The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-06-10

~ he Rainer-Gran had distinguished
patron yesterday in the person of NJ
Shiraishi, Japanese consul and man
ager and proprietor OF the Togo,
Klsen. Kaisha steamship line. now
In operation between San Francisco
and leading points in the ORR
emit Mr.. Shiraishi has recently been
visiting in Hawaii and also in Yokohama,
Toxic and other metropollses of his ma
tive country across the sea. He talks
pleasantly OF his trip. which he describes
as a delightful voyage. and says It has
been protracted during a period Of sew
erai weeks 81 am frank in confessing,"
said the wealthy consul, that | am re-
turning via Seattle for the sole purpose
of studying the shipping situation from
a Puget sound standpoint. 1t should not
be understood however. that / am
seeking to establish a line of steamers
between Seattle and Japan in opposition to
the Japanese vessels now under control
OF the Great Northern and plying between
these respective countries. If | am quoted
In any statement. I should like 1t to set
forth that there are possibilities at this
port for more business than the Great
Northern may find ii convenient to handle,
In which event myself and associates
might decide TO compete for share of the
Northwest traffic without infringing on
the privileges enjoyed by the IdZumt Maru.
| am expecting to return here again with
In the next six weeks. and will then
enter more seriously into the Seattle ship
ping problem. At present l have three
vessels employed out OF San Francisco.
known as the Nippon Maru, the Hongkong
Maru and the American Maru They rep
resent 5000 gross tonnage and are yield
ing us n splendid income on the money
investment. In tins connection I might
add that | ind Seattlc doing a larger ORR
entail business than | had in any man.
ner sunoosed | regret that I cannot ex-
HI loft la hllf
inasmuch as | shan certainly return the
latter part of july the fact doesn't oc-
casion the dissatisfaction that otherwise
II might. My company represents a cap
italization of 6,500occ yen. or 49, $50 900 in
American money. This amount of course
will he substantially increased. in case
circumstances justify an extension of our
ocean traffic IL this direction. our San
Francisco boats are each making annually
fourteen round trips between that point
and japan, and now that I have been
abroad 1t seems that fully as much and
lucrative a business might be realized
from a northern route entering this port"
Mr.. Shiraishi was asked as to the prob
abilities OF war ensuing between Japan
and Russia,
The officials of my country are not
anticipating any especial friction at this
time" he said. "Ihe sensational reports
that gained such general currency a short
time ago We're due entirely to little
yellow journalism that found its way into
the columns of the London Times That
paper stated mat the orders given by the
Mikado authorizing the English ship
builders to hurry to completion tho yes
sells then under construction for the Jap
anese government. contemplated conflict
that could not long be avoided. The
truth is. the Instructions were issued by
the Mikado for the reason that the yes
sells there building must no completed
within specified time 20 fail within the
treasury regulations OF the Kingdom
Doubtless they are stricter IN than Coun-
try than here Granting that serious trou-
bic should arise. however il is difficult.
under existing conditions. TO lutelligently
forecast the result Possibly Germany,
which united with France and Russia in
opposition to Japan during the Chinese
Japanese war would now espouse the
cause Of Japan. Sun. conditions might
arise that would materially alter this
conclusion
Personally am impressed with theidea
that hosttlities, II they must come, will
terminate quickly and satisfactorily in IA
vor of my own nation. The Russians stll
have their grant transcoutinental railway
unfinished and Japan has a navy vastly
superior to that Of the czar."
Few men In the Cnitel States are bet
ter known In all parts OF the country
than Colonel William A. Pinkerton.
head OF the Pinkertou National Detective
agency of Chicago. which Institution