of Perry and Harris, instead of disowning this outrageous claim, compelled the bakufu to pay $12,000, by which the United States gained $2000 clear profit. Further, after excessive vengeance taken by the Wyoming, the American minister actually put in a claim for "a sum to provide annuities for the dead and wounded" of the Wyoming-when the American captain started on an avowed warlike expedition! The amazed ministers of the bakufu replied that the loss of life on the Wyoming was fairly offset by the punishment inflicted. It seems incredible that such a claim should ever have been suggested. The only government of Japan recognized by foreigners had made profound apologies, the absurd Pembroke claims had been paid, and the United States had gained $2000. The "insult" to our flag had been wiped out in two sunken steamers, and in the blood of perhaps fifty Japanese. Could the force of vengeance further go? Unfortunately for Christian civilization, it did. In this triple act of savage revenge, instigated by Sir Rutherford Alcock (the apostle of murder and blind force, who ill conceals his anger at the policy of peace, fair play, patience, and steady courage of Townsend Harris), the American minister joined; and the United States was again disgraced by a needless act of war, and an outrageously unjust extortion of money from a weak nation, as ignorant as a hermit, and already impoverished by excessive drains, called, by a euphemism, "indemnities." The money paid both by the bakufu and the mikado's ministers now remains in Washington, amounting, principal and interest, to over $1,300,000. The shōgunate and feudalism are no more. Japan is entering on a new national life, in which every dollar is needed for mighty enterprises of civilization and education. The very men who once fired at a usurpation, through our ships, are now our best friends. They are leaders in the new civilization. What shall be done with the money thus unjustly taken, after a triple vengeance wreaked in punishment for what, by the laws of nations, was in itself no crime? For authorities, read, in the light of the history of Japan given in "The Mikado's Empire," Minister R. L. Pruyn's "Dispatches in the Diplomatic Correspondence of 1863-1865," F. O. Adams's "History of Japan," and "Shimonoséki" (E. H. House), Tōkiō, 1875. THE MILITARY ESTABLISHMENT. IN the imperial proclamation dated December 28th, 1872, the plan and details of the new national military system, elaborated with great care after a study of foreign war establishments, were published. The preamble states that "it becomes imperative to construct our army and navy upon the best possible system in accordance with the spirit of the age. We have therefore enacted a law for enrolling soldiers from the whole population, founded on the system which anciently existed in this country, modified by comparison with the practice of foreign countries." The document further explains that anciently the whole population were soldiers, all the able-bodied men serving as occasion required, the mikado leading them. After the war they returned to their ordinary pursuits. Later, the military and agricultural classes were severed, the authority of the court dwindled away, and the feudal system became fixed, and innumerable abuses followed the division of the people into soldiers and peasants. In 1871, the Government was restored to the original form, and the soldiery and peasantry were again amalgamated, and now all Japanese subjects become conscripts at the age of twenty, and will be placed either in the army or navy. The army is divided into the "standing army," "reserve," and "militia," and the troops into five classes, according to their bodily powers. The standing army is formed by enrolling those conscripts of each year on whom the lot falls, who shall serve three years. The first reserve is composed of men who have completed three years of military service, and live at home, pursuing their regular callings. They are called together once a year to live in camp and drill. The second reserve is composed of men who have completed two years of service in the first reserve. They are called out only when the levy en masse is made. The militia is composed of all males between the ages of seventeen and forty, not already included in the regular army or reserve. They are formed into bodies of troops when the levy en masse is made, for the protection of the district to which they belong. The minimum standard of height for the regular army is 5.1 feet. (A long list of exemptions is given in the original document.) The empire is divided into six military divisions, having head-quarters at Tõkiō, Sendai, Nagoya, Özaka, Hiroshima, and Kumamoto. Camps are established in thirty-seven places. The army comprises: To the above must be added the household troops, or Imperial Guards. This corps is the flower of the army. Only picked men are promoted to it: Total strength of the regular army in peace, 35,560; in war, 50,320. In comparison with the armies of other countries, the proportion of engineers in the Japanese army is large, and that of the cavalry is small. This arises from the geographical features of the country, which is deficient in plains, and abounds in mountains, broken surfaces, and strategic points. The details of the military law have been well carried out, and the scheme more than realized. The army has been ably instructed by French officers. The troops are drilled, clothed, and equipped after the new improved French system, and armed with the most approved weapons of war from the United States and Europe. They are fed on rations of pork, beef, and bread, in addition to native diet. On an emergency Japan could now (1876) put seventy-five thousand disciplined troops (regulars and reserves) in the field. These regulations, which greatly offended some of the samurai and some officers who wished the caste system kept in vogue, have been rigidly carried out, and are now popular. They were promulgated afresh in the autumn of 1874-'75, as a radical exponent of the will of the mikado and cabinet against the old conservative opposers of the modern spirit of progress, and worshipers of Yamato damashi, that feudalism and all its abuses were forever dead and buried in Japan. NAVY AND MERCANTILE MARINE. THE following statistics of the Japanese navy are merely approximate, and below the maximum. There are 10 war-vessels, 5 dispatch-vessels, and 5 trainingships, all steamers: Riō-Jō-Kan: Class, corvette, 10 guns, 280 horse-power, 1300 tons, 34 inch iron belt round water-line; armament, two 100-pounder Armstrongs (rifled), eight 64-pounders (muzzleloaders); complement, 300 men. Adzuma Kan (Stonewall): iron-clad ram, 3 guns, 500 horse-power; armament, one 300pounder Armstrong (rifled), two 70-pounder ditto (rifled); complement, 135 men. Nisshin Kan, sloop (wood), 7 guns, 250 horse - power, 1000 tons; armament, one 7-inch Armstrong (pivot), 6 tons; six 60-pounder rifled Dutch guns; complement, 145 men. Kasuga Kan (formerly English man-of-war): paddle-wheel steamer (wood), 6 guns, 300 horse-power; armament, one 100-pounder Blakeley, four 50-pounder Japanese guns, one 20-pounder Armstrong (breach-loader); complement, 130 men. Unyō Kan (wood): 6 guns, 90 horse-power; armament, one 110-pounder Vavasseur (pivot); one 40-pounder Armstrong, (breach - loader), two 20-pounder Armstrongs (breach-loaders); complement, 65 men. Mōshiu Kan (wood): 4 guns, 90 horse-power; armament, one 70-pounder (pivot), one 40pounder (pivot), two 20-pounders (pivot); complement, 60 to 65 men. Hōshō Kan (wood): 4 guns, 90 horse-power; armament, one 70-pounder (pivot), one 40pounder (pivot), two 20-pounders (pivot); complement, 60 to 65 men. Dai Ichi Té-bo (wood): 4 guns, 90 horse-power; armament, one 70-pounder (pivot), one 40pounder (pivot), two 20-pounders (pivot); complement, 60 to 65 men. Tsukuba Kan (sea-going training-ship): 300 horse-power, 1400 tons; armament, one 70pounder (pivot), one 40-pounder (pivot), two 20-pounders (pivot); complement, 60 to 65 men. Fuji Yama Kan (made in America): harbor training-ship. In the mercantile marine are now about one hundred steamers, of various rates and tonnage. A considerable number of these are small steamers, plying in the rivers, on Lake Biwa, and along the coast. The coast-trade of Japan and a steamline to Shanghae, China, are now controlled by Japanese capital, bottoms, and crews, with foreign sailing-masters in many, but not all, cases. The navy is organized on the English model, and a commission of English officers and seamen have been engaged for several years as assistants and instructors. There is also a marine corps, and a naval college, in which several hundred young men receive a thorough scientific and technical education, besides a schooling on training-ships. The Navy Department, also on the British model, has a hydrographical office, which has made surveys of the coast of Japan, and executed very fine charts and hydrographic maps. The largest navy-yard, dry-docks, foundries, and ship-yards are at Yokosuka, about twelve miles below Yokohama, and are under French superintendence. Admiral Akamatsu and several of the higher naval officers were educated in Holland, others at Annapolis, or in England. The musicians of the imperial navy and marine corps play the music and tunes of Europe and America. THE NATIONAL FINANCES. "To In, Shō, Shi, Chō, Fu, and Ken: "The inclosed estimates of Income and Expenditure for the year beginning July, 1875, and ending June, 1876, having been furnished by Ōkuma Shigénobu, Minister of Finance, they are hereby notified for your information. "DECEMBER 22d, 1875." "SANJO SANÉYOSHI, Dai Jō Dai Jin. CONDENSED COMPARATIVE TABLE OF THE YEARS 1874 AND 1875–76. Of the national debt, $14,480,912 is foreign, and $127,808,668 is domestic. The paper money now in circulation amounts to $94,803,819. The foreign debt and paper money are being slowly redeemed. Government loans for industrial and charitable purposes amounted to $12,594,889. The appropriation to the United States Centennial Exposition is $251,385. See report printed in full, in The Japan Mail, January 27th, 1876. I have extracted the condensed table given above from The Japan Herald of January 10th, 1876. OUTLINE OF JAPANESE CHRONOLOGY. JAPANESE history begins..... Introduction of letters and writing.. Introduction of Buddhism... Propagation of Buddhism.. Military operations against the Ainōs, or aboriginal tribes.. Active and personal rule of the mikados... Fujiwara family's greatest influence Taira family's influence paramount. . The Hōjō hold the governing power The temporary mikadoate.... The Tokugawa line of shōguns.. Duration of the dual system.... Domination of the "military classes". Duration of ancient feudalism.. Duration of simple monarchy.... Duration of modern complex feudalism.. Japan known to foreigners. .... Arrival of Commodore Perry in the Bay of Yedo. Townsend Harris resides in Yedo.... Concludes a treaty of foreign residence and commerce. The mikado restored to full power; the ancient government re-established... Jan. 3d, 1868 Battle of Fushimi....................... January 27th-30th, 1868 Name of the city of Yedo changed to Tökiō, which is made the capital.... September, 1868 Embassy representing the mikado and National Government make the circuit of the world.. National celebration of the 2536th year of the Japanese empire.. 1871-1872 April 7th, 1876 TEA CROP OF 1875. THE total export of tea amounted to 22,582,152 pounds, of which 16,546,289 pounds were shipped from Yokohama, 4,292,159 pounds from Kobé, and 643,159 pounds from Nagasaki. All Japanese tea is green, and the United States is the chief customer for this tea. About 400,000 pounds were sent to England from Nagasaki in 1875. Some consignments are also made to China for conversion into black tea. The tea is picked in the spring and fall. About nine per cent. weight is lost by refiring or redrying for export. The best tea-producing provinces are Isé, Suruga, Inaba, and Yamashiro, which produce for foreign export 28,000, 26,000, 23,500, and 22,000 pounds respectively. Kiushiu sent 22,000; Yamato, Kawachi, Iga, and Kii sent 12,000; Omi, 9000; Mino, 9000; Shimōsa and Kadzusa, 6000; Tamba, 5000; Echizen and Echigo, 3500; and sundry small districts, 5000 pounds for export in 1875. The area of plantations and crop of tea is increasing steadily every year. |