The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1860-03-15
THE PACIFIC
Commercial Advertiser.
Thursday. MARCH Is.

The JAPANEsE EMBASSY has, during the past
week, continued to engross public attention, and
it Is bat proper that We should chronicle all that
may be Of interest in regard 70 it. We esteem
it exceedingly fortunate not only for the embassy
and officers Of the Porhqfan, but also for our
residents, that admiral Tattnall concluded to
make us . visit. To the former it viii be 50,
inasmuch a it viii give them new ideas Of the
influence exerted by foreigners, and particularly
by Americans, in changing the habits and Gus
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sayages, and will show to the Ambassadors the
harmonious working Of a mixed government as
it here exists, and as it may be introduced into
their own country. Ii has given to Us also the
opportunity 10 become acquainted, by actual OBJ
servation, with some Of the peculiarities Of an
interesting people, who for a time. or while this
embassy Il in progress, viii engross the attention
Of the civilized world.
We have been favored with several inter
views with the Ambassadors, and with most Of
the other officers, and have found them all com
municative, and ready 10 give Us any desired in
formation in reply 70 our interrogatOries, made
through the interpreters. There are several Of
the embassy vino can speak broken English, but
probably the one most cOnversant with our Ian
guage Is Namura, who is also familiar with
Dutch. From all that We can gather the chief
Ambassador is among the highest in rank in the
Empire. As We stated last week, there are over
200 princes or mobiles in japan. These vary
somewha in rank, according to the size and i'm
portance Of the province over which they preside,
or which may be theirs by hereditary right.
Some provinces can muster 60 900 soldiers
others again not 5000. The rank Of the four
principal dignitaries we find a. follows:
l. Bujen-no-kami, (Sin-
me, Lord OF Prince Of the province of Bujen.)
SHINE Is the hereditary name of this prince, who
ranks a little higher, or is more powerful in Ja-.
pan, than the following
.. AH5assador- Neutrality-suspicious.,
(Muragake, Lord or Prince Of the province OF
Agawe.)
B. C~ensor-Ogure, Lord or Prince Of the prov
ince of Bungo.
These three are hereditary princes or rulers Of
provinces, and about equal in rank. The proper
title Of each in England would be HIs Royal
IHghaess, and in the United States, Ills EroeL-
leHcy, being the highest titles under the sovereign
or ruler.
TheOfhce of the Censor has been misinterpreted.
He acts as Secretary to the Embassy-it being his
duty to record everything for the information Of
the Emperor. He leaves a copy Of his Journal to
be forwarded to the Emperor of japan by the
vessel which may sail from this port. The
same will probably be done by him at san Fran
cisco and ether points of the Journey.
The fourth dignitary (Morita Okataro) ap-
pears u be not - high in rank. He is sent out
to act Is treasurer, and on account Of his sound
Judgment and prudence it i his province to ad-
and counsel. He Is the Lord Palmerst5n Of
embassy, and nothing can be done without
hi approval. He appears to be clothed by the /.
Emperor with very high POWERS. All these four
Jffeers are from the nobility-the advisors and
Councillors Of the Emperor.
There are III japan, Is in most other nations,
40 political parties,-One of which may be call
Il the progressive party, the other, the o0HSerrL-
This political division extends 10 the nobil-
ty, and to the councils Of the Emperor. The
party contends for a liberal policy
owarIs foreigners, the opening Of the principal
,orts u foreign trade, and in short the abolition.
t least in 4 measure. Of the ancient restrictive
and customs. The conservative PARTY on
he other hand, contend for q rigorous adhesion
o the old tabus and customs. The progressive +.
sarty J. constantly increasing in number and be- ;
oming more powerful, and Is destined to create ,
N entire change in the internal policy of that :
unless foreign governments, by indiscreet !
CT Of their officials, should check It's progress by
ntering into open hOstilities with the nation. I
has been reported that the late Emperor Of T