The Sun.
London, England, 1865-03-29 00:00:00

A Testimonial to the Japanese

The Gazette of last evening publishes the follow-
ing despatch, with its enclosures, which has been
received at the Foreign-office from her Majesty's
charge d'affaires in Japan :
" Yokohama, January 13, 1865.

"My Lord,--It is with great satisfaction that I
find it my duty to bring to your lordship's notice
two additional instances of the humane and hos-
pitable treatment, by the Japanese authorities and
people, of shipwrecked crews, and of pains taken by
them to preserve or recover property or gear belong-
ing to stranded vessels. In Nov. last the British
barque Ashmore, proceeding to Hakodadi from this
port, was wrecked at Benten sama, or Low Island,
in the Straits of Tsungaru, and Mr. Interpreter
Enslie, who started from Hakodadi on Nov. 27, and
was only able to reach the scene of the disaster
several days later, refers in the highest terms to the
kind attentions shown by the Prince of Nambu,
who, immediately on hearing of the wreck, issued
orders to render the ship's company every possible
assistance. Secondly, in December last, the British
barque Onward, chartered to take the place of the
Ashmore, was, on her voyage to Hakodadi, wrecked
at Cashima, about 250 miles distant from Yoko-
hima. The captain, his wife, two children, and
crew were treated with the utmost kindness by the
hatamoto (squire of the village). The property
saved from the wreck, including all their clothes,
a box of treasure (5,000 dollars) was carefully
guarded, and finally placed on board her Majesty's
steam despatch gunboat Coquette, sent to their
relief. It is also incumbent on me to point out the
zealous and praiseworthy services of the gentlemen
belonging to her Majesty's Civil Service, who pro-
ceeded to the assistance of these wrecks, and the
risks to which the faithful performance of such
duties exposes them. Mr. Enslie was seven days
in reaching the Ashmore. Throughout this time he
was in an open Japanese boat, exposed to the rigours
of a commencing winter and the dangers of a stormy
strait. Indeed, during his absence, the rumours of
the boat being driven out to sea and cast away
were so alarming and persistent, that I deemed it
right to ask Mr. Consul Vyse, who was here on
unexpired leave, to return to his post on service
in the Osprey, which Sir Augustus Kuper was
good enough, on my representation, to despatch to
Hakodadi. In the case of the Onward, Mr. Satow,
student-interpreter of this legation, proceeded in the
Coquette to Cape Kona, and made his way on shore
in the gig through a tempestuous surf, which they
were only able to recross after their boat had been
transported for four miles across a neck of sand to a
more protected starting point. The procedure of
the Japanese Government in these cases is uniformly
distinguished by genuine hospitality and kindness,
and is in such marked contrast to the inhumanity
and rapacity almost everywhere shown by the kin-
dred race on the opposite coast of China, that I
trust your lordship will hold me excused for occupy-
ing your lordship's time with details of events which
are otherwise of no ordinary interest.--I have, &c.,
CHARLES 0. WINCHESTER.—To the Right Hon.
Earl Russell, K.G.