Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-03-08
TRADE WITH THE ORIENT.
Best Customer of Asiatic Russia, China
and Japan.

Commercial Japan in 1904" Commercial
Russia in 1904 Commercial Korea in
19o4' and Commercial China in 1904'' are
the titles of monographs just prepared by
the Department of Commerce and Labor
through its bureau of statistics. They dis
cuss commerce and commercial conditions
in each of the countries in question, not
only at the present time, but the history
Of their commerce. their trade relations
with the various parts of the world and
with each other, the total value of their
present commerce compared with that of
earlier years, their trade with the United
States, with other leading countries of the
world and with each other
The total commerce of the territory 'front.'
ing upon and Immediately adjacent to the
scene OF present hostlitieS aggregates, in
round terms, about $500, 900 600 of which
considerably more than one-half is imports.
OF the exports from the countries named
the United States is the largest single pur-
chaser. The tea, the raw silk, the manu-
featured silk, the rice, the mattings and
other products of this character which form
the bulk OF the exports 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 discussion of the
commerce of the countries in question.
The more important of the exports of 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 exported to this particular section of
the world goes chiefly to Japan. and the
market in Japan for American cotton is in
huenced largely by the surplus of cotton In
India. which is of shorter staple and there
fore OF lower price. In years of short sup
ply in India Japan turns to the United
states for its raw cotton, but in years OF
plentiful supply in India a large proportion
OF the raw cotton purchases Of Japan are
the product of India. In cotton manufac-
lures China is the most important GUS
toner. The exports of cotton manufactures
10 China in the past year have materially
fallen off, though the reduction in imports
of American cottons into China is
greater proportionately 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 importa-
tons of cotton yarn and Increased 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 holding its own
kerosene from Russia and Sumatra proving
very active competitor To China the eX-
ports of mineral oils from the United
States fluctuate greatly ranging all the
way from 20 to 55 million gallons per an
mum. To Hong Kong the shipments are
more steady, ranging from Is to IS million
gallons per annum. To Japan the shipments
also fuctuate in some degree though not
so greatly as In the case of China
Flour as a factor in our export trade to
the orient has of late attracted considerable
attention. but the total is not large nor is
the growth rapid.