NEW STEAM SERVICE.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1351, 31 January 1912, Page 5

NEW STEAM SERVICE.

JAI>AN TO SOUTH SEA ISLANDS. By Tcleirraph—Preej Association—Copyrlchl Sydney, January 30. An official of the British Embassy (o Japan, who is visiting Sydney, slates that fho Japauese Government has offered a subsidy for n new steam service to the South Sens, which will probnbly start on March 1 next. Thti operations of th 6 service will bo confined to the Caroline and Gilbert Groups, and tho outlying islands. Later on Ihe steamers will prokibly go to other places. He said ho did not think Australia need fenr a Japanese overflow, but tho Japanese were looking towards the South Son Islands, lie did uot see how they could bo kept fron\ going there. i AN ISLAND COMMISSIONER'S VIEW. (Rec. January 30, 8 p.m.) Sydney, January 30. Tho Japanese Consulate here professes to know nothing of the reported new line of steamers to the Pacific Islands. Mr. Cogswell, Deputy British Commissioner at the Gilbert Islands, who is at present in Sydney, says there is no reason that ho knows why Japan should run steamers; thoro was not frnrin sufficient to warrant it. Japan could gain nothing by seeking to settle in tho Islands, and nhy attempt to seize them would embroil her with Britain, Germany, and France. Japanese activity in the Islands cannot be directed towards trade or settlement, and must have some other object. The only possible danger (o Australia is that they might want to create secret depots as coaling stations, which would be of great strategio importance in the event, of an attack on Australia.