The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-03-21
PERHAPS A MISTAKE.
Japanese Consul Finds This
City Buster Than Tacoma.
WHERE THE CONSULATE NOW is
The New Steamship Line-Not Gov
eminent Enterprise - American
Terminus Not determined.

Mkt SaIfo. the japanese consul. came
over from Tacoma yesterday. and calling
NJ the Chamber Of Commerce had an ex-
tended interview with President E o.
Graves
Mr.. Saito came TO Tacoma in November.
and is one Of the three conSuls Japan now
has In this country. one being IN New
York and one in San Francisco. Mr.. Saiso
was specially selected for this post at the
close of the China-Japan war and the be-
ginning OF the era of industrial activity
and competition upon which Japan imme-
diately entered He had been especially
fitted for the position here by his expert
ence as secretary of the consulate OF
Hongkong. from which he was promoted
to be the consul at Singapore. and in that
position spent three or four years Even
with these years of experience among En-
glish-speaking people. the facti!ty with
which Mr. Saito speaks the English Ian
guage is particularly noticeable He
writes IL even better than he speaks IL.
and would certainly pass with high honors
In that regard should he be candidate
before our new civil service board.
THE object of my present visit to your
thriving city," said Mr.. Saiio yesterday.
with all the suavity and clever courtesy
OF an accomplished diplomat. lis to be-
come familiar with the state of CONNER
cial affairs here and in the surrounding
districts and to hold interviews with
those of our subjects who have made their
homes amongst. and are being so kindly
received by. your citizens.
Il must apologize for so long neglecting
to visit this city, but have been busy in
connection with the establishment of the
consulate at Tacoma. Whether Tacoma
is the better location for the consulate IL
is not for me to say. find Seattle to be
much larger and buster city. Ny chief
duty here Is TO assist the interest already
existing between the Pacific coast and ia
pan. and more especially in matters affect
ing commercial intercourse and naviea-
ton. In this regard / am promised the
kind assistance OF President Graves. and
in return shall be happy to render any
service in my power. and to give any in
formation / may possess, that win be of
service to the city of Seattle in connection
with the commercial intercourse between
our two countries.
DO you think. Mr.. Saito. that Seattle
may be selected as the Pacific port for ia
panese commerce."
That am unable to say. 1t is my In
tention to start tomorrow for Everett and
Port Townsend. in order TO gain a better
acquaintance with the whole of the Sound.
I shall return to Seattle and shall make
frequent visits here in the future"
What about the new steamship lines.
Mr.. SaitoT'
well. since the recent war with China
the japanese mercantile marine has made
unprecedented progress in the line of in
creasing the number and efficiency of its
vessels. especially steamships. At the
present time the increased number of YES
sells is pu. at thirtyfour. with a registered
tonnage of Glib tons. and nominal horse
power of li.sss. The Nippon Yusen kaisha
Japanese Mail Steamship Company
called a general meeting of its sharehold-
ers in the end of November of last year. at
which IL was decided TO open new steam
ship lines TO Europe. America and Aus
tralia. The company. having realized
large profits by chartering ships TO the
Japanese government in connection with
the war, determined to utilize some part
of these profits for the immediate opening
OF line TO Europe. For this purpose. the
Yusen Kaisha has dispatched a commits
sion to Europe to make the necessary in
vestigations preparatory TO the enterprise.
Messrs. u. Ogawa and A. Macmillan left
Japan for Europe. as commissioners. at
the beginning of December. 1895 Mr. T.