The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1896-08-08
THE JAPS LIKE THE BAY
President Asano and Party Say II Will
Do Very Well
All They Want Is Guarantee Of Sufficient
Business
y Uommwtee Appointed to Prepare Data as
to tho Amount Of Freight Southern
California Can Furnish-Japs
OFT For Chicago
Special to the Herald.

Special to the Herald.
SAN DIEGO, Aug. 1.-THE conference
between the representatives of the Togo
Kisen Kaisha and citizens of San Diego
and Los Angeles is over and the result
is very satisfactory all round. While
no definite conclusion has been reached
on the part of President Asano and his
associates, the matter is left in such
shape as to be very assuring that San
Diego will be made the eastern terminus
of the new transpacific steamship line.
After viewing the lemon groves of
Chula Vista and the olive orchards Of
National City yesterday afternoon. the
visitors returned to the Hotel Coronado
for dinner. During the evening many
citizens of San Diego called at the hotel
to pay there respects and a conference
took place in one of the parlors between
the Japanese representatives and citi-
gems of Los Angeles and San Diego.
President Asano, through his inter-
prefer, Captain Tomioka, made grace
full address, thanking the people of
Southern California for the cordality
of their reception of him and his asso-
ciates and for the interest taken in the
new enterprise. lac explained that he
was here to learn what inducements
could be offered to bring line of Jap
. anese steamships to this port. He said
propositions had been made by Portland
and San Francisco, and now he wanted
to hear what Los Angeles and San Di-
ego had to offer.
Philip Morse. president Of the San
IT,
part by reading list of the possible ex-
ports and imports that could be carried
by such line of steamers. AS imports
from the Orient he enumerated cement,
tea, coffee, rice. silks, fancy goods. lac
quer ware, porcelain ware. mating,
rugs, matches. sulphur. coal. The ex
ports, he thought, would embrace cot
ton, flour, cornmeal, canned meats,
canned fruits, dried fruits, condensed
milk, beans. breting barley, iron ore.
wool and machinery. The imports from
the United States to Japan in 1896, he
said amounted to 1896, ,957 while the
exports from this country to that were
only $4,559.242, showing a balance of
trade in favor of that country of more
than $19,000000. The traffic both ways,
he thought could be largely increased,
and a large part of it be diverted
through the port of San Diego. Port
land, Or, he understood, offered ship
ment of 5000 barrels of flour per month
by the new line If that port was made
the terminal The mills of Los Angeles,
he believed, could duplicate this if San
Diego were made the favored port.
There would be, besides, large ship
ments of cotton from the gulf states,
iron ore from Southern California and
many other products.
Mr. Marston, a San Diego importer
and merchant. made very comprehen-
sive statement of the amount of trade
that might be expected. He reminded
President Asano of the fact that South
err California was young and growing
country with vast possibilities for fu-
ture commerce. 1t was hard to say Off
hand just what traffic could be fur
nished the new line at present. 1t was
certain that local trade could not be
depended upon to furnish sufficiency
of freight to make the line profitable,
but there was the whole continent to
draw upon. There We're advantages at
this port that would build UP an inter-
national commerce. Mr.. Marston said
he himself dealt largely in Chinese and
Japanese mattings. He had to import
these goods through the port of San
Francisco and transhipping from there
added largely to the expense Japanese
mattings were growing rapidly in ia
vor In this country. He received orders
from as far east as Texas. If able to
import directly the trade in this arti-
Gle could be vastly increased
Mr.. Levy, another San Diego import
er, said 1t would take time, perhaps. to
get new steamship line started and
placed on paying basis. 1t was hard
to say what amount of freight could be
depended upon at the start, but there
was no doubt that itwould grow rapid
ly when once started. In the matter of
rice alone he believed the imports could
be increased twenty-fold. 1t was sim
ply a matter of dollars and cents. The
amount Of freight would be regulated
by the demand for the products of one
country in the other. and vice versa
All San Diego wanted was an opportu-
nifty to show that she would do her part
if the steamship people would do theirs
Gen. Charles Forman, speaking for the
Los Angeles delegation, said Los An
geles stood ready to cooperate to the
fullest extent and in the most hearty
manner in this enterprise. Los Angeles
had as much at stake as San Diego and
would do her part. The speaker then
alluded to the many advantages that