New-York tribune., 1912-04-07
CALLS WAR TALK RUBBISH
No Tension Between This Coun.
try and Japan, High Official Saws.
COAL STATION INCREDIBLE
Magdalena Bay Once Offered to
This Country, He Says
Has Fine Harbor.

Rubbish was the word very high
government official used yesterday "a
describing the lingo talk INDUCED in by
, some statesmen and others when dis.
cussing the alleged covert efforts of
Japan to acquire naval base close +,
the Panama Canal at Magdalena Bay or
elsewhere in Mexico.
There was no tension between this
country and Japan. he said and abso.
lutely no grounds for any swar feeling
That some people believed to the con.
trary caused him surprise.
This official declared 1t his belief that
Japan had no intention Of obtaining A
coaling station at Magdalena Bay or on
the strip of land on the Pacific side o,
Mexico, between the states Of Tepic and
OaXaca, or anywhere else.
Referring 10 the statement attributed
TO the Marquis Saionji, Prime Minister
OF Japan, in which he said that IN.
Oriental Whaling Company, of japan.
had obtained fishing rights along the 40
miles of coast from the Mexican gov.
ernment, the official said:
II do not think that the stretch ~
coast between the States Of Tepic and
Oaxaca has any value as a fishing sta.
tion, but there is no danger OF it going
to the japanese government"
The fishing rights off this part Of the
coast Of Mexico were obtained some time
ago by the Mexican agent Of the Orlen-
tai Steamship Company, Of Japan. from
Mexico These rights were later trans
ferred TO the Oriental Whaling Com
pany. OF Japan One Of the directors II
the whaling company and ten fishing
experts are. according to the statement
attributed 10 the Marquis Saionj. now
examining the possibilities Of the terri
tory in question.
Under the terms OF the contract be-
tween the whaling company and the
Mexican government, it is said, the COM
pany has the right to build docks and
huts along the 80 miles of coast. But
there are many who believe that after
the fishing experts see the worthlessness
Of the concession. the project will he
abandoned.
There is very good harbor at Mag
dalena Bay" he continued, ''and 1t would
be Of immense advantage for ships sail
ing from Panama to the Pacific Coast
The property there, owned by an Ameri-
can syndicate, was offered, / believe, TO
a
base some time during the Roosevelt
administration, but the government re-
fused to purchase 1t. That is perhaps
the reason why Senator Lodge intro
duced his resolution calling for infor-
nation as 10 the alleged effort Of Japan
TO obtain a fcothold in Magdalena Bay
"Of course. 1t would make good
naval station. but there is no reason for
war scare. nor is there any danger of
the slightest trouble. our fleet has
practised in Magdalena Bay. There Is
no tension at all between this country
and Japan on this subject or any other.
and I mistake the Presidents character
II he'd be stampeded into 1t.
The Magdalena Bay property "NHeu
by the American syndicate consists ot
some $50 miles Of coast line OF the bay
and was purchased in the hone that gold
would be found there. An agent for the
owners sought high and low for pur-
chaser when the land proved worthless.
He finally opened negotiations with
Japanese steamship company.
Senator Lodge believes that the prop
ertv would ultimately fall into the hands
of Japan. and the Lodge resolution. ac-
cordng to the Senator. would have the
effect of checking any plan Japan might
have 10 acquire naval base In Magda-
lena Bay.
But leading japanese statesmen IN
cluding the Marquis SaionJL nave
answered Senator Lodge by saying thal
there is no such intention on the part OF
their government