Omaha daily bee., 1899-03-09
IDEAS Of A BRIGHT JAPANESE
Lieutenant Commander Fujita of the
Navy stops Over in Omaha on
Business.

Lieutenant Commander Tsunetaka Emit.
or the Japanese navy, who has been acting
naval attache for his government in this
country since last June, supervising tbe
construction OF the two battleships the
contracts for which were secured by Ameri-
can builders is in the city, having arrived
last evening on his way from San Fran
cisco to Washington, d. c. His object in
stopping off at Omaha is to go through the
South Omaha packing plants and gather
data respecting the canning of meats. For
this purpose he carries official letters of in
PRODUCTION to the Swift Armour, Hammond
and Cudahy companies, and he will devote
the most of today to them.
One of the men of-war has Just been COM
pleted by the Union Iron works of San
Francisco Mr.. Fujita went there to inspect
the ship and see it turned over to Captain
Sakarai. 1t is an unarmored, protected
cruiser of the second class and cost his
government $l,6OOO00 The model was made
after Japanese plans. Since it has been
launched it has been manned with about 200
officers and seamen.
I'VE have named the ship the 'Chito-
Se',' said Mr. Fujita at the Millard last
evening "The literal translation of this
Is Thousand Years but it really means
enduring or eternal. Her burden is 900
''iiS' ASho 'diiicS tNo elSuL-lHCn SllelQeQ
quick firing guns one fore and the other
aft, ten 4.7-inch quick fire broadslders,
twelve 12-pounders, four 2h-pounders, and
five torpedo tubes. We are very proud of
her. | do not think there are any ship
builders in the world equal to the Ameri-
cans. The Union Iron works bulded the
Oregon and you know what fine vessel
she is"
Part of Mr.. Fujitas duties at San Fran
cisco were to pay the Scots also General
Manager Irving Scott of the Union Iron
works secured the contract for the ship
some years ago while on a visit to Japan
The other ship was builded by the Cramps
at Philadelphia. 1t is sister ship to the
one just launched at San Francisco and is
called the 'Kasagi," after sacred noun
tain of Japan. "The guns" Mr.. Fujita ex-
planned further, will be furnished in Japan
Some of them were made in my country but
the Armstrong; of course, were brought
from England. The 'Chto-Se will sail from
San Francisco about the last of this month
Il see by the papers we get from my
country at our legation in Washington" he
continued, touching upon the Philippine
question, that our people seem very favor
able to the United States anneXing the Phil
ippines The reasons for this are that the
two nations are very friendly and 1t is well
known that this country Is for peace
whereas other countries cannot always be
said to have pacific intentions"
Mr.. Fuiita speaks good English. He says
the English language is now generally
taught in the Japanese schools. He learned
the language at home, During the war
with China he was Admiral Ito's secretary
Asked what his opinion was OF the pros
pectiye partition of China by the European
nations he said, with some diplomacy
We'll, you know, / do not have any opin-
ion about that question, as I am sol
der" tmeaning he is a fighting man and
not a politician). His government, he re-
marked, is most interested in improving the
status OF Japan as a power among the ma
tions, and for this reason nothing is being
overlooked that will tend to increase the eff
fciency of the army and navy, Hence his
mission TO the packing houses today to in
yestgate the meat canning industry The
Japanese government intends to introduce
canned meats into the naval regime.