"}
4,817,767
"
55
,, 2,100,054
16
JAPAN
The Imports in 1900 are classified by the Department of Finance as Arms, Munitions, Clocks, &c. Yen 6,526,966
Beans
Beverages and Comestibles...
Clothing and Accessories Coal
Iron and Steel Kerosine Oil
Yen31,664,875
11
14,162,652
3,402,924 Locomotive Engines...
1,089,209
1,512,386 Machinery
6,150,590
Metals & Metal Manufs.
6,101,395
"}
Cotton Goods
1)
11,379,741
Oils and Waxes
""
1,751,140
Cotton, Raw
Cotton Yarn
Drugs, Chemicals & Medicines
Dyes, Colours and Paints Fish, Salt
Flax, Hemp, &c.
59,471,629
Oil-cakes
11
5,696,453
7,043,046 Paper and Stationery
99
5,261,810
6,974,336 Rice
"J
9,021,536
""
3,419,197 Shirtings
19
7,276,565
2,184,846 Silk and Silk Manufactures...
"1
"1
4,286,573 Sugar....
"}
Flour
"1
3,882,517 Vessels, Steam
""
2,526,746 26,691,757 2,648,136
Glass and Glass Manufactures
1,149,640 Wool and Woollen Goods.
"}
,, 23,474,048
Grains and Seeds
Horns, Ivory, Skins, Hairs,
Shells, &c......
**
3,637,021
Indigo
""
3,902,559
15,674,788
Yen 287,261,845
The total Shipping, including junks, from and to Foreign countries, for the year
1900 was-
1,705,518 Re-imports
673,425
35
Sundries
Entered
Steamers
5,330
Tonnage 9,606,752
Cleared
Sailing Vessels 1,300
218,870
5,348 1,308
194,289
Tonnage Total Tonnage 9,641,691 10,678 19,248,443 2,608
413,159
6,630 9,825,622 6,656
9,835,980 13,286 19,661,602 The merchant vessels entered from Foreign countries in 1900 were divided among the different nationalities as under :-
Strs.
Tonnage
Sailing Tonnage Total
Total Tonnage
Japanese
2,645
3,363,657
1,172
62,874
3,817
3,426,531
British
1,542
3,739,154
48
80,650
1,590
3,819,804
German
392
1,030,768
19
38,146
411
1,068,914
Russian
196
356,573
18
3,285
214
359,858
United States of America
135
311,180
28
28,852
163
340,032
Norwegian
165
268,969
165
268,969
French
135
294,657
2
3,144
137
297,801
Austrian
71
172,626
71
172,626
Other Countries
49
69,168
13
1,919
62
71,087
218,870 6,630 9,825,622
5,330 9,606,752 1,300
The total Customs Revenue for the same year consisted of-Export Duties yen 4; Import Duties, yen 16,764,165; Miscellaneous, yen 569,396; Total, yen 17,333,565. The revenue shows an increase of yen 2,669,091 as compared with that of 1899, in spite of the fact that the Export Duties for 1900 were only yen 4, while those for the previous year was yen 971,012.
The British Consul-General in his report for 1900, pointed out that only once before in the history of the foreign trade of Japan did the value of the imports exceed to such an extent the value of the exports. The Yasuda Wire Nail factory at Furuecho Fukugawa, Tokyo, which had only been in existence for about three years and which was the only establishment of the kind in Japan, was completely destroyed by fire on 18th November. This was a severe temporary check to an industry which was in its infancy and contending against great difficulties. Owing to the decline in the import- ation of locomotive engines and railway carriages, passenger and freight, from the United States, the value of the imports under that heading was less than in 1899. Railway stock had been much less in request in Japan for the past year or two, owing largely to the financial condition of many of the railway companies. A substantial increase was observed in the case of machinery and steam boilers and engines. The reason for this was that the importation of machinery of all kinds decreased in a signal manner in 1899, owing to the paucity of the contracts entered into the preceding year. Of the steamers purchased by Japan the value was falling. For the present the Mercantile Marine would appear to be well supplied with vessels. Switzerland was the gainer by the larger demand for watches. France also imported a certain quantity, but the United States sent many less than before. In November, 1900, registration was effected of a company styled the International Oil Company, composed of Japanese and of
*
Digitized by