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“...
Miscellaneous foreign........................................................................................................................14
Japanese ......................................................................................................................................................14
General remarks—
Harbour construction........................................................................................................................15
Cotton spinning and other mills ..........................................................................................15
Japanese celluloid manufactures ..........................................................................................15
Mitsu Bislii dockyard........................................................................................................................15
Kawasaki dockyard .....................................................................................................................”
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“...entirely monopolised by speculators, but a shock was experienced in
this direction on account of the failure of some of these speculators in
the previous year, which acted as a warning to others and to some;
extent steadied the market. The mills had suffered from the supply
of inferior qualities at cheap rates, but greater precautions were exer-
cised during the past year in the selection of sellers, the tendency being
decidedly in the direction of steady business competition as against
speculation.
Quotations underwent heavy fluctuations during the year, but
spinners having secured ample supplies during the 12 months when
quotations declined heavily on account of the financial panic in America,
and by reason of the curtailment of spindles in all the Japan mills
owing to the depressed state of the yarn and cloth markets, lessened
their consumption accordingly. No activity, therefore, was shown in
forward transactions during the year, spot quotations remaining dull
and quiet. The highest price...”
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“...for domestic requirements was
very small, while forward business was not so active as usual, so that
spinners for the most part turned out only sufficient material for the
time being. This state of affairs made it necessary for mills to devote
special attention to spot cotton; there was also considerable activity,
for prompt shipments, during May and June. Throughout the year,
however, quotations for " spot" cotton have invariably been lower than
those for " forward." As the mills took a united stand, the position
of spot business was more satisfactory than it had been for a
number of years. The recovery of silver during the latter part of the
year had a good effect on yarn, and although some large transactions
were then done in forward yarn, which necessitated mills contracting
more extensively for forward cotton, this forward business could in no
way compare as favourably as the turn-over of previous years. The
highest price for " spot " Broach was 30 ven (31. Is. 3d.) and the lowest
25...”
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“..., and that their principal
object was to encourage the Chinese to use machine spun yarns
in preference to the home hand-made article. There is no
doubt whatever that Japan must push throughout China, Manchuria
and Corea her trade in home manufactured articles, if she is to attain any
commercial importance ; in the matter of yarns, however, it is a mistake
to suppose that she is entirely dependent upon the China market, as,
roughly speaking, two-thirds of the production of the Japanese cotton
mills is required locally. This is made clear from the following table
showing the total production of yarns in Japan and the export to China,
the percentage varying from 29 to 19 per cent.:—•
Year. Total Production. Export to China. Percentage Exported to China out of Total Production.
Bales. Bales.
1905 ... 905,526J 265.575J 29
1906 ... 945,221 266,957£ 28
1907 ... 983,482^ 223,69U* 23
1908 ... 878,673^ 167,345 19
* The average weight of 1 bale of Japanese yarn for export is usually con-
sidered...”
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“...fully posted as
to the requirements of the companies. These supply themselves by
means of private contracts and not by public tenders.
Harbour construction at Kobe.—This has been proceeding apace,
though, with the re-adjustment in the Budget last year, the period for
the completion of the works has been extended by one year. It is to
be feared that, as in the case of Yokohama, the projected works will,
on their completion, be found inadequate.
Cotton spinning and other mills.—Two of the leading cotton spinning
mills are setting up branch factories within this district, the Settsu Mill
at Akashi. and the Kanegafuchi at Takasago and in the Island of Awaji.
Present conditions, however, hardly seem to warrant their new
producing capacity being availed of.
Japanese celluloid manufacture.—The Mitsui Bussan and Mitsu
Bishi Companies, both ever ready to exploit any new industrial field,
appear as rivals in this line.
The Mitsu Bishi is establishing a celluloid factory at Aboshi, within
the...”
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“...and Corea; 448,256/. of these yarns were
shipped to China and 127,488/. to Corea. Of the finer counts, 56,256/.
were shipped to the former and 10,514/. to the latter country.
Yarn valued at 56,108/. was shipped to Hong-Kong, an advance of
20,000/. on 1907.
Since May 1 last the cotton spinners have stopped working 27£ per
cent, of their spindles in accordance with an agreement made by the
members of the Japan Cotton Spinners' Association. The number of
spindles working in the principal Osaka mills and their branches in
December was :—
No. of Swindles
(Eiug).
Osaka cotton mill........................113,430
Osaka Godo cotton mill..................108,575
Settsu cotton mill........................90,630
Nihon cotton mill........................65,453
Fukushima cotton mill ... ... ... 48,453
Temua cotton mill ... ... ... 4,480
At the Nihon mill in addition to the above, 9,592 mules were
worked.
Textile fabrics and manufactures thereof.—Textile fabrics and manu-
£
Machinery ......”
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“...the various kinds of cotton consumed at
the Osaka spinning mills during the year ended June 30,1908 :—
4 Indian. American. Chinese. Egyptian. Indo- China.
Lbs. Lbs. Lbs. Lbs. Lbs.
Settsu Cotton Spinning
Company 3,936,176 1,430,868 2,224,238 357,950
Osaka Cotton Spinning
Company 3,234,038 1,463,703 1,066,028
Osaka Godo Cotton
Spinning Company ... 2,107,560 1,900,573 1,078,517
Xihon Cotton Spinning |
Company 689,305
Fukushima Cotton
Spinning Company ... 1,315,005 365,702 503,616
Sugar.—37,365 tons of raw sugar, value 367,587/., and 10,283 tons
of refined sugar, value 130,053/., an increase of 35,606/. and 44,215/.
respectively, were imported in 1908. The increase is attributable to the
large imports during the first three months of the year in anticipation of
an increase of the consumption tax on sugar, which eventually came into
force. There is one large sugar refinery in Osaka, one of the mills of the
Dai Nippon Sugar Refining Company. Sugar refiners...”
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“...since 1899, and the area of the city is 21 square miles.
There are 990 foreigners, the majority of whom are Chinese.
Factories, &c.—There are 6,673 factories, mills, or works in Osaka,
2,696 of which employ motive power in some form or other as shown
by the following table :—
1906. 1907. 1908.
Steam... 748 796 826
Gas 77 192 345
Oil ............... 427 549 575
Electricity ...... 378 418 472
Water turbine 377 448 478
Total......... 2,007 2,403 2,696
The increase in the use of gas is particularly noticeable, and numer-
ous gas-producing plants, copied from foreign models and stated to be
better adapted to the use of anthracite coal than foreign importations,
are manufactured in Osaka.
Of the 6,673 factories, 5,120 employ less than 10 hands and 815 less
than 50. Only 10 have more than 1,000, these being chiefly cotton
mills and iron and copper works....”
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