The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-04-18
Japan Looking With Apprehension
on the Coming Visit Of the
CzaroWitch.
It Is Thought His Real Object Is to
Spy Out the
Land.


YOKOHAMA, April l7.-The coming visit of
the Russian czarowitch, which has been un-
til the present looked forward to as the
commencement of an era of good feeling
between Japan and Russia, now begins to
cause serious comment and suspicion
among Japanese authorities high in power
1t was the intention of the Japanese cabi-
net to send fleet of warships to meet the
Russian squadron conveying the imperial
party and accompany it to Yokohama,
where the combined fleets of the various
European powers. it was expected, would
meet to do honor to the visit of Russia's
future czar previous to his going to Toxic
where he is to be received by the .mikado
and be the guest of Japan. But now seri-
GUS dissensions and suspicious have arisen
and the native papers are fast disseminat-
ing them.
The Hochi Shimbun, one of the most
prominent and influential of the Japanese
papers, contains the following article in a
recent issue:
''The approaching visit of the Russian
prince imperial to Japan is not of an ordi-
nGry character, its object being to study
the condition of our military organization,
with special regard to any important STRAIT
egical positions along our northern borders.
Among the people, therefore, who accom-
pany his imperial highness there are gem
eral officers and engineers whose duty it
will be to examine, in the first place. all the
ports and bays visible on the voyage from
Kinsin to Toxic. Then, after brief stay
in Toxic, the whole party will proceed to
Nugata, there to again embark aboard a
Russian squadron for a trip to Hokaido
a. ~n1.
the homeward voyage to Russia the party
will survey the new Siberian railway svs-
tenn. The selection of this unwonted and
inconvenient route via Nugata affords am
pie grounds to divine the object in vew.'
The Minpo Shimbun, another influential
strain, evidently deriving its ideas from the
same source AZ the Hochi Shimbun. but ap-
pears to regard the motive attributed to the
prince imperial as an additional reason for
treating him Hospitality. Whether this
feeling is general among those officials in
Japan who mold the country's policy is as
yet uncertain, but it seems that these sus-
picions are steadily gaining ground, and
unless check is placed upon the expression
of such opinions, or those in position to do
so take measures to counteract them, the
reception of the c2arowitch may not be
what is now being planned and expected,
and his visit may be the cause of strained
rather than peaceful relations.
The cause OF the Japanese suspicious is,
probably, in great measure due to the re-
ports that the Chinese viceroy of the prov
ince of Huknung, China, had refused to re-
ceive the imperial party at Woo-Chang.
The official intimation of the royal visit
was conveyed to the viceroy by Russian
man-of-war, sent by Admiral Nagimoff,
commanding the Russian squadron, but all
ceremonies upon the princess landing upon
Chinese soil were forbidden until the as
sent of the emperor could be obtained from
Pekin. This, owing to the amount of red
tape necessary among Chinese officials, and
the slow means of communication in China
at this season of the year. virtually amounts
to a refusal, as permission will hardly be
received at Woo-Chang in time for the car
rying out of the imperial programme. 1t is
thought that the Chinese are astute enough
to see some object in the princes visit other
than that of pleasure, and the Japanese are
following or trying to follow, in the wake
of the Chinese, as far as their altered rela-
tions with the outside world will allow
them.
For several years Japanese company
has endeavored to establish a colony among
the Caroline islands, but the disturbance
between Germany and Spain, and the SUBJ
sequent establishment of Spanish claims,
caused the gradual subsistence of Japanese
trade and Immigration, and directed it's
course to other channels.
Now the Bonin islands, lying in the Pa
cifie ocean, and extending in a long irregu-
lar line through some hundreds of miles in
latitude, are to be the scene of new al
tempts at colonization. Viscount Yeno-
motto, vice admiral of the imperial Japa-
nese navy, is at the head of the new com
pany, and the expeditions are to be con-
Quoted under government control. The ex-
tension of Japanese commerce is expected
as result of the colonization. A vessel is
now being fitted out to cruise among the
Bonin islands in search of suitable place
for establishing the first colony.