ASIA : JAPAN. 



399 



sheets and rolls. A very serious error in regard to the requirement 

 for light weight was recently made by an American firm, who shipped 

 to this port a large consignment of news paper, consisting of 585 

 rolls averaging 500 pounds each. It was found by the consignees 

 to exceed the weight limit for a certain rate of Japanese postage. 

 Surveyors were appointed upon application, and they found it nec- 

 essary to cut samples from the rolls, in order that they might be 

 sent to experts in America, with a view to obtaining a reduction upon 

 the shipment. Japanese importers of news paper are perhaps quite 

 as particular in regard to the weight per square yard as they are to 

 the quality of the paper itself, and this fact should be well remem- 

 bered by the American exporter. 



I have obtained, semiofficially, from a reliable Japanese importer 

 of machine-made paper, the following items: 



There are but five printing presses in Japan using news paper on 

 rolls. Since the termination of the war with China, the Japanese 

 have made the larger part of the news paper used by them. 



This paper has been made by machinery imported from America 

 and England. There is generally a good demand here for paper- 

 making machinery. During 1897 its importation was very large, as 

 is shown by the following table: 



Importation of paper -ma king machinery. 



Monthly returns for the year 1898 show that importations of paper- 

 making machinery are insignificant in comparison with those of 1897, 

 there having been but 50,333 yen ($25,066) worth brought to Japan, 

 against more than 750,000 yen ($373,500) worth the year before. 

 However, this fact should not deter exporters of such machinery 

 from effort in this country, because, as stated elsewhere in this re- 

 port, several new mills are now projected, some of which are in 

 course of erection. 



The Japanese do not find it profitable to make the fine, thin 

 machine-made news paper. They make chiefly 31 by 42, 35 pounds 

 per ream ; therefore, it is found necessary to import from Europe 

 and America a great deal of 27}^ by 39^, 23 pounds per ream, cost- 

 ing at present i^d. (3 cents) per pound, c. i. f. Japan. Some other 

 sizes and weights, up to the weights which the Japanese do make, 



