Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1864-06-08
WHOLE NO. 2488.
The American Minister Making
p Presentation 10 the Tycoon
Of Ianan. -rr-n-

p Presentation 10 the Tycoon
Of Japan. YIgL
A correspondent of the San Francisco
BatLlstin gives an account of the ceremo-
ny Of a presentation in the TycOon's Pal
ace (Yeddo, Japau,) in May last, where
the American Minister to Japan, Mr..
Pruyn, presented his legation to the jap
anese Court. A great crowd had turned
out to see the procession, which moved
four miles under strong military escort.
Every street was guarded by soldiers,
who kept q passage way clear, and who
numbered some 1000 m all. The cores
pondent describes what took place after
their arrival in the palace grounds as fol
loWs:- f.h ---i' a-Aa.~-.
I'VE passed through large space or
open court until we arrived at the palace
court. At the foot Of the steps our shoe
bearers took off our shoes and put on our
slippers. Here we were received by some
of the Ministers. and escorted by them
into an ante-room. +r
"After remaining a few moments in the
ante room, we were informed that the au-
dience would commence, and Mr. Pruyn
and myself were led forward We first
passed through two spacious halls, on the
side of which We saw large open rooms,
iiied with Governors and high officials,
all sitting on mats, arrayed in their rich
court dresses, having on their heads the
court costume of q bronze helmet. We
again waited for few minutes IN another
ante room, near the audience hall, until
the Tycoon should enter. Then, one of
The Ministers preceding Mr.. Pruyn and
myself, we passed through another spa
cious hall. On one side 1t opened into
large saloon of the hundred mats (six
hundred feetl, filed with Dimois and
high men. and on the other side 1t look
ed out on gardens filed with trees, flow
ers aud fshponds. After passing through
the last large room we came to the audi
ence hail, which also faces the gardens
The audience hail issbOut fifty feet IN
width and eighty IN length. Though one
large room, il Is marked at the sides and
across the room as IT there were place
where partitions should be 10 divide it in
to three rooms. Upon each side # the
first room or division of the hall sat six
or eight men, being the Princes Of the
Empire and Ministers Of State. In the
second division there was none. In the
third department of the hall, about three
feet from the mark which divided it from
the second sat the Tycoon upon throne
covered with robes On the floor, on each
side of him and behind, so as to form
semi-circIe, sat number of the officers
and guards The Tycoon Is a young man,
apparently about twenty, dark and quite
dignifed looking. He was dressed in
long yellow silk robe, with his coat of
arms three leaves IN circle) worked all
over il.
1--WE had hslted just within the first
/ department of the hall, that occupied by
/ the Princes. The Japanese Minister who
J escorted us then announced the Ameri-
/ lean Minister, and, prostrating himself,
l.crawled on all fours toward the Tycoon
/ Mr.. Pruyn at the same time walked for
ward, bowling at every third step, until
I he had made three bows. This had
drought him to the second department of
p the hall, so that he must have been about
twenty-three feet from the Tycoon, IN
the meantime, waiting in the first depart
ment (All this minute court etiquette
! had, of course, been previously arranged
/ Mr.. Pruyn then delivered his speech IN
4 English, to which the Tycoon replied in
/ three or four sentences in japanese. Mr..
/ Pruyn had sent his speech, as customary,
7 TO the Ministers the day before, and had
I also received the Tycoon answer. / then
/ advanced, making three bows, one at ev-
I ery three steps, until reached Mr.. Pruyns
Z side I held in my hand the Presidents
letter, wrapped in white silk, which
gave Mr.. Pruyn, who handed it to the
chief Minister Then 1 backed out of
the hall making three bows as before,
and Mr.. Pruyn doing the same.
1--WE then passed through other halls
by the same way we came. When we
- 4t. y OF
the Damois and official went out before
us. None remained except the three
I .Goregio,' or Council of State, who accom-
panied us, bowing, and asking how Mr..
I Pruyn was pleased with his audience
I These questions, according to custom, had
TO be addressed by the Chinese interpre-
ter TO me, and had to ask Mr.. Pruyn;
I SO it was a rather roundabout way. Mr..
! Portman, our interpreter had told the
4 Japanese interpreter that he might ask
the usual questions, which l would an
swer in English and he might take my
answers as the usual complimentary ones.
The Interpreter being thus posted by
Portman, asked me. and answered, and
he then returned this answer to the
i .Goregio.' according to the previous agree
ment. We were then taken back to the
first ants-room, where we had left the 9th
ers.
Il have attempted no description Of
these apartments. The effect of such a
succession of vast saloons is fine in the
. extreme. Then, everything about them
is so gorgeous IN its character. You know
what the Japanese taste is-hew small
cabin will be carved and gilded. Here It
was the same oriental richness carried out
on grand scale. The gliding over the
: doors and in the frescoed ceilings was
splendid. Everywhere around US we saw
: carvings in every shape, representing
flowers and animals, sometimes exceed
ingly massive, and colOred with goldand
every color of the rainbow. All, toe
were beautifully executed, often with the
most admirable delicacy. 1t was scene
to be witnessed nowhere but in the EIs
fer lands of roraanceN Lal--