The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1868-09-01


Co.nter Revolution and Battles Against the
Riilkado-ApplicatiOn to the Ex.rycOOn--
Southern Movement Against JeddO-Three
Northern Armies in the Feld-Eviis Of the
Feudal System-Foreign Trade i'm Fire.
arms-Breadstu1s Supply-The Currency
DiAlcnity--The United States SquudrOn-A
General Court Martial-Trade Mt Osaka.
YOKOHAMA, July %, 1868.
Inrny last letter from this port informed you of
the probable counter revolution that might soon
occur in Japan by which the Mkado would lose that
power only so recently obtained. Those prognosti-
cations have turned out not only to be correct but
have occurred much sooner than ever anticipat.
ed Your readers have most probably already pc
rused the kilograms which Informed them Of the
defeat Of the Mkados forces several engagements,
and OF his subsequent application to the late
Tycoon to resume his Office. Stotsbashi declined.
1t was then offered to nephew of Stotsbashi, lad
OF about seven years OF age, the former Tycoon to
act as regent. This was also declined, StOtsbashl
and the boys father declaring that the Mkado had
neither the right nor power to appoint the Tycoon.
Again ii was offered to one of the Tokugawas one
who had been dissatisfied with the late Tycoon and
had remained neutral during all the trouble but
declined on the same grounds. or course this rather
annoyed the Mikado and his supporters, who had
Issued proclamation declaring that the Tokuga-
was snall never more DE nOnOfeu by IyCO0nate.
But this proclamation does not seem to amount to
much, from the fact, as take it, that the friends of
the late Tycoon have refused to compromise, be.
cause they think they strong enough to obtain
on demand what they refuse to accept as favor.
consequently hosities have been resumed with
renewed vlgor. On the 4th Of July the Southerners
who had gradually been collecting their forces in
snd around Jeddo until they numbered nearly twenty
thousand, attacked the Tokugawas, who were
quite unsuspicious OF and unprepared for such
demonstration, and who only numbered about fifteen
or eighteen hundred. That afternoon, however by
concentrating their forces near the main bridge, in
front OF the Mas hgh priesn house, they (the To-.
kugawas) were enabled to repulse the Southerners
win great loss.
Early the next morning the attack was resumed
and the Tokugawas entirely routed. The Mia fed
the city, and the Southerners flushed with victory
burned three OF the finest temples in Jeddo and by
the next day about third Of Jcddo was in ashes.
They also beheaded every two-sworded man they
met who could not prove his allegiance TO the Mkado
and Satsuma.
fifteen thousand Of AidZus troops and twelve thou
sand OF Satsuma's and Chosu's. The latter were
deserted their banners. few days thereafter
Cnoisu himself gave notice t'at he was going Ito
forces and proceed homeward. That Chosu smells
ultimate defeat Is undoubtedly the cause OF his
II is at all unlikely that IN the course OF couple
Of weeks he viii be arrayed against the party OF
which until now he has been one Of the principal
supporters.
In the meantime three large Northern armies are
In the field. One under command OF Aidzu threatens
Osaka. The second, under kanga-no- Kami, Is
marching on to Kioto with the avowed object OF
Selling upon the person OF the Mikado. The third
one is led by Senda and is daily expected at Jeddo.
There can be little doubt that they will succeed
In their immediate objects, but even then
! do9bt very much whether that win put
requires one strong mana man OF sufficient courage
energy and ability 10 set to work TO break the power
fhn mol (nnfra In III
end: for as long as the present systematic feuda
system-exists IN Japan the country is in danger Of
being plunged into civil war by the first noble who
considers himself aggrieved and who Is rich and
powerful enough to resort to arms.
OF course while all this lighting and quarreling is
going on foreign business Is almost stagnant, with
the exception, perhaps, OF those who are dealing in
arms and ammunition There are two or three
houses here who scarcely do anything else but sup
ply the different parties with American and English
Tifes and now and again even with vessel Of war;
ABOUT three weeks ago the steamer Kanga-no- Kami
formerly the Sycamore of the United States was
seized by order Of General Van Valkenburg because
she had about eight hundred soldiers and arms and
ammunition. The troops were obliged to disembark
but the only effect this interference had that
English vessel got hold OF that charter, and the
Off with 1t, so that neither the Minister nor the OIL
GERS OF the United states steamer Iroquos who made
the seizure, made anything out OF their enterprise.
But, speaking OF business nour and wheat are
going IT, command good prices tins year, from the
TACT That vast amount OF damage has been done to
tne rice crops by the recent extraordinarily heavy
rains. The month ofJune is In this place the rainy
early in May and lasted Til the middle Of JmiV. and
has been put down by the Japanese 10 be the heaviest
fall OF rain that has occurred within at least ten
years. The rivers overlooked TO such an extent that
whole teFns Inundated. Many rice fields are even
yet In spite OF eight or ten days OF excessive heat
which always immediatey follows the rain, still
under water. Consequently the surplus rice OF China
will find good market here, and the numerous YES
sells that have long been lying here idle will be de-
spatchcd thence ana to America for cereals.
One great source Of trouble and bother TO the mer.
h1a nf a
medium. TIE native merchants buy and sell
for boos; TIE r, foreigners deal in Mexican
represented a uniform value In boos all
would be right. But the rates Of exchange are as
the states-en failing greater inconvenience here,
however than DID the fiuctuaion at home, as the
use Of boos mutt necessarily be general. year ago
the rate NJ high as $50 ooos TO 800; to-day they
are quoted at 24s. The ministers and consIls Of the
treaty Powers had some consultation with the Ja-
panese auihor tea on the matter, and they agreed
that the collar mould have a fixed value OF three
bOos This Arrangement would have been entirely
satisfactory had 1t been carried ont, but II fell
through from various reasons Ia the first place,
owing 10 the unsettled state OF the country the gov
ernors can scarcely enforce single order secondly
the whole oflthe exchange business Is In the hands
OF Cinnamon, who form regular band or meney
sharks and these acting In cooperation with the
banks, reap rich harvest by selling tie dollars at
an advance Of from thirty to forty per cent to the
japanese government who make boos out Of them
quence IL that does not get by fifteen or twenty
per cent Ahe actual value " the dollar.
This condition OF the exchange market is felt par
ticuary hard Just now, Ibis IL the silk worm egg
season. There are scores OF Italians and Frepchmen
at the present time ruylng eggs. or course the
Japanese will take nothing hut boos. and IL comes
rather rough that they must lose twenty per cent
OF their money, particularly as this year they are
charging as high as nine boos per card for first
chop eggs. which five years ago were obtainabe for
four temp0s about eight cents, sign that the
Japanese are sufficiently wide awake to fully appre
ciate the laws governing de pand and supply.
We have Just now In Yokohama quite an imposing
neet Of war vesses-the PiScataqua, Shenandoah,
Oneida and Maumee, to say no thing ofthe Stonewall
which still dies the American dag, but has no crew
A general court martial is now sitting on the
Oneida.
In the feet the following changes have been
made:-Lieutenant Commander A. X. Yates, execu-
tive officer OF the Piscataqua detached to take com
h and Of the Ashuelot, vice Phyn, ordered home
III, utenant Commander II. F. Mullen, detached from
Pisc staqua to be executive officer OF the Maumee
Il. c. Hooker, detached from the Idaho to the
Ma L detached