactures of
leather, and tobacco. Raw cotton ex-
ported to this particular section of the
world goes chiefly to Japan, and the
market in Japan for American cotton
is influenced largely by the surplus of
cotton in India, which is of shorter sta
pie and therefore of lower price. m
years of short supply in India Japan
turns to the United States for its ra "
cotton, but in years of plentiful sup
ply in India a large proportion of the
Taw-cotton purchases of Japan are the
product of India. In cotton manufact-
ures China is the most important Gus
toner. The exports of cotton manufac-
lures to China in the part year have
materially fallen off. though the reduc-
ton in imports of American cottons
INTO emma Is no greater propOrtiOnateiy
than the reduction in such imports
from other countries. This reduction
In importations of cotton goods into
China is due in part to the unsettled
conditions which have prevailed during
the year, and in part to the. increased
importations of cotton yarn and in
creased domestic production of cotton
goods.
Kerosene is an even more important
item in our exports to the Orient. and
in this article the trade is barely hold
ing its own. kerosene from Russia and
Sumatra proving very active competi-
tor. To China the exports of mineral
oils from the United States fluctuatt
greatly, ranging all the way from q
to SIS million gallons per annum. II
1901, for example, the total was 81 mil
lion gallons: in 1902. 81 millions, and
in 1903, about 20 millions To Hong
kong the shipments are more steady
ranging from Is to Is million gallon.
per annum. To Japan the shipment.
also fluctuate in some degree, though
not so greatly as in the case of Chi
ma. In 1899 the total to Japan was 3.