The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1897-03-26
WANTS A SUBSIDY
Nippon TIS8I KaiSla Steamers
Meet Bad LIGE.
SEVERE LOSSES DURING YEAR
Value of Beet Sugar In
dustry in Europe.
General Review of Situation-Se-
we're Earthquakes Felt
in Mexico.

If the losses TO the Nippon Yusen
Kaisha line of steamers between Japan
and America are as great as the fol-
lowing intimates, the experience of the
Sakura-maru will not help matters. 1t
is probable the company will be re-
imbursed by the japanese Government
out of funds deposited by the immigra-
tion companies, but recouping a loss
is far from making a profit.
Through the Nippon Yusen Kaisha' s
line the people of the Northwest Unit
ed States have found an outlet for
their products, and japanese mer-
chants have been successful in open
ing up new territory for themselves.
If the line should be abandoned so
soon, it is not likely that it will be ia
ken up by any other company:
The Nippon Yusen Kaisha has petit
toned the authorities for a special
grant of 100000 yen for its Euro
pean and American lines. Should the
Government or the Diet refuse to give
NAN 81 ea-4N cA1hChs NAt NOAllpGAlls VIII
have to give up the two lines. as it has
no more funds 10 maintain them.
Such refusal, meaning as it does that
the State does not care much about
the shipping business, will bring dis
grace not only upon the company but
upon the empire, and make it very diff
f1cult for any native capitalist TO re-
open the lines.
The Nippon Yusen Kaisha opened
its European line in March last year
This was soon followed by the opening
of the American line. In extending the
navigation and endeavoring to arouse
the people to the benefits of the line
abroad, the company had, of course,
anticipated keen and powerful COMPETE
ton by various foreign shipping firms
and large losses on that account The
anticipation was justified by the re-
suits, which showed the losses on the
European line to amount on an aver
age to about 100000 yen per voyage
As the American line also causes
losses, the total losses of the company.
on account of its navigation abroad,
amount already TO more than a million
yen. While the Nippon Yusen Kaisha
loses so much, the country benefits
greatly, for the freight to Europe per
ton has been reduced from 40s to sos.
Besides. the lines in question en-
able Japan TO earn the freight which
had been paid TO foreign firms and to
take over to herself a portion of the
carrying trade of Eastern ports These
and numerous other benefits obtained
by Japan must more than compensate
for the losses sustained by the Nip
pom Yusen Kaisha.
The 10 new steamers for the COM
pany. ordered from England, have been
named the Inaha-maru. Bingo-maru.
Kakata-maru, Reimbursement. Kama
gawa-maru. Kawachi-maru, Sanuki-
maru, Sado-maru, Tamba-maru and
Wakasa-maru. As has been already
reported. the Kanagawa-maru has ar
rived in Kobe; the next steamer ex-
pected is the Kamakura-maru. which
will probably reach Kobe at the middle
Of April. The two steamers. Shinano-
maru and Hitachi-maru, also for the
same company. ordered from the Nit
subishi ship-building yard in Nagasa-
XII, are now being constructed in a
great hurry Messrs. Barrie and Ka-
wakami. engineers of the Nippon Yu-
sen Kaisha. have recently been dis
patched to Nagasaki to superintend the
works there. The Kanagawa-maru o.
500 tons has arrived at Kobe. She
will be brought to Yokohama in a few
days.