PAPER IN FOREIGN COUNTRIES. 



No export duty is charged on either hand or machine made paper 

 or their manufactures. The first export returns of handmade paper 

 were published in 1886 and remained classified with "paper manu- 

 factures" until 1893, without much change in volume. The average 

 was about 73,000 catties (95,630 pounds), valued at 42,000 yen ($20,- 

 916), as shown by the next table. 



Separately classified returns of wall paper began in 1884, with 

 imports valued at 12,556 yen ($10,911), running up to 68,396 yen 

 ($51,502) in 1888, 81,993 yen ($54,443) in 1892, and 184,207 yen 

 ($91,735) in 1898, as shown in the second table below. 



The exportation of machine-made paper was first classified as a 

 separate item in 1875, and its yearly export, as shown below, has 

 since remained very small; so that during 1898, only 58,792 yen 

 ($29,278) worth was shipped from Japan, the greater part of which 

 went to China. 



In order to comply with the Department's request for a statement 

 of quantities, values, and kinds of paper exported each year for 

 which statistics are available in Japan, the following tables are 

 given, descriptive of varieties, some of which date from 1874, the 

 same having been taken from the Returns of the Foreign Trade. It 

 will be observed, however, that the classification was not complete 

 until the beginning of 1893, as is shown by the table immediately 

 preceding. 



All the information embraced in this report has been procured 

 from the most reliable sources which were available; but it must be 

 said that all the best sources have not been accessible, as certain 

 manufacturers choose to retain the knowledge of the industry which 

 they have gained by experience and observation. The exportation 

 of handmade paper, including copying paper and paper manufac- 

 tures, from the earliest date when it was mentioned as an item of 

 export, has been: 



