The Sun.
London, England, 1861-10-17 00:00:00

JAPAN.

We are in receipt of advices from Japan which
throw some more light upon the recent attack upon
the British Legation at Jeddo. The number of
assailants killed and wounded on the premises is
stated as 24, and the whole affair appears, from the
subjoined document which was found in the pocket
of one of the wounded, to have originated in the spon-
taneous desire of a band of men to " do the State
some service," and so to render themselves famous
whether they perished or survived. The idea, it
will be admitted, is quite consistent with the state
of Japan and the character of its people. Here is
a translation of the document itself :
" I, although aperson of low degree, have taken the earnest
resolution to perform a great deed to the honour of the Sove-
reign, and to expel the foreigner, as it is intolerable to
stand by and see the sacred empire violated by the barbarian.
But, properly, the performance of such a deed as shall cause
the might of the empire to sparkle in foreign regions is dif-
ficult for the power of a person of low standing. Yet, lam
simple of opinion, with a desire to combine a very little sin-
cerity and a very limited force, whereby partly to shower a
thousand benefits upon the empire. Should this also tend by
and by to expel the foreigner, and if I could tranquilise re-
spectfully the Imperial minds, it would indeed redound to
my greatest honour, though but a person of low degree. I
have thus taken the resolution regardless of my own life.
" ARINGA HANYA. " YAZAWA KINOSKE.
"6 OKAMI TOMEJIRO. " WATANABE Go-ozo.
" MAIEKI SIMFACHIRO. "FURUKAWA SHIMENOSKE.
6' MORI HANZO. " YAMAZAKI SINNOSKE.
" SAKAKI ETZABRO. " NAKAMOORA TEISKE.
"KIMOORA Ko- ONOSKE, "KOBORI TORAKICHI.
"6 ISHIKAW KINSHIRO. " KOORASAWA G0R0.66
We take the following Japan ntws from the
IVorth, China Herald of August 10

"At Jeddo, the Japanese seemed to expect another
attack, as, besides the usual guard, they had the retainers
of two Damios as an extra protection, and the precautions
to meet it were daily increasing. The guards were going
about in full armour day and night, lamps were stuck up at
every ten paces or so, and large fires kept up all night at a
distance of from 40 to 50 paces, so that it was impossible
any one could get into the grounds of the Legation unob-
served. They are said to disapprove of the Marines being
on guard, as, in case of an attack, they would be unable to
distinguish between assailants and defenders, and would
fire on both indiscriminately:
"Mr. Oliphant's wounds were not dangerous, but it was
desirable that he should have the first surgical assistance,
and he will, therefore, return to England before long."
The following quotation from the North China
Herald, however, contains the following plausible
account of the late outrage :

" Some curious revelations, we understand, have reached
our Minister as to the real instigator of the attack on the
Legation ; and most curious of all, while it is traced to one
of the great feudatory and semi-independent Princes, the
provocation seems not to have come from us at all, but
from the Russians I A collision, of whieh many of the
details are in circulation among the people, appears to have
taken place at the island of Tsassima, in the straits of
Corea, early in June, during which it is said the Prince's
palace was bombarded, one of his villages and forts taken,
and many of his followers killed and wounded. To avenge
this outrage and defeat, hearing a great foreign chief was
at Nagasaki on his way to Jeddo overland, he instantly
despatched one of his emissaries to follow him; and if
he could not bo slain on the way, to find the fitting
instruments among the Loonins—never far to seek in
Jeddo—attack the Legation, and bring his head, after
massacring everybody in it. This is the popular verson,
and implicitly believed by many well-informed Japanese.
That there was a collision at Tsassima with the Russians
is certain. That the Prince was ill-disposed to foreigners
before any such provocation is also known. That he should
take this indiscriminate and wholesale way of avenging
himself is only too much in keeping with their usual habits
of thought and action—too much so, at all events, td be
discarded as improbable."
Nor is the alarm confined to Jeddo; the accounts
from Yokuhama state that the consulate at Kana-
gawa is turned into a regular stockade, with a
double palisade and numerous guard-houses all
round it, the entrance being guarded by armed
Yacunins.

THE ISLAND 01 SARDINIA.

11,

The following letters have been exchanged be-
tween Mr. Cobden:and M. Minghetti, who at the
date of Mr. Cobden's letter was Minister of the In-
terior for the Italian Kingdom :