The San Francisco call., 1897-03-25
WEEKLY LINE OF
STEAME RS TO JAPAN
S. Asano Returns Here
After Ordering Three
Ships in England.
The Vessels to Run From San
Francisco to Hongkong
Via Yokohama.
Elegant in Finish, as Large as the
China and Capable of Carry.
ing GOO Passengers.

| S. Asano, the wealthy president OF tht
Togo Kisen Kabushiki, or Oriental Steam
ship Company of Japan, who was here
some time ago and who proposed to es
| tablish a line of steamers between China,
Japan and this coast, making the ter
minus either here or at San Diego, is in
the City.
Since he was here he has been in Eng
land, and has ordered three elegant mod
ern steamships for his line. Each is as
large as the steamer China and capable OF
carrying 600 passengers, besides having
a dead weight capacity of 5000 tons for
freight.
Mr.. Asano is well pleased with his trip.
He says he will make this City the ter
minus of his steamer line. and that ii
there is business enough he will dispatch
q steamer from here every week, as it will
only take three weeks for one of the new
steamers to cross the ocean between here
and China, via Japan.
When Mr.. Asano left here several
months ago he had figures from the
Union Iron Works and the Cramps for
the building of his steamers On arriv-
ing in England. however, he found the
vessels could be constructed cheaper
there, and SO gave the contracts. He says
the steamers will be finished and back
here, ready to start, in Just about year
from this time.
Since his arrival he and his secretary,
K. Kobay ashi, have been coIierring with
leading merchants and visiting the State
Board of Trade and Chamber of Com
merce, and gathering what information
they could about the business that might
be expected for the line.
81 propose to establish q regular line
bof To nd Son Erc cio
said Mr.. Asano last night. II think there
will be enough business to support it we'll.
The ships [ have ordered are twin-screw
steel vessels. each of 5000 tons gross tom
mage. They are to be sister ships. Each
will accommodate 68 first-class passen-
gers, 40 second class and 46G steerage.
cannot yet tell what rates 1 will make.
The dead weight cargo capacity will be
5000 tons.
These vessels are now being built on
the northwest coast of EngIand-two at
Sunderland and the third at Newcastle
on-Tyne. The steamers will all be alike
and little larger than the China, so well
known here. They will be able to make
seventeen knots an hour.
''They will run from Hongkong Tin
cluding possibly Shanghai} via Yoko-
hama and Kobe, and possibly Honolulu,
to San Francisco. This will be the end of
the line. There is no prospect now that
we will run to San Diego. / looked into
that carefully and finally gave it up. This
is the place.
Mr.. Asano was asked about the San
Diego telegram which said that an enor-
| nous tract OF land had been secured in
Chiapas, Mex, by Sho Nemoto for coloni-
zatlon purposes and would be colonized
by japanese. Also that steamers might
| be made to run to Tehauntepec, connect
| ing with the railroad and remotely with
the colony. He said about 1.00O, 900 acres
had been secured, so he understood, but
| he did not know the details. AS for the
| Tehauntepec steamship venture, he said
the harbor was not at present deep enough
and would have to be improved before the
enterprise was feasible.
| Mr.. Asano is millionaire many times
over. He is heavily interested in Pc
troleum in Japan, in the manufacture of
| cement, in shipping and many other en-
terprises. He occupies suite of four
luxurious rooms at the Palace.