The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1902-06-16
A JAPANESE MORGAN
BARON SHIBUSAwA'S ALLEGED
MISSION.
Said To Be Going To Discuss with ].
p. Morgan a Combination of Pacific
Ocean Steamship Lines

SAN FRANCISCO, May 31-Baron
Eiichi Shibusawa, multi-milionaire,
the leading business man of the Japan
csc Empire and a peer of the realm,
&yhOse arrival in San Francisco was an
nounced yesterday, says that he Is
travelling for pleasure, but there is ev-
cry reason to believe that his presence
in this city and In the United States
presages an immense deal by which the
carrying trade of the Pacific ocean is
to be consolidated in just such manner
as has that of the Atlantic.
Baron Shibusawa is on his way to
meet Pierpont Morgan. That in itself
is significant in view of the fact that
a Washington dispatch of two weeks
ago stated definitely that negotiations
were afoot for the Reorganization" of
the Pacific, but when it is remembered
that the baron is accompanied by a full
and extremely capable staff of secre-
taries, business men, engineers and in
terpreters; that he practically controls
the destiny of the biggest Japanese
shipping concern, the Nippon Yusen
Kaisha Japanese Imperial MaiD which
has a large fleet of splendid steamers;
that he is heavily interested in at least
two other japanese lines; that he con-
trolls the Ishikawajima Shipbuilding
and Dock Company, the Hakodate
dock; that he owns railroads and banks
in the Empire of the Rising Sun as well
as in the Hermit Kingdom of Korea,
his visit to Pierpont Morgan takes on
a complexion suggestive of big things.
A short thick-set, mild-mannered
man is this remarkable Japanese. His
eyes are bright and keen. but his face
is disfigured bya terrible scar that has
the appearance of being the result of a
sword cut.
Whether the baron understands Eng
fish or not is uncertain, but at any rate
he prefers to converse to newspaper
men with the aid of an interpreter.
The baron says" replied the inter-
prefer to query as to the possibility
of a combine of Japanese shipping in
terests with those of the Morgan syn
dictate, the baron says that the Jap
anese subsidy laws would, he thinks,
prevent japanese ships from entering a
combine"
But the British subsidy laws are
very strict, still the White Star, Cunard
and other lines have gone over; the
German laws are more strict, yet the
Hamburg American and the North
German Lloyd have entered the Allan
tic combine. Are the Japanese laws
even more rigid than those of Great
Britain or Germany" was asked.
The barons eyes were twinkling long
before the question had been translated
to him. al
"lne baron says that he is pleased
now that he is going to have the oppor-
tunity of studying the effect of the
British and German shipping subsidy
laws" replied the impassiVe Interpreter.
Baron Shibusawa is saving his views
on combines for exchange with Pier
| pont Morgan, and that such deal is
| in view there can be no manner of
doubt. In his company are DR.. NJ lchi-
| hara, manager of the Yokohama
| branch of the Dai-Ichi Ginko, Japan
biggest financial institution of which
the baron is president; S. Umenra, di-
rector of the IshikOjima Dock Com
pany, the Tokyo Gas Company and a
number of other institutions; I. Shi-
mizu, son-in-law of President Asaro of
the Togo Kisen Kaisha, Japan's second
| largest shipping concern, in which the
baron is heavily interested, and G. Ha-
giwara, secretary of the Toxic Cham
| Der of Commerce. There is also stan
of clerks with the party. Baroness Shl-
| busawa, who accompanies the baron,
has an interpreter of her own.
After staying some days here the par
| ty will continue eastward, and the mo-
mentous meeting of the big fnanclers
of East and West will take place in
New York. A visit will then be made
| 70 England, France and Germany.