The San Francisco call., 1896-03-11
JAP ANS TRADE
WITH SAN DIEGO.
Steamers to Ply From the
Southern Port to the
Orient.
SHIPMENTS OF COTTON.
Osaka Manufacturers Decide to
Import Direct From This
Country.
IRON FOR THE NEW NAVY.
The Mikado's Government to Patronize
the Great Tepustete
Fields.
IRON FOR THE NEW NAVY.

SAN DIEGO. CAL, March 10.-For sew
eral months more or less persistent rumors
have been in circulation concerning the
purpose OF the Osaka Cotton Spinning As
sociaton, consisting of the leading cotton
manufacturers Of that empire, to secure
direct importations OF cotton from the
United States without going half way
around the world to buy Texas cotton in
the port of Liverpool for trans-shipment to
the Orient. Steps were taken to learn the
most favorable route from the cotton dis
tricts to Japan by way of some Pacific
Coast port, and agents of the Japanese
manufacturers have visited San Francisco,
Puget Sound and San Diego obtaining this
informa ton.
That San Diego has been definitely de-
cided upon as presenting the most ad-
vantages for the development of this COM
merce and also in connection with the
shipment of iron ore is shown by letter
received here from a. II. Butler, the
American agent of the Japanese associa-
ton. Mr.. Butler, writing TO General w.
E. Webb, owner of the great Tepustete
iron fields of Lower California, says:
II have just shipped the first ten car
loads Of cotton purchased by me through
the port of San Francisco, leaving Texas
via the Southern Pacific. 1 am now ar
ranging for the second shipment, which
will go via the Santa Fe to San Diego Tor
trans-shipment to Japan. Hereafter all
shipments of cotton TO the japanese fac
tories will be sent via San Diego"
Mr. Butler states that by this arrange
ment almost 500 miles of rail haul is saved,
and that even by trans-shipment from here
to San Francisco by coast steamers saw
ing will result. But this method will OBJ
tain only while arrangements are being
completed for the sending of Japane ese
steamers direct to San Diego, bringing the
wares of the East and returning with cot
ton and iron.
According to Mr.. Butler, the Japanese
people chose San Diego for the reason that
a direct steamer line in connection with
the Santa Fe Railroad would reduce the
mileage for cotton shipments to mini
mum; that the favorable climate would
permit of large operations during the
entire year, with no delays consequent
from heavy SHOWS, ice or fogs; that this
port was the nearest in the United States
to the Tepustete ironfields, to which Japan
looked for her supply; that San Diego
presented, as well as any other port, the
facilities for handling all Japanese i'm
portations of tea, silk and manufacture d
goods, with the additional advantage that
close connection would be made here with
vessels for Mexico and Central and South
America, with their increasing commerce
with the Orient.
The japanese Government stands ready
to subsidize such line, not only for the
purpose of encouraging commerce, but in
order TO secure iron of superior quality to
be used in the manufacture OF ordnance
and armor plate for naval vessels in that
empire. This work is projected on
stupendous scale, the late war having
demonstrated to the Japanese what can be
cone by modern methods and strong
navy, and their victories having fired the
inhabitants of the island to still greater
am bition.
In his letter to General Webb Mr.. Butler
assures him that active steps are now
being taken 10 develop this field of COM
merce, and TO open the Tepustete iron
fields. Mr.. Butler adds that the great
need of San Diego is for another Eastern
railroad connection. He believes that
such road will come without fail, from
the force of circumstances and the natural
demand for it, but no metropolitan growth
nor maritime supremacy can be secured
without the road.