The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1905-01-16
JAPAN GETTING
ALONG ALL RIGHT
Heavy Increase in Exports in
the Past Year.
IMPORTS ALSO INCREASED
TRADE RELATIONS WITH THE
UNITED STATES.

Washington. Jan. I5.-The state de-
partment has received an interesting
report from Mr.. Griscom, the American
minister TO Toxic, dealing with the
present. economic conditions i'm Japan
and her trade relations with the Unit
ed States.
Mr.. Griscom, in several statistical
contributions compiled from official
sources. compared the first nine months
OF the present conflict with the same
time last year.
The present year shows an increase
in exports of S6,424,159 and an increase
II imports Of $10,0S0, $50 During the
ssme period the increase OF exports in
specie and bullion amounted to S41. 4O3,-
5gi, and the increase in imports to ST.
Sl2.370.
Trade With United States.
During the period in review exports
To the United States were valued at
$53. SSS.622. and imports of 81, 702, 53S.
law silk was the principal item of ex-
port, showing Il marked increase. There
was reduced export of tea and coal.
kerosene oil. leather. rails, flour and
sugar were imported from the United
States in larger quantities than during
the same period last year, while raw
cotton imports declined.
Mr. Griscom describes the readiness
with which the Japanese domestic loans
lave been ftoated. With the proceeds of
The foreign loan of SIS 655. 900. for
which the customs receipts We're
pledged as security by the government
the latter repaid the money borrowed
from the Bank of Japan. by which the
amount of specie reserve held by the
Central bank was augmented and the
EXPANSION of convertible bank notes
V as checked.
National Debt of Japan.
The total amount of the national debt
of Japan at the end Of September stood
at about S444. 2I6. 900. making a debt per
capita of about $9.46-
War taxes have been increased on
land, incomes, business tTansa ctions,
sugar. mines, sake, bourses, customs
consumption of wooden textiles, con-
sumption of kerosene and stamps, while
a new source of considerable revenue
IS found in the tobacco monopoly. The
official estimate of the anticipated net
income to be derived from that source
for the year ending March 81, 1905, is
S12,966,212, and $4,000, 900 for the year
ending March 81 1906. The govern
ment-owned railroads. likewise which
are valued by the ministry of finance
at about $95. 600, 600, and are estimated
10 bring in a net income of "a, $50 600 for
the coming year. This item and the to-
bacco monopoly are assets upon which,
j. is generally supposed, further for
eign loans viii be raised. At the be-
ginning of the war the specie reserve
in the Bank Of Japan fell quickly from
!
May. when the first foreign loan was
doubtless responsible for an increase to
S5S,646,000 in August, the normal con-
dition.
Falling Off in Taxes.
Owing to the abandonment of local
public works and Improvement there
has been falling off in taxes official
u estimated, in round numbers, at $1O,-
100000.
The reports from Toxic and osaka
clearing houses for October, 1904. show
an increase of S21.157611 in the va'-!e
OF bills cleared over the same month
in 1903 Although other clearing houses
exist at KiotO, Yokohama. Kobe and
Nagoya, Mr.. Griscom believes the
Toxic and Osaka houses indicate the
trend of business in the country.
The metallic currency circulation of
Japan for October. 1904 shows a de-
crease Of $2,791. go. The Japan depart
ment of finance estimates that at the
end Of October, 1904, Japanese bank
notes of the value of about $95S,359
We're circulating in Manchuria and
Korea.
During the entire year 1908 postal
savings deposits in Japan increased
1,446.917. while during the first nine
months they increased 81 .735.
The increase OF SIS. 63O. ga in deposits
In the leading banks of Japan, from
Jan 1, 1903, to Aug I, 1904, Mr.. Girls
com says. has been markedly free from
Is fluctuations
Japanese Marine.
Mr.. GriScom is Informed by the
Japanese department of communica-
tons that on Dec. 81. 1903, Japanese
registered steam vessels above twenty
tons numbered 1.QSS, with a gross ton
mage of 651 ,269 tons. In September.
1904, they had increased to 1.193 YES
sells Of 753.14S gross tons. During the
nine months ended Sept. so, 1904, there
were added to Japan's mercantile fleet
146 steamers OF 161. S02 gross tons and
there was a loss. mainly due TO cas-
Ualties of war, of fOrty-One steamers
Of 66.O34 gross tons. showing a net in
crease of 1O5 steamers of 95,76S gross
tons.
The report SAYS that the necessary
abandonment during the war by sew
eTal leading Japanese steamship lines
Of their services to foreign countries
already has had considera bic effect in
changing channels of trade. as for. in
stance. a large falling off I'm the i'm
poTtatiOn OF raw cotton from India
which was he principal source of
Japans supply and which trade has
gone to China.
a striking feature in the Industrial
history of Japan during the past
year is the unusual abundance of
nearly all agricultural products, espec-
tally the unprecedented yield of rice.
the yield of rice being estimated to be
about 24S 145, 600 bushels for 1904 an in
crease Of about II. asa 223 as compared
with the yield of 1903. The average
annual yield Of rice since 1891 has been
1873. 1924 bushels. Other cereal crops
especially barley and wheat, show con-
siderable increases as compared with
previous years. On the basis of the
present market value OF rice, NJ. Girls
com estimates that the increased in
come OF the country from this source
win be S22,S20.S50 over last year.