JAPANESE MAIL SERVICE.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXXII, Issue 10302, 9 March 1905, Page 2

JAPANESE MAIL SERVICE.

From the Nippon Yusen Kaisha's repart as given in the Japanese papers, it appears that the company's coasting service vms disaitroiisly aifected by the war. When the control of the sea wa»s secured by tJie Japanese navy the company opened steamship services to Shanghai, Tientsin, Chefoo, and Korean ports. Shortly afterwards, however, the service had to be suspended owing to the appearamce of Russian warships and floating mines. Of the 12 steamers thnt had been plying on. the European line, 11 were taken for military purposes. As the company would have to encounter serioxis ditncul- ' ties in re-openintr the service, a'contracfc was made with the Ocean Steamship and Bucknall Steamship lines to run six steam-. ~ ers on the company's European line, tire compjuiy to deal with tlte i>ii«seugers and wirgo. With rcgoi'd to its American service, arrangements were made with the Boston, Northern Pacific, and the China Mutual Steamship Companies- for the ship, ping of goods to the Pacific coasts. The company'.** Australian service was also suspended during the early part of tho terin, but owing to the release of Yawata, Maru from transport service, %,- line was re-opened at the beginning of July. It was, liowever, dropped again later. The Bombay service was totally . suspended during . the half-3'enr, but i\xrangements were.made withforeign com-., panies to . tra«sp<nt cotton from Bombay to Japan at the /same freight rates. Diyring tjie half-yeaa. 1 tlie comiMUiy .lost the foßowing .steamers owing, to the war : Sakura Maru, Olai'U Maru,' Assago.Maru, Mikowa "Maru,. Totomi Maru, Sagami Moa-n, Kmshu Maiu, Hitachi Mavu, and Izumi Maxm," and the; Sado Maru was ~ seiiously damaged. . . ;