Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1917-11-16
JAPAN FIGHTING
HARD IN WAR FOR
WORLD MARKETS
Has Made Tremendous Strides
in Manufacturing and Ex-
porting Since 1914.
Her INDUSTRIES THRIViAG
Has Captured Markets Held by Other
Nations-Trade to Australia Quad
rupIed-RuiIding $4,000 Tons u
Shipping to Handle Export Expansion

In the past few years Japan has IN.
dergone a tremendous industrial devel
opment The enormous progress made
by her in manufacturing and export
Ing since the outbreak of the war is
little realized In this country.
1t is not fully recognized that Japan
Is gradually changing from an ag-icul
tural to an industrial country, and that
In her new drive to win some Of thu
foreign markets she has captured con
siderable OF the business which was
formerly held by this country. The
great expansion of her foreign trade
since 1914 is shown by the official re
turns of her trade in 1916.
Exports Far in Excess OF imports.
During that year TIE total value OF
imports was 756,50O,O00 yen, being an
increase of 224.000,0OO, while the ex
ports for the same period amounted to
1.127,500, 900 yen, being an increase OF
about 419,000,0 900 yen. The actual ex
cess of exports over imports for the
year was 81 100000 yen, as compared
with I70,000,00O yen for 1915.
The changed position which haa
taken place since the beginning of the
war may be seen from the fact that
for the year 1914 there was actually
an excess in the value of the imports
over exports Of about 100000 yen.
Cotton manufacture is one OF her
principal industries, and the statistics
show that the average number OF spin
dies working daily in Japan In 1914
(the latest available year, was nearly
$500. 100. Wool manufacture was not
carried on before the war TO any great
extent, hut 1t has now received con
siderable impetus, and Japanese rae
tories are executing orders from the
Russian Government.
The production OF iron and steel
both in government and private works
has also been very considerable, the
best iron ores being imported from
China. Japan has some 100000 tons
OF shipping now under construction,
and the industry is in a fourishins
condition. Her merchant marine con
sists of 2,170 steamers of 1,704, 7S5
tons, and 9.1S7 sailing ships OF 572,4o5
tons. Ocean-going steamers exceeding
10000 tons number 44S, with total
tonnage of 1,42S,212 tons. Thirty-nine
ocean-going steamers of 14O,236 tons
were launched from Japanese yards IL
1916.
NAV Use American Machinery.
II might be added that Japan is now
investigating the possibility OF USING
American cotton-spinning machinery
in their mills. The extent OF purchases
already decided on is estimated al
100000 spindles.
How her credit stands may be seen
from the fact that her AZ per cent
loan is quoted on the London Stock
Exchange at 911s. yielding at that
price, interest of nearly per cent
Great Britain's Az per cent. loan Is
quoted at 92A, so We see how the rela
tive positions of the two countries
have changed since 1914. Before thai
sateful time no one would have
dreamed of comparing the two credits
Already Japanese manufacturers
nave quadrupled their exports to Aus
tralia. Ships which in the past aver
aged a cargo OF $50 tons now bring to
sydney $500 tons. The Japanese have
captured a great deal OF the trade once
armly held by American, British, Ger
man and French exporters. In the silA
market they nave won the premier
position, and Australian shops are now
nlled 10 OVERLOOKING with cheap Jap
anesa silks.
The following Japanese goods are
now sold with great success in the
Australian market: Glasses, scientific
instruments. silks. Panama hats. cot
tons. TOYS. insulators. electric light ap
paratus. camphor. sulphur oil, matches
basketware. rubber tires. bottles, por
celain.
Japan's rapid industrial and com
mercial strides viii serve to intensity
the formidable competition which the
American manufacturer viii have to
meet both in domestic and foreign
markets after the war. They afford
another striking proof of the necessity
for restoring friendly relations be
tween capital and labor, securing few
er and better business laws and
moulding better public attitude TO
ward business so that American In
austry may be rid of its harassmenta
and made strong for the trade fight
after the restoration of peace.-Tndas.