mmander had suicided of grief over the Emperor's death. The ship
had to lie in port till a new commander came out from Japan. Japanese
coolies were no longer coming; but the Japanese middies had the run and
freedom of the harbor; and they sketched all the whereabouts of Point
Loma--purely out of interest for Mrs. Tingley's Theosophy, of course.

Diaz's ministry had been very hard pressed financially before being
ousted by Madero. Some Boston and Pacific Coast men had secured an
option from the Diaz faction of the sandy reaches known as Magdalena
Bay in Lower California. The Pacific Coast is a land of few good
natural harbors; especially harbors for a naval station and target
practice. Suddenly an unseen hand blocked negotiations. Within a year
Japan had almost leased Magdalena Bay, when Uncle Sam wakened up and
ordered "hands off."

Nicaragua has never been famous as a great fishing country. Yet
Japanese fishermen tried to lease fishing rights there and may have,
for all the world knows. In spite of exclusion acts, they already
dominate the salmon fishing of the Pacific.

Coaling facilities will be provided for the merchantmen of the world at
both ends of Panama. Yet when England and France began furbishing up
colonial stations in the Caribbean, Japan forthwith made offers for a
site for a coaling station in the Gulf of Mexico.

But it was in South America and Mexico that the most active
colonization proceeded. There is not an American diplomat in South
America who does not know this and who has not reported it--reported it
with one finger on both lips and then has seen his report discreetly
smothered in departmental pigeon-holes. Up to a few years ago Mexico
and South America were enjoying marvelous prosperity. Coffee had not
collapsed in Brazil. Banks had not blown up from self-inflation in
Argentina. Revolution at home and war abroad had not closed mines in
Mexico. All hands were stretched out for colonists. Japan launched
vast trans-Pacific colonization schemes. Ships were sent scouting
commercial possibilities in South America. To colonists in Chile and
Peru, fare was in many cases prepaid. Money was loaned to help the
colonists establish themselves, and an American representative to one
of these countries told me that free passage was given colonists on
furlough home if they would go back to the colony. There is no known
record outside Japan of the numbers of these colonists. And Japan
ask