THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 1906.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXVIII, Issue 7964, 15 February 1906, Page 4

THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 1906.

Americans have recently claimed that their ''country is ahead of all others in the competition for Japanese trade. Figures derived from official sources, however, show that Great Britain still holds pre-emi-nence as an exporter to Japan, though its lead is now small. The American exports to Japan in the nine months of 1905, ended 30th SeDtember, were valued at £7,974,076, to whion may be added the exports from tbe Philippine Islands, representing £107,511, and bringing the total up to £8,181,587. Great Britain in the same nine months exported goodo to Japan to the value of but if the exports from the rest of the British Empire to Japan are added, the total is raised to no less than

£17,074,239. la this India is represented by £7,766,814, Australia by £184,229, the Straits Settlement by £242,920, Egypt by £204,141, Houg Kong by £103,185, and Canada by £42,285. Germany's exports, though rapidly increasing, figure in the comparison so far only at £3,488,698. The exports from China are given at £2,971,740, from French India at £844,147, and from Korea at £393,247. It will thus be seen that the interests of the British Empire in the trade of Japan, if the colonial exports are reckoned with those from Great Britain, are vastly greater than those of any of the other competitors concerned. America would not rank as high in the list as it does but for tbe fact that some of the goods it exported to Japan in the period under review were supplied upon urgent order* received during the lata war. A proportion of those orders would have gone to British manufacturers had they been able to undertake rapid, delivery of the goods. A correspondent, writing from Tokio, takes an optimistic view of the future of British trade in the general competi tion, which is now becoming keener than ever. "With Canada on the one side," he says, "with the Straits Settlement and India on tbe other, and Australia not far away, the foundations of British trade supremacy in the exports to Japan should be greatly strengthened. The colonies are sending their agents and travellers to Japan in large numbers, and it only remains for the Mother country to energetically forward their interests as well aB her own to ensure maintenance of the prosperity and prestige of the Empire as a whole in the Far East.