The San Francisco call., 1904-07-18
JAPANESE ACT
MYSTERIOUSLY
Distinguished Party Arrives
From Orient, Giving Divers
Explanations of Purpose

Among the passengers on the Amer
lea Maru, which reached port yester-
day, were several Japanese, who,
while they were travelling quietly, at
tracted much attention on board by
their distinguished bearing and their
evidently wide knowledge of the af-
fairs of the world. They kept to them
selves and said little as to their in
tentions or reasons for their visit to
this country, but it was apparent to
all that they were here on some mis-
sion of no small Importance. An at
mosphere of secrecy and reserve per-
vaded the doings and sayings of them
all.
To add to the mystery of their
movements, while some of the party
say they are going to England and
some to Hartford, it was ascertained
that a portion of their effects go in
bond to New York, while other boxes
are destined to The Hague. Their mis-
sion is believed to lie beyond the
United States. Whether its real pur-
pose is connected with the current war
between their country and Russia, the
members of their party were careful
not to disclose. Rumor on ship board
explained the expedition as directed
against the Cars Baltic fleet, now
bound for the Orient. This, however,
is only a guess.
BY right of his title Count T. Todo
was the most prominent member of
the party. The Count is twenty years
of age and he said, in what he called
a six-months-acquired English" that
he was on his way to England to en-
ter Cambridge University.
Count Todo was accompanied by his
secretary, L Okamoto, and his friend,
II. Sato. These gentlemen both speak
English fluently and are up-to-date in
every way
Sato was not in any way inclined to
talk. AT first he would say nothing
about the doings of the Count or his
own movements. When asked what
course of studies the Count would pur-
sue at Cambridge he was evasive. They
intended to wait until they got there
before they decided. How long would
he remain in England? He could not
say. He might be there a month and
be might not. Where would he go
from England? He could not say.
Secretary Okamoto looked on, silent.
AS his friend Sato talked he smiled
knowingly, but said nothing.
The most mysterious of the Japanese
passengers was K. Seto. On the pas
senger list of the steamship he was
plain "Mr. K. Seto," but he admitted
that he was an attache Of the engineer
y.
affable of manner and a good English
scholar, he was averse to saying any
thing on the subject of his visit here,
but he finally spoke as follows:
II am in company with two workmen
from the Toxic arsenal. We are go
ing to Hartford, Conn, where it is our
purpose to investigate the engineering
arts. We will report to Major Koba-
yashi when we arrive there. We ex-
pect to remain in Hartford about six
months. 1 am graduate of the me-
chanical engineering department of the
Toxic University
When they landed at the dock the
Japanese showed much interest in sew
eral large cases which were to be
shipped in bond direct to New York.
These cases were all apparently very
heavy. A suggestion was made that
they might contain machinery Of some
sort, but for what use or purpose they
were entered is not known.
Members Of the party were In con-
ference with the Japanese Consul last
night