The Black Hills union and western stock review. [volume] (Rapid City, S.D.) 1904-19??, 1905-04-21
EFFECT OF WAR ON
NATIONS COMMERCE
Eastern Conflict Has Causec
Both Gains and Losses
to United States.
BUT GAINS ARE LARGEST
Biggest Increase Is in the Sales Of Stee,
Rails, Machinery, Arms. Ammuni-
ton, Leather, Flour and
Canned Goods

New York Times: Greatly augmented
imports from the United States, due to
the war with Russia, form the feature
of last years trade between this colln-
try and Japan. War materials of
many kinds are being rushed across
the Pacific for the use of the mikado's
army ana navy in the great Manchur-
ian struggle. These comprise steel
rails. bridges and locomotives for IL
military railway across Korea; large
quantities of leather for the making of
army boots and harnesses. flour and
salmon for feeding the forces in the
field, besides rifles, ammunition and
torpedoboatS. For several months the
port of Tacoma has afforded Il striking
illustration of the gy in forwarding
of Japanese army supplies. During
October and November four steam
ships, the Inverness. Hero, Quito and
Viking, carried from Tacoma 10 900 tons
of Pittsburg steel rails, together with
large quantities of spikes, fishplates,
etc, these steamers going to fOkO-
homa or MurOran for orders and pro-
ceeding thence to Chemulpo for deliv-
cry of their cargoes on Korean soil. So
great was the hurry to assemble these
rails at Chemulpo that special price
was paid to the Viking, Il small but
swift steamer just out of Il Norwegian
shipyard, to insure her delivery of the
last of the rails within specified time.
Steamships Impressed.
The impreSsment of steamships by
the Toxic government has materially
affected the carrying trade betWeen
Japan and America, resulting in the en-
tire Withdrawal of the Japanese steam
ship line between Yokohoma and San
Francisco and the reduction of the
service between Yokohoma and Puget
sound from six to two
Another effect of the war is the prac-
lice of rigid economy by the Japanese
people as part of the domestic program
for aiding the government. For this
reason Americas exports to Japan Of
bicycles, electrical supplies and luXu-
ries of all kinds heretofore exported to-
that country will show a decrease this
year. The war is causing no diminu-
ton of Japan's ability to continue eX-
ports on a normal basis. In fact, there
is a probability that exports will be-
actually increased in consequence of
the general desire to maintain the ma
TONS earning power Very much of the
work ordinarily performed by men, now
absent at war. is being continued by
women. Tea picking and firing the
manufacture OF mating, silk culture,
and all of the other national industries
are progressing in the same manner as
before.
Flour shipments to Japan We're I'M
usually large just previous to October
| !. when the duty on flour was in
creased. Since that date shipments have
| been more spasmodic. though just now
showing d tendency to become more
regular Coast Touring mills are sup
plying the demand at this time. though
last winter. under a special rate. d
large quantity of Minneapolis flour was
shipped to Japan, China and Siberia.
Rice is the great staple of Japanese
foodstuffs. The rice crop for the year
reached nearly 51.000,000 koku, being 20
per cent. above the average crop and
! over 8 per cent better than last year.
crop.
Shipment of food.
From all the Pacific coast ports there
have been shipped large cOnsignments
of meats and canned goods intended
primarily for the japanese army. AS
far as possible these shipments have
! been kept secret, it being the desire of
| the Japanese purchasers not to inform
the enemy of their transactions. There
is a reason for believing that Russian
! agents have watched the loading of
many cargoes at various Pacific portsI
| Commerce with Japan has nevertheless
| been uninterrupted save for the ten
! day raid of the Vladivostok squadron,
/ which caused the San Francisco lines
! TO temporarily refuse contraband cargo.
| Insurance rates We're increased, but
lately, and particularly since the de-
| structon of the Port Arthur fleet, in
surance rates have dropped to abolD
normal The Japanese are purchasing
| increased quantities Of cheap grades of
| salmon from Puget sound, British Co
| lumbia and Alaska. Japanese agents
! specially arrange for the putting up on
| the Alaska coast of a quantity of dog
salmon, an inferior variety seldom eat
en- except by Indians. Shipments of
| leather from New York and other east
ern centers. through Pacific coast ports
have been greater during the last few
| months than ever before
Raw and manufactured silks. teas
and mattings form the bulk of Japans
exports to the United States. The silk
| crop of the present year was above the
average. and shipments to the United
States will considerably exceed those
of last year. The United States forms
crops goes to France, Italy and Ger
many. The exports of silk tissues fol-
September, 1904, amounted to 2.770,00C
| yen, as compared with 100000 yen in
! September 1908. Exports of silk hand
llerchiefs We're 100000 yen. and of raw
silk 12,6S6.000 yen in September. and
$4,000 yen in the same month of the
! previous year
Imports of tea during the year have
I been normal, a portion coming via Sue1
canal. The war duty on tea was re-
! moved two years ago, since Wher
/ American stocks have been larger thar
ror several years previously. A small
government subsidy is still given the
Central Tea guild to aid it's work of eX
tending the market for Japanese teas
in the United States.