The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1898-03-08
JAPAN PROBABLE
ALLY IN CASE OF WAR
MlKADO'S SUBJECTS LOST ON MAINE
10 BE pREIENT.
My T"ko ophiiiipin"~-To EY'n up Matters
with 1reach' rous Spnni"rds; NIinist.r
HRshi Makes NJ Mys,crlous Visit to state
Department; believed no GavcOE-
nciai Intimutt"n OF Jnpan's
Willingness to Fo,m Al
lance with America
Against spain.

ternational complication in the
Maine incident has arisen.
Japan may be drawn into our pos
sible quarrel with Spain.
Perhaps Japan has an eye on tho
philippine Islands, which Nigh,
fall into hcr lap while tho United
States engaged Spain IN Atlantic
waters.
Japan has always wanted tho is.
lands, and her shrcwd diplomats sec
al opportunity too important to be
overlookod
This new I,haso Of tho situation
arises today from tho fact that the
state department, at the instance Of
Japan, has determined that there
wero seven Japanese subjects on
board the battlcship when shc was
lost.
Their names were lsa Sugisaki,
Octogora Isllida, Suko Chingi, Mas
Ohye, Yukichi Kitogata, Tinekiski
Nagamine and Kashotora Suzuki.
If it is proven that tho Maine was
blown up from the outside it is stated
that tho Japanese government does
not propose to excuse Spain from
responsibility for tho destruction Of
these mon, and will demand Il heavy
indemnity from Spain, reinforcing it
with naval demonstration Of Ma
nila.
The circumstance gives the Amer
ican government an unexpected but
invaluable ally in case Of rapture
with SPAN.
1t is stated that tho Japanese
minister has given this government
assurances of Japun's support in any
emergency and that while it has not
been accepted or declined, it is rec
ognized that the friendship of Japan
would release America from the ne
cessity Of keeping somo Of her finest
vessels in Asiatic waters, and these
added to naval force in the Atlantic
would insure the supremacy Of the
home feet against any threatened
Spanish raid on our coast.
Mr.. Hoshi called at the State de-
partment this morning and was clos
eted with tho officials for a consider
bic time There is every reason to
believe that he conveyed to Judge
Day the direct official intimation that
the ruler Of Japan would willingly
make an alliance with America against
Spain.
Mr.. Durham White Stevens, coun-
sellor of the Japanese legation, in
speaking for tho legation regarding
the matter this morning, said that
the inquiry addressed to tho State
department was prompted by the in
terest felt in tho Japanese subjects
upon tho ship, and was to find out
whether any Of the bodies had becn
identified and what disposition had
been made Of them.
When asked what relation a sub,
| ject Of Japan boro to that govern
mont when serving under tho Amer
lean flag, Mr.. Stevens answered that
it was question Of international
law.
He said that certainly the enlisted
mon were subject to the rules OF
discipline and orders, but remaining
subjects Of Japan, that government
naturally fe;t an interest in them.
To tho question of what Japan
should do if tho court Of inquiry
found that the Maine was blown uI
by design, and whether tho japanese
government would demand an in.
demnity from Spain, no rcpiiod, that
it was very complicated question
and that he did not care TO say any.
thing about tho matter. The sym.
pathy Of Japan would bo with thi.
government in tho case, but whothcl
she would ally iorself with Amoric'
was question he did not care t
discuss
From the above it will be seer
that Mr.. Stevens did not deny tha
such an alliance was in contcmpla
ton.