The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-06-11
EXPORTS ID JAPAN ARE NOW ENORMOUS Have Increased Ten Fold in the
 Past Ten Years COTTON IS CHIEF ARTICLE Imports From Japan to American Are Also Large and the Chief
 Article Is Raw
 silk.

Washington, June 10-(Special )-Trade of the United States with Japan is larger than with any other oriental country, and aggregated in 1906 106 million dollars. The exports to Japan have grown from a lit- tie more than five million dollars in the calendar year 1895 to over ffty-five mil lions in 1905 being more than ten times as great in 1905 as in 1895. The imports from Japan also show material increase. having been twenty-seven and one-half million dollars in 1895 and nearly ffty-one millions in 1905. The gain in exports to Japan, comparing 1905 with 1895 isA not quite so rapid as in those to China, but the growth in imports from Japan Is much more rapid than in those from China. In the period from 1895 to 1905 the exports to Japan increased forty-five million dol lars, and those to China increased practi- cally ffty-five millions. During the same period imports from Japan increased twenty-three million dollars, while those from China increased but about six mill lions.
 Remarkable Feature of Export Trade.
 The growth in exports from the United SNtNN~' markable feature in our export trade in the last decade. The increase In exports to Japan was in round terms fifty million dollars. while during the same period the growth in exports to all South America was but thirty-two million dollars, to all Africa but ten millions, to Oceanla. in cluding Hawaii, thirty millions, and to all Asia except Japan and China thirteen millions. Thus the growth in exports to Japan from 1895 to 1905 has been greater than that to South America, Africa, China; while the growth to Japan and China in combination has been greater than that to the remainder of Asia, plus Africa. South America and Oceania.
 This growth in exports to Japan has oe- cured chiefly in very recent years. A statement just issued by the department of commerce and labor through its bureau of statistics shows the details of com mercial movements between the United States and its neighbors on the west. The exports to Japan, as indicated were but little over five million dollars In 1885, and had reached twenty-one million dol lars in 1903, when the extraordinary de- mands for foodstuffs, railway material machinery of all sorts, and material for clothing during the war pushed the total up to thirty-one and one-half millions in 1904 and fifty-hve and three-quarter mill lions in 1905 Exports to China, which were but little less than four millions in 1895, Jagged until 1903, when they weer fifteen million dollars; they grew to twenty eight millions in 1904 and by reason of the unusual demand for American cottons and copper, as explained a week ago. grew to fifty-eight and one-half millions in 1905.
 Chief Article Is Cotton.
 The articles which make up the large and rapidly growing total of American exports to Japan are more widely diver sified than In the trade with China. The chief articles in the exports to Japan and their values in the fiscal year 1905 were raw cotton, practically seventeen mil lion dollars: manufactures of iron and steel about ten million dollars; flour, five mllions leather, five millions; mineral oil nearly three millions provisions, in- cluding meat, butter. condensed milk and canned foods of various kinds. about two mlllons cotton cloths, a little over one million; copper, a little over one million, and breadstuffs other than flour. a little over one million
 This diversificadon Is a marked char acteristic of trade with Japan In recent years. Raw cotton exports to Japan in the fiscal year 1895 amounted to less than one million dollars to twelve million dol lars in 1900, and were practically seven teen millions in 1905, far in excess of any earlier year Manufactures of iron and steel exported to Japan in 1895 amounted to less than one-half million dollars. and In 1905 were over ten millions, with a large increase in the number of classes included under that general term. Leather exports to Japan in 1895 were less than one-half million dollars in value, and in 1905, five millions. Flour exports to Japan in 1895 amounted in value to but a quarter of a million dollars, and in 1905 to over five millions, while other bread stuffs exported were valued at more than one million Cotton cloths exported to Japan In 1895 amounted to less than SlOO.- 000 and in 1905 to over one million dol lars Unmanufactured tobacco exported to Japan In 1895 amounted to less than sS000. and in 1905 to nearly one million dollars.
 Raw SIX Chief Import.
 On the import side the growth has been less rapid and the variety of articles rather more restricted than on the ex- port side Raw silk formed in 1905 more than one-half the value of the total inn ports from Japan, being practically twen- ty-nine million dollars in value out of a total of practically fifty-two millions. The growth in imports of raw silk has been very rapid during the decade. the total imports thereof from Japan having been but ten million dollars in value in 1895 and practically twenty-nine millions in 1905; while the manufactures of silk im- ported from Japan amounted to little over six million dollars in 1905, against four and three-quarter millions in 1895. Tea was the next article in importance among the imports from Japan, amount ing In 1905 to a value of little over seven million dollars; mating and mats to a little more than two millions, and earthen, stone. and china ware to nearly one mill lion 1o11ara