2284 



com:mekcial japan. 



[December, 



RAILROAD IRON, 



The contest for supplying Japan lies between England and the United States, and it is likely that it will continue. In 1895 Gieat 

 Britain furnished nearly all the railroad iron imported into this country, a very small quantity having been exported from Belgium and 

 Germany; the United States supplied none. In 1896 the United States exported only a little more than one-sixth as much of railroad 

 iron to this country as England did; but in 1897 a very notable increase took place from the United States in such shipments, and 

 exportation.s from the two countries stood thas: Great Brttain, $810,110; United States, $615,018. 



At this rate another year will show the United States to have left its competitor in this export far behind. 



IROX NAILS, BOLTS, AND SCREWS. 



In 1895 the United States exported to Japan })ut $33 worth of iron bolts and screws and $2,521 worth of iron nails, against which 

 we exported last year iron bolts and screws valued at $5,262 and iron nails valued at $469,689. Germany was the largest shipper of 

 nails to Japan in 1896, sending an amount equal to $469,485, against $116,160 worth from the United States; but last year these two 

 countries changed places, the United States having shipped a large amount, while Germany dropped to less than one-half her former 

 export. 



COTTON-SPINNING MACniXERY. 



The United States does not materially help to supply the vast quantity of spinning machinery required in Japan. This field ifl 

 one in which England seems to have always had a monopoly. Her exports here of such machinery during the last year amounted to 

 $2,632,509, against $4,557 worth from the United States and but little from any other country. 



Tfiis state of affairs should be looked into carefully by enterprising American manufacturers of machinery, as cotton spinning in 

 Japan is rapidly on the increase, involving a brisk demand for equipment. 



Japanese agencies for the purchase of spinning machinery are establi.shed in New York. Osaka is the chief cotton spinning and 

 weaving district, and manufactures immense quantities of cotton cloth, not only for home use, but for export to China, Korea, and 

 Hongkong. 



PAPER-MAKING MACHINERY. 



The United States slightly leads in this export. Nearly all of it comes from there and England. In 1896 our country shipped 

 paper-making machinery into Japan valued at $65,466, against shipments of the same from England of $24,796. During tlic yi.-ar under 

 review exports stood: United States, $197,000; England, $175,032. These latter figures show a largely increased demand for this 

 machinery, and it should be noted that the exports from the two countries named are now nearly balanced. Large paper mills are 

 established in this consular district. 



DYNAMO-ELECTRIC MACHINERY. 



The United States is well ahead in this export and should strive to maintain its lead, as there is no doubt that with the opening 

 up of Japan consequent upon the operation of the new treaties in 1899 the demand for this machinery will be greatly stiiiiulated, as 

 will also be the case with many other foreign inventions and productions. 



The following table gives the principal countries exporting this machinery and the value exported from each during the last 

 three years: 



MINING MACHINERY. 



This is used for the mining of coal, silver, copper, sulphur, and antimony. The imports were: 



EIou'' i.>i a growing inqiort into this country, and the I'nitod States supplies most of it, n very .small quantity being shipped from 

 Britinli Anicrica aixl China. The United States more than doubled its export of flour to Japan in 1S!»(), hut during the hu-t year the 

 exptirt.-< ol' llii.-< iirliflo giiini'(l only about 17 jier cent, in consciiuonce of its enhanced vahie at home, cheapiu's.«j Itoing an indispensable 

 condition to ready sale in this country. When the price of flour in the United States again becomee normal it will no doubt soon bo 

 nnich more extensively exported to \\\'\n country. 



RAW COTTON. 



Since 1S95 British India has gained lai-gely in the exportation of raw cotton to Japan, having more tlian trebled its shipments in 

 three years, whil(> China has fallen behind about .'iO \>vv cent. 



'Pile United States gaineil !uore than SO jier cent in ISIXJ over the jireceding year, and more than 70 i>er cent in the year under 

 nniew. In conunentinyr on the increa.sed imixirt here of American cotton, the annual report of the foreign chamlx^r of ct^mmerce at 

 Kol)e states that from October to December last 120,000 bales were contracted for, and that in constH^nence spinners would in the near 

 future be using 10 jn<r c(>nt of Ainericun cotton against 12 to 15 per cent in former years. It was also stated in the report that the 

 w*u-king of .\meritan cotton liolli reduced the running expenses of the mills and increased their cajxicity to turn out the finished 

 product. 



