THE JAPANESE IN NEW ZEALAND WATERS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXIX, Issue 3762, 11 April 1907, Page 3

THE JAPANESE IN NEW ZEALAND WATERS.

(By an Occasional Correspondent.) A very large number of Wellingtonians availed themselves of the opportunity of visiting the Japanese Training Squadron during their stay in Wellington harbour last week, myself among the number. We left the wharf in the afternoon in the old-time launch “ Moturoa,” and in a few minutes hove alongside , the “ Itsukushima,” Vice-Admiral Tomioka’s flagship. The “ Itsukushima ” is a protected cruiser of 4277 tons and 54C0 horsepower, enabling her to steam 17 knots per hour. Her armament consists of one 12‘sin, a formidable looking weapon, placed in a barbette in the forepart of the ship, together with eleven 47m quick firers, and other smaller guns, and four torpedo tubes. Her complement is 350 officers and men. The other two vessels comprising the squadron are sister ships. So that the total number of Japanese on board all three vessels amounted to 1800, which made one reflect on the absolute defeucelessness of the city were the brown men suddenly to commence an attack upon it. I did not inspect the man-of-war minutely —the men on board made a far more interesting study—but the vessel appeared to be in all respects very similar to a. British warship. She was painted all over with the same drab-coloured paint. The decks were quite as clean ; and the same state of quiet activity prevailed on board. There was none of the “jabber” which one associates with the Chinese. Officers and men moved about to their various, duties promptly, talking but little, and when they did so, in even tones that fell pleasantly on the ear. One curious feature was a couple of spittoons fixed on the deck, with an arch springing from one side of each attached to the end of which was a piece of smouldering rope for the lighting of cigarettes. The Japanese all appeared to be inveterate smokers, and the spittoons were probably supplied in deference to the national habit. The dress of the sailors is much the same as that of our own seamen, though slightly darker perhaps in colour, and to a man they wore white socks ! They were of a uniform height —about sft zin—and of excellent physique. All the Japanese are long and muscular about the loins, and give one the impression of being very lithe and powerful although so small in stature. The walk of the Japanese is not by any means graceful. They all have the slow and sluggish-looking step peculiar to the Asiatic, and some few reminded me very forcibly of the characteristically awkward “straddle ” of the average Chinese market gardener. The faces of the seamen present many different varieties. Some are absolutely Chinese, while the countenances of others are akin to the English type. With the exception of the Admiral, the officers are shorter in stature than the men. Their uniform is of black material braided with gold, and peaked caps. A number of the lesser officers wore dirks, a survival, in the midst of so much civilisation, of the ancient Oriental liking for a knife ! Quite half the members of the fleet displayed medals ; two or three I saw had no less than five, while it was i a common sight to see four. One of thej decorations was shaped somewhat like a sprig of shamrock and was also of a green hue. I was unable to ascertain its nature, but it was evidently a mark of distinction, as few appeared to possess it, and these were officers. I entered into cpnversation with a little Japanese midshipman who was pacing up and down the bridge. In answer to my query, “‘do you speak English?” he replied, “ yes ” and although by no means an expert linguist and somewhat say, we managed to keep a lively conversation going for some ten or fifteen minutes. New Zealand, he considered, was a fine country much resembling Japan in climate. “ Some day you will be a great nation?” “I hope so,” he said proudly, with a flash in his eye which betokened that splended spirit of patriotism which x is the mainspring of Japan’s suc- { cess. All the Japanese officers, he ' added, were required to learn English, but for himself he found it hard. As though a nation which has acquired the art, and heart of civilisation within the brief space of ten or twenty years could find anything hard! Moreover, he wrote his name in excellent English at my request without any difficulty —and in quaint Japanese hieroglyphics underneath—an in.staaice therefore of that innate modesty which is a feature of the national character. A short acquaintance with the Japanese went a long way towards 'solving the enigma of Japan’s .civilisation. They possess an .almost insatiable desire to know the why and wherefore of everything with which they come in contact The most trivial object excites their close attention, until Sit is explained to them when they quickly pass to something new. I visited the seamen’s quarters on board the “ Itsukushima,” and found it neat and clean as every other part of the vessel. In one comer the ship’s barber was busily engaged in cutting hair—all the Japanese wear their hair cropped short —the man on the stool undergoing the operation with a stolid indifference which not even my ievoluutary smile could shake. In ; ang£her part of the cabin a group \of sa4%)rs were reading with that close Mention which marks all .their action?; one man particularly itook my eye,. .He was lying on his back reading m a monotone, lajaparently perfectly oblivious to

all that was going on around him. The politeness of the Japanese is wonderful to the visitor. Is it a part of their new civilisation, merly a cover to that savage spirit which lies latent in the Oriental breast, or is it merly incedent to an hospitable and obliging character ? The officers were especially gracious ; and many young ladies bore away with them curious boxes of Japanese manufacture with their names written on in English, to remind them for' a long time to come of the visit of the Japanese Training Squadron and the pleasant young officers on board. The Japanese has a neat little bow — the acme of courtesy —a strong contrast to the stiff inclination of the head and neck which obtains in the colony.

I quitted the ship after having spent an exceedingly interesting half hour on board, and reflecting deeply on the ultimate destiny of this strange people, and the chances of its ever coming into conflict with our own. Who can tell without a perfect knowledge of their character? and what white man can profess to have acquired that ?