Waterbury Democrat., 1902-08-06
JAPAN N|NS IHE RACE.
That Country Has Secured Pos-
 session of Marcus Island.

It is Supposed to Be Rich With Guano
 Japan Has Sent a Vessel to the
 Island americans are Said to Have
 Occupied Island Before Japanese
 But Abandoned It.
 New York, Aug 6.-NeWs has been received here, says World dispatch from Yokohama, that Japan has won the race tor possession or Marcus Island, supposed to contain yaiuabIe deposits oI Suano. s
 The cruiser hasagi has treturned to Iokio aTter landing smalItdetachmen of marines on the lsiuuu ito hold rne place unlss the question Of ownersn1p shall have been dehni1ely settled by diplomatic correspondence between the United States and Japan.
 When the kasagi started back Cap- tain Rosehill, the American who left Honolulu for Marcus island, had not arrived. sv
 Tokio, Japan, July 9, via Victoria, B. O., Aug 6.-The Japanese govern ment sloop Kasagi sailed for Marcus Island July 1o, having on board MT lshii, secretary of the foreign office, the object being to reach the island before Captain Rosehill and his expedition. The rival claims of America and Japan to this speck in the ocean have made a considerable stir i'll Japan. The own ersh1p of Marcus Island, called Minami- tori Shima here, was tangibly estab. Hshed by the following announcement Issued under instructions from the home office under date of July 19, 1898: No 5o, notification of TolSio- -Fu
 An island situated at the latitude 24.l4 N, and longitude 154 E., shall be called herewith Minamitori ShiIna and included as one of the Bonana group, and shall be under the administration of Tokio-Fu. se .,
 "KOYESLuKA RYO,
 Governor of Tokioe Flu. qS9S." '' "
 The origin of the actual ownership claimed by the Japanese is rather diffi- cult, however, to trace It is, said M1zutani Shinrockru, claiming to be the d1scoverer of the island, applied Tor the lease, but there was anoth- CT applicant, causing a keen opposition between then.i The term of the lease is understood to be ten years. In this contest Captain Kawa- muro, of the Nippon Yuzn Kaishai Bonin liner Hyogo Maru. interviewed says among other things that there are about fifty Japanese inhabitants. including three or four women. Mizu tan1 Shinrockru, who has two schoon- CTS for his own use. has been doing a tolerably fine business in catching birds and fishing. His takes have been transported by the schooners to the main island of the Bonin group where they are re-shipped. One of the schooners left for Marcus island on July 12.
 There are evidences that the Amer jeans occupied the island before the J Japanese, but they are said to have abandoned it. The island is not par ticularly rich, the entire revenue from fishing. hunting, etc. being placed at about $1O,OOO annually. but the ques- tion is looked upon as being interesting diplomatically
 MT Ishii will arrive at the island in time to receive Captain Rosehill and execute his governments title to the place, and his presence will also assure the little company of JaDanese island CTS who are, no doubt considerably alarmed at the turn of events.
 A central chamber of the tea guild has issued a warning to those con- cerned. in accordance with resolu- ton passed at the recent meeting in The chamber is much ex- ercised at the over production and coarse manufacture in view of the re- cont incrnaSiuo irnn0rt of taa T,bn warning says that besides the produc- ton of the first tea, the abolition of the United States war tax stimulated tea exports and should foreign complaints be raised in connection with coarse the Japanese tea trade will no more be able to enjoy the bene- fits accruing from the abolition of the tea tax.