New-York tribune., 1906-07-29
JAPAN COTTON INDUSTRY.
lIikadO's Land Profting By Great
Britain Manufacturing EgampIe.

The largest single item in the imports OF japan is
raw cotton. and its manufacture Is the most i'm
portant industry OF the country Japan having seen
that Great Britain. though not q cotton producing
country, spins and that staple for nearly 80
per cent Of the people Of the world. and knowing
that many OF her conditions similar to those Of
the United Kingdom. has taken the hint, and pro-
poses to profit by the example OF her prosperous
ally.
Cotton mills have been established throughout the
dominion Of the Mikado. particularly in the Kobe
district. and In these American and other cottons
are being transformed by cheap labor into fabrics
which waieh not only contribute to supply the home de-
ported.
The quality OF the cotton imported by japan is
mostly middling and Inferior and the greater part
OF It comes from British India, America and China,
relatively small amount required for the RiEh trade
yarns. Yarn for home consumption is composed al
tended for export It is mixed with others to the
extent OF from 10 to 20 per cent.
The imports Of raw cotton ginned and unginued
nom all countries TO Japan in 1895 amounted IN
s4S70sS4 and Osaka sls6ss me i5o2f 5S3 S2a 5v s
most nc st. doubled since 1901. when they amounted to
ported ls ginned The ungnned cotton comes nlain-
S IToia = Erenen 2nd Dutch India and the Straits,
g1ns. Formerly these machines were imported from
OF better quality and at much lower fiS11Ts sI1i
%9 e1So e1poEns them largely to China and other
In reference to possible competition with Auneri-
Sbarn ~ Ka ~ se aFksts % Of japan Consul Hunter
z RRIonl1enL Rs Japanese steamship company. started
9 line or steamers to South American p0rts IasT
eceI9oer one OF the prime objects being to utilize
FeruVlan cotton as a return cargo. This exDeCta-
tIon however, OF opening up a new source OF sup
PLY for raw cotton has not been realized the PERU
vla3 staple having been found TO be OF too hne a
Q1a1ity FOR the japanese market
4 5e Pros2eEty OF the cotton spinning industry IN
nope last year was exceptional One factor in its
aid was a greatly increased demand for yarn
caused by the war with Russia Another was the
activity or the export trade. caused by the high
prices realized on the finished product, while the
cost or raw cotton remained at a lower figure than
usual The ewenty-eight cotton mills IN the Kobe
district had December 81. 1905. q total OF ga
0f+Sl paid up capital, fund OF s. $50
1.148764 Epfn0les and 1886 looms.
During the year these mills produced SIS 90 bales
OF yarn and 1865, ,10I yards and 649.71 pieces OF
cloth, which they made clear pFoft OF S5S7A755
They consumed 994343 bales Of cotton and On De
cember q they had hand a stock Of s. E12 15l
worth OF cotton. S578 Of cloth and S543 OF yarn
In Japan, as elsewhere in the commercial world
there Is a notable tendency TO the concentration
OF business energy by the uniting Of common in-
terests in combination. a movement for the ab-
sOFptOn OF the smaller cotton mills by the larger
Is progressing very rapidly and another movement
on foot is for the utilization Of water power for
the generation OF electricity a substitute for
steam There IS little doubt that the importation
OF raw cotton into Japan VIII increase largely "A
the near future, on account OF the efforts being
made to extend the japanese trade in cotton yarns
and woven goods to the Asiatic Continent