Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-03-26
| WAR AND COMMERCE
Effect of Eastern Conflict on
American Trade.
GAIN EXCEEDS LOSS
INCREASE IN EXPORTS OF STEEL
RAILS AND MACHINERY.
United States Selling Arms. Ammuni-
ton, Leather, Flour and Canned
Goods to Japan.
GAIN EXCEEDS LOSS
From the New York Times.

Greatly augmented imports from the
United States, due to the war with Russia,
form the feature of last years trade be-
tween this country and japan. War mater
ials of many kinds are being rushed across
the Pacific for the of the mikado's army
and navy in the great Manchurian struggle
These comprise steel rails, bridges and To-
comotives for military railway across
Korea; large quantities of leather for the
| ma king of army boots and harnesses flour
and salmon for feeding the forces in the
field besides rifles ammunition and torpedo
boats. For several months the port of Ia
coma has afforded striking illustration OF
the energy in forwarding of Japanese army
supplies. During October and November
four steamships, the Inverness, Hero, Quito
and Viking. carried from Tacoma 1o,Ooo
tons of Pittsburg steel rails, together with
large quantities of spikes, fishplates, etc,
these steamers going to Yokohama or Mu-
Koran for orders and proceeding thence to
Chemulpo for delivery of their cargoes on
Korean soil. So great was the hurry TO as
cial price was paid to the Viking, small
but swift steamer just out of Norwegian
shipyard to insure her delivery of the last
of the rails within specified time.
Steamships Impressed.
The impressment of steamships by the
Tokyo government has materially affected
the carrying trade between Japan and Amer
lea. resulting in the entire withdrawal or
the japanese steamship line between 4o-
kohama and San Francisco and the reduc-
ton of the service between Yokohama and
Puget Sound from six to two.
Another effect of the war is the practice
of rigid economy by the japanese people
as part of the domestic program for aiding
the government. For this reason America S
exports to Japan of bicycles, electrical sup
plies and luXurieS of all kinds heretofore
exported to that country will show de-
crease this year. The war is causing no
dminution of Japan's ability to continue
exports on normal basis. In fact there
is a probability that exports will be actu-
ally increased in consequence of the general
desire to maintain the nations 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 indus
tries are progressing in the same manner
as before.
Flour shipments to Japan were unusually
large just previous to October /, when the
duty flour was increased. Since that
date shipments have been more spasmodic,
though just now showing a tendency to be-.
come more regular Coast Touring mills
are supplying the demand at this time,
though last winter, under special rate,
large quantity of Minneapolis flour was
is the great staple of Japanese foodstuffs.
The rice crop for the year reached nearly
81 COO, 900 koku, being 20 per cent above the
average crop and over per cent better than
last years crop.
r. Shipment of Food.
From all the Pacific coast ports there
have been shipped large consignments of
meats and canned goods intended primar
lily for the Japanese army. AS far as posi-
BILE these shipments have been kept secret,
| it being the desire of the Japanese purchas-
| ers not to inform the enemy of their trans
actions There is reason for believing that
Russian agents have watched the loading
| of many cargoes at various Pacific ports.
Commerce with Japan has nevertheless been
| uninterrupted save for the ten-day raid
| of the EladiVOStOk squadron, which caused
| the San Francisco lines to temporarily re-
| fuse contraband cargo. Insurance rates
| were increased, but lately, and particularly
| since the destruction of the Port Arthur
fleet, insurance rates have dropped to about
normal The Japanese are purchasing in
| creased quantities of cheap grades of sal
mon from Puget sound, British Columbia
and Alaska. Japanese agents specially ar
ranged for the putting up on the Alaska
coast of a quantity of dog salmon an infer
ior variety seldom eaten except by Indians.
Shipments of leather from New York and
other eastern 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 consid-
erably exceed those of last year. The
United States forms the chief market,
though part of the crop goes to France,
Italy and Germany. The exports of silk
tissues for September, 1904, amounted to
2,T10CO0 yen, compared with 1900 600
yen in September, 1903. Exports of silk
handkerchiefs We're $4,000 yen and of raw
silk 126S60G0 yen in September, as COM
pared with 1864 Geo yen and S,742,000 yen in
the same month of the previous year.
Imports of tea during the year have been
normal a portion coming via SueZ canal.
The war duty on tea was removed two
years ago, since when American stocks have
been larger than for several years pre-
viously. A small government subsidy is
still given the Central Tea Guild to aid its
work of extending the market for Japanese
teas in the United States.