The Sun.
London, England, 1852-04-21 00:00:00

THE SUN,

extent of country spreading over no less than t
266,600 square miles ! Or, to calculate the
matter yet more'glatingly for its extravagance-2;000
Americans pitted against 30,000,000 Japanese. For
at that enormous aggregate has the population of
Japan been computed—the lowest estimate being
20,000,000 for its actual inhabitants. Yet with the
" ridiculously small amount" of the squadron already
specified do the citizens of the United States dream
of humbling the pride of this haughty and not undis-
ciplined race of islanders. The number of fighting
men to be entrusted wirh this somewhat hazardous task,
is, on the first blu4h, altogether inadequate, alike for
the purposes of conquest or chastisement.
Hazardous we call the undertaking advisedly, be-
cause although the multitude to be assailed are un-
questionably barbarous in their utter igno-
rance of civilization, they are, nevertheless,
hardy warriors enough, warrior?, too, not unskilled
in the diplomacy of conflict, or the maeceuvres of
battle. During a certain period, indeed, the adven-
turous sons of Japan were employed as habitually in
the character of meroenariea in the adjacent islands of
the Pacific, as the Swiss in the Courts of Europe, or
as our own Sepoys in Hindoston—acting, moreover,
in that capari.y with all the rugged valour of the
~•ncien` condottieri. It appears manifest, therefore,
from the consideration of all these facts, from our
knowledge of the warlike disposition of the Japanese,
from our knowledge that their community is va-
riously estimated at an aggregate ranging from
20,000,000 as a minimum to 30,000 000 as a maxi-
mum, that the preparations made by the United
States are altogether insufficient for the exigency of
the occasion, while with a painful sense of this very
probable inadequacy it is impossible nut to wish the
fullest success to the projected expedition.
Humanity, we have said, induces us to look for-
ward with eager solicitude to the triumph of the
American arms over the arras of the Japanese. Nor
in so speaking have we uttered anything like words
of extravagance. For the punishment proposed to be
administered to the people of Japan will be expiatory
of acts of cruelty on their part, more dastardly and
prolonged than have ever been recorded of any race,
however far removed from civilization, unless they
have happened to be two-legged wild beasts, such as
mere cannibals or anthropophagi ! According to a
compact entered into some 200 years ago, the Dutch
have been nominally allowed to send one annual ship
to Nangasaki, but otherwise the people of Japan have
traded with none but the Chinese. Foreigners of every
other country have been prohibited during the past two
centuries from holding any intercourse whatsoever
with the inhabitants. The penalty inflicted upon
such strangers to the soil as dared to penetrate be-
yond its sacred frontiers was almost invariably
death, sometimes, but very rarely, commuted to per-
petual imprisonment. With such rigorous severity
have these most infamous laws of exclusion been en-
forced that even foreign vessels in distress have been
tapulsed from the inhospitable shores of Japan, while
shipwrecked mariners saved from the tempest have
been thrown into dungeon?, exhibited in iron cages,
and afterwards most cruelly executed. Against these
inhuman proceedings the United States (which of all
the powers of the world has, of late years, been the
most frequent sufferers in consequence) is at
length about to protest with the logic of
bullets and the eloquence of cannon balls.
Considering that the crimes about, therefore, to be
thus avenged are in open violation, not merely of the
inalienable rights of nations, but also of the sacred
and immutable laws of nature, it is, we repeat it,
again and again, most earnestly to be hoped that the
efforts about to be adventured upon by the Republic
of North America may be signally decisive in their
character, leading, in fact, to the speedy and, of
course, compulsory abandonment of the system of
exclusiveness hitherto enforced by the Japanese.
Unfortunately the principal cities of Japan will be
found by the United States' squadron unassailable
from their ialsnd situation. The buildings of the ca.
Jeddo, may, it is true, be beaten down by the
American artillery, but with a force so pecu-
liarly insignificant as that of merely two
thousand, when brought against a hardy race
of disciplined barbarians numbering, as we have said,
from 20,000,000 to 30,000,000 altogether, it would
be vain or rather absurd to dream of pushing forward
to the wealthy and luxurious city of Meaco. Never-
theless, while these adverse circumstances are indis-
putable, there is likewise one remarkable fact which
is no less so—the fact that the idolatrous fanaticism of
the Japanese cannot be very readily roused against
their assailants by the spiritual potentate of
the island, the ancient influence of the Dairi
having long since passed away, giving place
to the more matter-of fact power of the CuEo,
or secular Emperor. With his soldiers the naval and
military forces engaged in the United States' expedi-
tion will have to compete—and that the struggle may
prove very speedily advantageous to the latter is most
fervently to be desired, not only on behalf of the
sacred name of humanity, but likewise and in a par-
cular manner of the no less holy cause of civili-

zation.

It is impossible to overrate the importance of the
measure of Ch3ncery Reform introduced by the
Loup CHANCELLOR into the House of Lords on
Monday evening. It strikes at the very root of one
of the most serious abuses that has sprung up
during successive generations. It is the practice in
the Master's uffice, together with the entire system
of reference to other and different officers, that led to
the interminable delays and ruinous ex,
penses that were so loudly and so justly
complained of, and which, in fact, caused the entire
tribunal to stink in the nostrils of the public. For
that Lord ST. LEOTARDS has brought forward a
radical remedy, one which will completely eradicate
the disease, and he has acted wisely and judiciously
in limiting the present Bill to the abolition of the
office of Master in Chancery, end the changes neces-

miry in cons( quence of that abolition. It must
not for a moment be supposed that it is the
only measure of legal reform which the Noble
and Learned Lord intends to submit to the con-
sideration of Parliament,. On the contrary, we
are assured on the highest authority that a Bill
to carry out the recommendations of the Chan-
cery Cummissioners is at this moment in progress,
and that, in the course of the next three weeks, a
measure will be laid before their Lordships, intended to
carry into effect all the propositions which the Commis-
sioners suggested. This is satisfactory intelligence,
which will convey comfort to many an anxious
suitor, now euffering under " the hope deferred, that
maketh sick the heart."
The present Bill, as we have stated, only deals
with the Master's office. It is to come into operation
on the first day of Michaelmas Term. From that
period
the four senior Masters are to retire on full sa-
laries, which (there being at present one vacant) will
leave five Mastels, who are to wind up all the busi-
ness now before them, and to dispose of such other
business as during the interval the LORD CHANCELLOR
may think fit to confide to their decision.
They
however, have additional powers conferredotieY nthweimli:
enabling them to expedite matters so as to bring every
snit to a speedy termination, and to prevent the dilly-
dally ing that has been so extensively
of
bLyeaarbceerdtaLinorcdlabsasd,
resorteds obie and
and discreditably
while occupying
The
woolsack in Ireland, introduced certain" u
regulationspy mg h t e
with this object, whicheminently
proved be •
strange to say,have not
yet been imported into this country. neficial
in their operation, but which,
Had they been
se, they would have removed many well-founded
e
complaints. But the Masters still sat for single
hours, considerable intervals elapai •
n between
each hearing, so that every question should be re_
p,ated over and over again, usque ad nauseam.
A decision thus became unattainable, and
the proceedings became interminable. Either
party could resort to the Fabian policy, and
procrastinate to almost any extent, if willing
to incur the risk of cost., a danger that was
but slightly regarded when there was a "fund in
court" at which all sides could pull with impunity.
Now, however, matters must be proceeded with, or
the Master will know the reason why, and, as he will
be armed with stringent powers to stimulate the
tardy, we may reasonably anticipate that every cause
will be brought to a speedy conclusion unless good
and suffi ient reason should be assigned for its
retention within the jurisdiction of the Court.
So far for the suits now pending, and which have
already been referred to the Maters for inquiriea and