The San Francisco call., 1896-07-21
Merchants Anxious to Break the
Power of the Great
Monopolist.
AFTER A STEAMSHIP LINE.
Strong Efforts to Be Made to Bring
the Nippon Yusen Kaisha to
San Francisco.

San Francisco may afterall benefit from
the mania that has so recently seized upon
the big transportation companies of the
Mlkado's empire to establish steamship
lines to the American shores OF the Pa
cifc
In recent issue of THE CALL it was re-
lated how the Nippon Yusen Kaisha was
virtually driven from the port of San
francisco TO seek an American terminus
at Seattle by the failure of its representa-
tive TO secure satisfactory assurances In
the matter of rail rates out of San Fran
cisco from the Southern Pacific Company.
The reason assigned in transportation
circles for this discouraging action on the
part of the Southern Pacific Company was
that it had to protect Coils P. Hunting
tons other transportation properties-the
Pacific Mail and the Occidental and Ori-
entail Steamship companies.
When Traffic Manager Stubs atten-
ton was called to the matter he declared
that no overtures had ever been made to
his company looking to a traffic arrange
ment with any steamship line to be oper-
ated by Japanese company. He added
that if there had been his company would
have been ready and is now ready 10 make
equally favorable terms with il as are in
Occidental and Oriental companies. He
is shortly to have en- opportunity to make
good his assertion.
1t is becoming daily more manifest to
the commercial bodies of San Francisco
that for her size and for her great COM
mercial advantages this City has not made
commensurate development. Among the
most recent movements TO change this
state OF affairs is the plan now under con-
sideration by the Chamber of Commerce
OF sending representative to Japan with
samples of all manufactures and products
that the merchants of this City are in a
position to sell to the Japanese. For the
first year this agent is to receive salary
of from $4,000 to $4,000 and after that he is
to become dependent upon his own efforts
to maintain himself. No man has vet
been selected for this responsible position,
but the situation is now being canvassed
by committee and as soon as the right
man is found little time will be wasted in
dispatching him to his post of duty.
Meantime the ns-Pacihc steamship
transportation situation is also attracting
the attention of the various commercial
bodies, and despite the report that the.
Nippon Yusen haisha has already made
contract with the Great Northern Railroad
for sending Its steamers to Seattle, it is be-
leved that the same com pany can be in
duced to establish another line, making
San Francisco its terminus on this side
with an auxiliary line from this City to
Central and South American ports.
Within a few weeks a representative of
the Yusen Kaisha is expected to arrive in
this City. be will at once be placed in
communication with W. B. Curtis, man
ager of the Traffic Association, with a
view to bringing about the object last
mentioned. Mr.. Curtis will fully explain
the magnificent field open for such an en-
terprlse and will then seek a conference
d hn
at which himself and the representative of
the Japanese steamship company are to
present.
Should the conference with the South
ern Pacific fail to result satisfactorily
oyertures Will be made to the directors of
the San Francisco and San Joaquin Val
ley Railway, in expectation that that road
will eventually, and at no very distant
day, have an outlet 10 the East; in fact, no
effort will be spared to induce the Nippon
4uen kalsha TO come TO San Francisco.
Not the least important incentive that
will be held out to the Japanese company
will be the possibilities OF the Central and
nopolized by the Pacific Mail Steamship
Company, and the equipment OF this COM
pany is notoriously inadequate TO meet
the vast demands of that trade.
1t is the general impression, and one
that is daily growing stronger, that not
only is the Pacific Mail standing in the
way of the full development OF the trade
between this port and Central and South
American countries, but that its charges
are exorbitant on freight to the points to
which it now operates from this City.
Not long since General Manager r. P.
Schwerin was approached by large com
mission merchant and shipper, whose
business relations with Central America
were extensive, and a suggestion made
that reduction in the present rates to
the Spanish-speaking countries south of
us would tend to largely stimulate traffic
with San Francisco.
Mr.. Schwerin's laconic and peculiar re-
ply to this was: "Why, we are carrying
all the freight that our steamers can nos
sibly accommodate, and to increase this
business would mean that we would have
to build additional steamers"
1t is this kind of enterprise that the
commercial bodies of this City are desir-
Gus OF clrcumventing, and, in consequence.
tney Will put forth the most strenuous
efforts to encourage the prospective Ian
anese competitor, which may be induced
to operate line from Yokohama TO San
Francisco and from here TO Central and
South American ports.
In this connection the following reIa.
tive TO the merchant marine interests of
japan and the Nippon Yusen Kaisha is
interesting:
IL In 1893 japan possessed SIT merchant
steamers OF an aggregate tonnage of 32I 500
tons, and the principal shipping company, the
Nippon usen kaisha, or National Mail Steam
ship Company, alone possessed fieet of sft,.
seven so, ocean-going steamers, with tonnage of
Their service is splendidly organized and
iiianagea' u, ana the majority of their ships are
IN every way mt to rank with those OF any
nationality In the world. The further devel.
opment OF the Japanese mercantile marine is
now being very actively prom oted. and amnne
the measures advocated as essential to the in.
crease CT @ OF ner commerce few find greater favor
. oI are more frequently discussed than the ex-
aequlsitlon OF much larger share in the car.
Iyihs traoe 70 ana from her own territories
Discoveries in Ohio Mounds.
Warren K Moorahaad on.a4a - -,