The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-07-15
Of the Early Life Of Or.
Gia,, Shinsose Early Poyeyty
and Struggles Hoo, He Spent
Eleuen Years Pe,1ecting HIS
W0nder1vl AtUentio,,- Its Eff
feet When Fired in a 6-lnch
Wayal Gss.
London Mail.

WINE inc world Is 1led with amaze
me9t at the Japanese victories on land
TO the wonderful powder known as
!" shimose, +" after it's ingenious and ex-
pert chemist inventor, which has
wrought such terrific havoc among the
hosts Of imperial Russia.
An Unknown Power.
AS in all other departments of Ja-
pans wonderful work, an all but inn
penetrable veil Of secrecy has been
drawn over the Investigations, and even
the personality Of her chemist in explo-
sives, DR.. Clan Shimose. He was born
in the very humblest circumstances in
the province of Hiroshima some forty
seven years ago, when railways and reg
ular steamers were practically unknown
in the island empire. And yet as a
youth Shimose determined to make his
way to the capital, altho it is over $50
miles from his native village in Hiro-
shima to TOXIC, e.
That his plans were already fully de-
veloped in his mind will be seen from
the fact that on reaching the Japan
ese capital he was able to pass a fairly
stiff examination at once, and forthwith
gained the first round in the battle Of
his life by entering the Imperial uni
versity-surely one Of the most go
ahead academic institutions in the
world, not even excepting Yale, Har-
ward and Columbia.
His Indomitable Spirit.
It is no exaggeration to say, that
young Shimose quite commonly felt the
pinch of actual starvation. Certain 1t
is he was ordinarily without the few
bath mani It need hardly be said that
the future hero of his country passed
every examination with perfect preci:
sion; yet, strange to say, after gradu.
ating with the highest honors, he could
find no better employment that assist
ant in humble printing office at wages
which appear to us simply laughable-
something under 10 shillings a week!
He became so skilful in the printing
office that it suddenly occurred to him
he might get employment from the gov
eminent in this way, and at length. af
ter many demonstrations OF his ability
he was given, on trial, somewhat re-
sponsible position in the government
printing works in Toxic.
It was at this stage of his career that
Shimose turned his thoughts to inven
ton, and naturally enough, he begar
operations in connection with his OWL
employment. After many experiments
he succeeded in producing the curious
ink which is now used in Japan fol
bank notes and paper money generally
and which renders forgery and altera
tion practically impossib BILE. The secret
like all Japanese secrets, was so vel
kept that the productions Of the very
ablest counterfeiters were instantly de
tected.
| It was while employed in the govern
ment printing works that Shimos
turned his attention to naval and mill
tary implements Of all kinds, offensiv
and defensive He was brought int
contact with naval and military officers
both foreign and native, and began t
discuss eagerly with them the compo
nents of the various high explosive
used thruout the world.
Best Not Good Enough.
| He soon saw that most of the smoke
less powders Of the world-and, indeed
also the Japanese service powder in us
at that time, and known as 'men kaya
ku''-had very serious defects.
| After a time Japan grew extremel
dissatisfied with her service powder, an
began to make inquiries about tn
American "Moshlite,' French "Me