The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-04-20

SEATTLE. TUESDAY. APRIL 20.
TpE NIPPON YusEs KAIsHA.

A99E HlEIOt h~esFs.~-
since the Oriental trade Of San Fran
oisco began 20 decline through the open
ing Of new Pacific lines from American
ports farther north. the people OF that city
have been greatly disturbed and worried
through a weIi-groended fear that a COM
merce which they once supposed was
theirs for all time might leave them al
most completely for more favorably stu
sted localities. With the increase OF
travel to the Orient through Vancouver
and Puget sound there has been falling
of In the departures from San Francisco.
and the shipment OF immense freight car
goes 10 China and japan through Port
land, Tacoma. Seattle and Vancouver
could bat mean the decadenee of the once
great maritime business OF the chief port
OF California.
with the coming to Seattle of the ships
OF the Nippon Yusen Kaisha San Fran
cisco realized that another formidable
factor was in the field. and from the tirst
the people and press OF that city have
sought 20 belittie the importance Of the
new line. and predicted for Il only newt
able loss. financial disaster and eventual
discontinuance.
II IL only a few days since that the San
Francisco Chronicle In edItorially COM
menting on the situation, set forth. what
II claimed TO be fact. that the Nippon
Yusen Kalsha service TO Seattle was n
failure. had lost money and that unless
the Japanese government came to It's re-
lief. would have to be abandoned Con-
tinuing. IL added that the latest advices
showed that the subsidy asked for had
been refused and that the new service 20
the Pacific coast would have to be given
up. unless perchanee the company decided
that II might possibly succeed In getting
business by going to San Francisco.
This Is the view which has been COM
monty taken by San Franciscans upon
the opening OF every new line from
America 10 the Orient. Nevertheless
the lines are all running. with a
constantly Increasing business In both
passengers and freight. The increase
In the Nippon Yusen Kalsha Is especially
noticeable. While the first steamships
carried away from Seattle only light car
goes and brought back less, tonnage has
grown with every trip, every outward
bound vessel being more heavily loaded
than It's predecessor. The imports from
the Orient were at first small In amount.
but they. too. have grown rapidly: the
Tenshln Maru arriving last week with
more than 1850 tons and leaving s.poo tons
at Kobe for the next steamer TO bring
over.
The trans-Pacifc business Of the Japan-
csc line is one which. Of course. must be
built w. IL would have been unraason-
able TO expect that fun eargoes could be
secured both ways at the very outset. The
Increase In the amount az freight carried
has been hlshiy gratifying. however. and
II can be but a snort time before the de-
mands Of shippers viii De such as 10 ne
certitate more frequent sanlngs than are
offered BY the the at present.
The fact Is that the subsidy nv the Ian
anese government has not hcen refused
but on the contrary. according 20 latest
sdvices Il In the hands OF the cabinet and
viii be Introduced into the imperial diet
with eFheial sanction. Even n II should
Be refused, there - no reason 70 helis,.
tia, the present very promising omar
tan'ttes 81 the new line 20 Seattle WIN he
thrown away. "A = business prorozit,on
there Is enough IN the trans Iaeia, tran,
Rot only 20 maintain the present serv,,a
bat 70 Improve IL. The results az urslin,-
mary work tn securing trade are Js4st be-
ginning 70 BE appreciahle. and II the bust
ness grows as rapidly IN the future as ~
has IN the past. the tine will be maintained
and improved. subsidy or no sub.iay.
II Is rot unnatural. after 50 many years
Of easy supremacy without rivalry. that
San Francisco should grleve az seeing her
eoSnHaerce slip away ana she pcwerles. 70
help herself. TIE conditions aaa ctrcurn-
stances are such. however. that pleadinxs
and protests VIII necessarily be unavasl-
ing The great trade VITA Japan aaa
China viii be through Puget Sound. be
cause u II the great natural harser ot
the coast touched ~ great railroads.
san Francisco viii xtni So some business
through It's old Oriental connections. bat
the great trans-Pacllc traf7c VII Pass
this way. and amoas the leading lines
handling that trarse win - the Nippea
NgSen kaishA
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