The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1897-04-08
NEW JAPAN LINE.
Steamers Being Con
structed in England.
VIII Work in HarmonyWith Pacific
Mail-Steamers Ready in
Year.

! Honolulu is destined within year to
be a port of call for three of the most
magnificent steamships crossing the
Pacific. They have just been ordered
built in English shipyards by Presi-
dent Asana, of the Toya Kisen line,
and will run between China, Japan and
San Francisco, via Honolulu.
Il wanted the steamers built in the
United States he said last night" and
solicited tenders with that end in view.
The Union Iron Works, of San Fran
cisco, and the Cramps, of Philadelphia,
both submitted tenders, but before or
dering 1 went to England and obtained
prices so much lower that / was obliged
to accept. The vessels will be exactly
alike, but larger than the China, and,
think, faster-we propose to have the
best vessels on the Pacific. They will
have twin screws and will accommo-
date 1OS first and second-class passen-
gers. and in the neighborhood of 500
Storage.
81 have no doubt of the success of the
venture. The trade between the Unit
ed States and Japan is growing so rap
idly that the statistical clerks have
hard work to keep up with it. The
business with Hawaii too, is getting
larger all the time. and have no doubt
that even with the opposition line, the
n q
share of the business sufficiently large
TO make it an object for the steamers
to stop here. Before leaving San Fran
cisco l read that the Nippon line might
probably take off the American
branch This surprised me very much,
and I can hardly credit it.
''The terminus of our line in the Uni
ted States will be San Francisco. There
was an intention to make it San Diego,
but that fell through for various rea-
sons. Ny experience has taught me
that to be successful in conducting a
steamship line you must get as near as
possible to the metropolis. Naturally
San Francisco is the trade center of
the Pacific Coast at tidewater and to
that point we will go. Most of our
passengers would want to arrive or de-
part at that place. If we made San
Diego our destination we would have
to transport passengers and freight a
long distance by rail-a feature that
do not think would be at all advan-
tageous to our company.
81 have made very satisfactory ar
rangements with the Pacific Mail Com
pany, so that the lines may not be con-
sidered as running in opposition to
each other. In this way the service
will be more frequent
$50 far as Honolulu goes, we want
to stop here, but this is by no means
settled. Your quarantine laws are so
complex and arbitrary that I am afraid
they may operate against us. For our
own protection, of course, we would
see that none of the passengers car
ried to Honolulu would be returned to
Japan as not wanted Ny company is
we'll posted regarding the action of
the Government of Hawaii in return
ing immigrants that were rejected by
the authorities. I presume, the Japan
csc Government will thoroughly inveS-
tigate each individual case, and if it
is found they had no right to land ac-
cording 10 the laws of Hawaii, the &C
| ton of your Government will be en-
dorsed I am confident that there is
no desire on the part of the officials of
| Toxic to force Japanese immigrants on
Hawaii. The relations between the two
Governments, and with the United
States as we'll. are so cordial that it
may be said they are working in har-
mOny.
''I have just had a meeting with a
| number of the leading Japanese mer-
chants in Honolulu, and from them
| have obtained complete statement OF
| the condition of affairs here, from a
| Japanese standpoint. / gave no adj
vice: II was not asked. Naturally, my
| interests IN tho Islands are large, or
~ather. they viii he. and I requested
the gentlemen 70 meet me at the Ar
| lington Hotel this evening mainly to
get information I said to them that
was pleased 10 say that in year
| from now they would see a new line
of steamers in Honolulu flying the Jap
| anese fag"
Since Mr.. Asano passed through here
| in August last he has visited the prin-
cipal manufactures in the United
| States and England. During his stay
in San Francisco he conferred with the
| wholesale firms individually, and with
| the Poard Of Trade regarding the ont
look for business, and expressed him
slf rs highly pleased. While in Honolu
III he called on Consul General Shima
mura and spent pleasant nal hour.