The poliey of Japan has long been to build up a strong navy and a large merchant marine, with out dependence on foreign yards. Shipbuilding is therefore a large industry, e,,pccially at Naga saki, the open port of lciushin, where vessels of from 1000 to 8000 tons' burden are turned out. There are also large yards at Kawasaki, Osaka, Ishikawajima, and Uraga. They are all equipped with the best appliances for the building of steel and iron ships, and have fully demonstrated their of its many enterprises. About one-third of the imports collie 1E0111 other parts of Asia and two thirds from occidental lnds. Asiatic countries buy from Japan about one-third of the exports, the remainder being sent to Western countries. The following table. showing the total foreign trade for a series of years, will give an idea of the rapid development cf foreign commerce: ability to turn out ocean-going craft and river steamers of the highest standard. A number of steamers on the Vangtse liver were built in Japan. In many directions Japan is striving to increase her manufactures of iron and steel goods. This necessitates considerable imports of metal, as the local iron-mining industry is not yet adequately developed.
For some years the Japanese have been carry ing on the manufacture of many European and American articles that were not even known in their country when it was opened to foreigners. They manufacture enormous quantities of matches, which they sell in China. Hong Kong,
India. Singapore, Siam, Australia, and other markets. About 30,000 clocks are made in Kioto, Osaka, and Nagoya every month, and sold at very low prices. The manufacture of felt. hats like those worn in Western countries NV:1"; begun in 1889, and the output in 1902 was nearly tiosion dozen. Saddlery, glassware, umbrellas, brushes, boots and shoes, rugs, mathematical and surgical instruments, patent medicines, 'watches, canned fruits, vegetaNes, and condensed milk are among the article:; they are producing with the aid of Western ideas and processes. Slany of these imi tations are as yet of very inferior quality. Japan cannot seriously compete with the Western na tions for the control even of the Oriental markets so lowg as its manufactures do pot favorably compare in quality and price with those of Amer ica and Europe. The wages of the labor employed The value of the foreign trade has increased five-fold in twenty years. In 1901 the total value of Japan's imports and exports was $272,-106.000. The value of the imports from the leading coun tries in 1399 and 1000 was as follows: The value of the exports to the leading eoun tries in 1899 and 1900 was as follows: The value of the chief articles of Japan's spe cial import and export trade in 1899 and 1900 was as follows: in these numerous industries are advancing, and, judged by the quantity and quality of the pro duct, are about as high as those paid in the West ern world.