No. 201.
Mr. Bingham to Mr. Evarts.
Tokei, Japan, June 18, 1877. (Received July 25.)
Sir: I have the honor to inclose herewith, for your information, a copy of the official return of “His Imperial Majesty’s Customs of Japan” for the month of April, 1877.
It will be observed, by reference to page 5 of this return, that for the month named the exports of Japan were of the declared value of $848,618.91, and the export-duty thereon $25,000; that the imports of Japan for the same month were of the declared value of $2,319,101.88, and the duty thereon $94,928.17; showing the value of the imports to have been in excess of the value of the exports to the amount of $1,470,482.97; which, at the same rate, would show for the current year an excess of imports to the amount of $17,000,000, in round numbers.
This report shows an export of treasure during the month of April of $1,683,241.75, and an import of treasure of only $324,700; showing an excess of export of treasure over the import of $1,358,541; which, at the same rate for the current year, would give an excess in the export of treasure of $16,000,000, in round numbers.
I have before reported to the Department the estimate of the revenue of this government for the current fiscal year to be $62,000,000, and the ordinary estimate of expenditure to amount to the like sum, less only [Page 358] about $2,000, and if to that you add the extraordinary expenses of the government in the suppression of the rebellion, reported at $4,000,000 per month, and not included in the former estimate, the result will be a bad showing for Japan.
It is gratifying to note that the tonnage of merchant vessels of the United States which entered and cleared the several ports of this empire during the month of April last was nearly equal to the united tonnage of the merchant vessels of all other foreign nations in the ports of Japan for the same month. I have, &c.,