New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1860-05-15
ElsHIY INTERESTING FROM JAPAN.
xRouBBE WITH THE ENGLISH MINISTER,
POSSIBILITIES THREATENED.
Another Eastern War Possible.
csaaenssa frOm Blue Book lately laid before
Parliament

LONDON, April 20, 1860.
Under the high pressure of Lord Elgin's Expedi-
hon and his Chinese success, the japanese Gov
eminent had, on the 26th August, 1858, signed
treaty which not only broke through all the Japan
sse customs, prejudices, laws, and TRADE iesu'"'
tisns Of eco years. but by bold coup dc man. even
imposed on "His Majesty the Tycoon = the ad'
mission at Yeddo of permanent Foreign embassies.
fhe new trade regulations under the British ana
au.r;cap Treafies were to come into force on the
lat of July. 1859. On Jupe Is, 1859, Mr.. Alcock,
tbe British Consul General, Envoy Extraordinary
and Minister Plenpotentiary in Japan, arrived IN
her Naiestys stesm-sloop Samson, at the port Oh
Yseasak and when on the spot, at once es-
ntlished a Consulate, with the charge of which he
temporarily invested Mr.. Hodgson, the Brit
ish Consul at Hakodadi, q Japanese port where
thcrc was neither Brtish ship nor merchant After
q due exchange of compliments with the Governor
Of Ecgasaki, and the transaction OF some business
mhieh g shall afterward allude TO, Mr. AlcOck, hav-
Ing le Nseasak on the Goth June, cast anchor in the
BAY of leGdo on the Both. He at once forwarded |
To The Minister OF Foreign Affairs an official commu-
picaton, announcing himself as the bearer OF the
ratified ueaty, With full power to exchange the rat
fcaiions and his intention TO take up his residence
at his post After the Governors or Assistant Minis.
tiers OF Foreign Affairs had visited and congratulated
han on his arrival the temple of TOzenee was put at
has disposition as residence for himself
end his Consular staff in the " most prompt
''obhgng and seemingly Straightforward manner
On the seth OF June Mr. Alcock in his steam-sloop,
made trip TO KaDagawa, there to put Captain
Wyse Professionally in charge OF the Consular al
FAIRS and to communicate with MIR. Harris, the
American Minister, who had just arrived from 81
rodn in the Mississippi ON his way to Yeddo. After
his return to the capital Mr.. Alcock arranged with
A.. h,..Sf nf Eoro Afora hat h.a
ratihcaiOns should be exchanged on the Sd of July
Tie ceremony was TO take place at the Japanese
Minister'S official residence situated IN the precincts
Of the lyeoOns palace, where until then no for
eigner had teen permitted TO approach-the
portion OF the city lying between the Minister'S res
ideree and the temple inhabited by the British Con-
sulste-Gener stretching four miles. This OPP
portuny Mr.. klcock the representative of ciyiliza-
hon against baIbaiism, thought lit TO improve in
such manner as to impress the Japanese authori-
ties and people with due sense of the Importance
Z" Of the measure as being the formal Inauguration
peace and Friendship between the two countries"
but low We must allow the man to speak for him.
self (" 1t was arranged that the treaty, under
"canopy draped with flags ard evergreens, should
be carried IN procession before me all through the
"eity from the Consulate to the Minister'S resi-
dence, surrounded by guard of artillery and
marines, and followed by nifty OF the crew of
. her Majesty ship Samson. The officers of the
-ConsUlate-Gen and Captain Hand, with the
q The inclosed memorandum will give the pro-
~gramme OF the procession" This memorandum is
sort OF programme anxiously copied from the pro-
grsnme OF a Lord Mayors show, only that the per-
sonne employed was of such ludicrously diminutiye
proportions az the worshippers Of Cog and Magog
would never have dared to exhibit to a London mob.
But MIR. Alcock all exuatOn the ecLat Of his pro-
c9ssion I" 1t WIS.," he rOmantically puts it, ga
alright July day and the distance to be traversed,
seine four miles, through q populous quarter of
1.-THE commercial city, and into the center of the
official enoeinte gave ample time for crowds to col
lect and discuss the meaning OF SO novel scene IN
- tie capital OF the Tycoon. observed all
.'eyes were fixed upon the canopy under which the
treaty rested on its silk cushion, and evidently
"were eagerly drawing each others attention To it :"
And, furthermore, he fancied that the inn
posing appearance Of the cOrtege struck the whole
population with admiration. But then coles the
upshot Of this formal Inauguration Of peace and
a. Friendship" 1.-THE march of guard and armed
escort not only through the main thOrOughtares OF
"the capital, but the more sacred precincts OF the
''ofical quarter within the double lines Of the Ty-
"coOn'sw walled enceinte more especially was neas
sure they might have opposed from the first. Itwas
sonly however, at the last hour that intmation was
conveyed TO me Of prohibition of guard to enter
through the gates for the official quarter. 1t was
then too late ~ retrace our steps or modify the
"order of proceeding, of which the Minister had re-
~ceved due notice three days BEFORE and there was
no alternative but to say 80, and persevere or re-
- fuse TO proceed at oil. fortunately, by
~ this show of frmness, the opposition to the pro-
Hgramme originally settled was Withdrawn after an
hours anxious suspense"
Mr. Alcock seems not at all to have been aware
fhnt whatever pleasant impressions his ludicrOus
Lord Mayors show was likely to produce on the
Japanese mind this armed intrusion into the official
quarter in the close vicinity of the TycOons palace
could not but raise ranking of injustice, hui
initiation and revenge, on the part of the Barbara
ans He knew that the final assent OF the Japanese
Plenpotentaries to the article of the treaty stpu
iatpg for the residence Of foreign ambassadors at
Yeddo, had been most reluctantly given and accom-
panied by the expression of strong desire that
Lord Elgin would endeayor 10 induce her Majestys
Government not to send diplomatic agent to re-
side in YeddO before 1861 while he actually arrived
IN 1859. The first use made by him of his admis-
zion TO the residence is deliberate breach of the
Court etiquette, by which he DEGREES to himself
bcnors he might have claimed if backed by Veto
rious army instead of by his fifty Jack Tars. But
however that maybe, Lord John Russell, as he
states in dispatch dated Nov. TO- 1859, feels him.
sef highly satisfied at the report of the details OF the
ceremonial, and considers it altogether hit.
Mr. Alcock's residence at Yeddo, and the ex-
change of the ratifcatiOns having been concluded
without any trouble the diplomatic drama begins.
In order to make you understand the subsequent
events, some preliminary remarks seem opportune:.
First, then Mr.. AlcOck found the management OF
Foreign Affairs in Japan to be intrusted To sort OF
Council composed Of Minister of Foreign Affairs
and FIVE Governors; the Minister at the head beng
also one of the highest members of the Council OF
State, and, as would appear to be invariably the
= : 4 Il tla~h tv