The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-03-01

1t been greatly to the glory OF the undis
turbed author OF this encouraging sentiment that
his Satmir soldiers turned the tide OF war and
dealt the mortal blow to the last OF the line or
lyeyas.
The remaining two OF the Ambassadors are Ito
Hrorumi, who visited the United States about
year ago Finance Oficer OF the empire. to study
our system OF public accounts, and Yama .kucht
Nawoyoshi Second Assistant Minister for Foreign
Affairs. Tukuchi, who visited here with Ito HirO.
tumi returns in the high and responsible post OF
First Secretary.
Among the students there are number OF young
men. the sons OF the powerful damios and heirs to
their exte sive territorial possessions and rights
Several young ladies of rank are also In the party,
as SOFT OF experiment In the elevation OF the
sphere OF woman in japan above the sensuous
notions from time immemorla entertained In Orl-
entail creeds and laws.
THE DIPLOMATIC TOUR OF THE EMBASSY.
The Official tour OF the Embassy, as far as 1t Is
possible to plan their movements in anticipation OF
events. will embrace all the Powers with which the
empire has treaty relations, visiting successfully
the capitals OF the greater countries in the following
ORDER Washington, London, BerIn. st. Peters.
burg, Vienna and Versailles.
THE OBJECT or THE MISSION.
AS TAR rs has yet oeen drawn rom the tight grasp
Is the revision O the present treaties so AS to bring
them in unison with the Views OF the western ma
tlOnS ana the desire oil To cooperate In some
general plan OF International relations upon ques-
tons OF government p0cv ana commerce. Ihls
VIII embrace certain notifications IN the munlcipal
arrangements OF the empire and many OF the details
OF government, from the MiKad0's Council d0wn TO
the humbest petty officers OF the courts or the p0-
lice
In social reforms the questions as vet mere
speculaions and win be cautiously applied as ex-
perments. There Is evident sOllciude ieL as TO the
safe point TO winch these extraordinary ana peace
iul revolutions can be carried without exciting the
superstitious preJudices and. above all, religious
| ignorant
grounds, as the question Is now understood, In adj
viii be taken Immediately to remodel the iounda.
tons upon winch the society stands; but by begin
ning with the government 1t is hoped gradually to
| bend the popular mind into Submission.
Yet these intentions show unexpected changes IN
| the sentiments entertained by the ruling classes
| and as all the opposition to foreigners has been
prompted by that class 1t is natural 10 presume that
the encouragement OF a more friendly spirit Will
meet with equal success among the people,
REVIEW OF COMMERCIAL INTERCOURSE BETWEEN
JAPAN AND THE WEST
The remarkable exploits and experiences OF that
daring family OF Venetian merchants. the Polos,
constitute an Interesting chapter In the romantic
West. In 1875, at The early age of eighteen years.
Marco Polo accompanied his father and uncle into
became proficient In the language of Tartary, that
nation then, as now having the predomlnating IN.
sepps OF A The and Inc
to their homes IN the distant West; the son, having
recommended himself by MS skl and sagaeny 70
the then regning MongO the powerful Kublai
Khan, entered the service OF the great Tartar
ruler. During seventeen years OF employ.
ana peoples unaer the despoiic heel Of
the memorable Khan or contemplated as future
subjects Tor his brilliant career OF conquest. In
1915 al Pekn, Polo hears of an island Astounding In
gold and lying not Tar away from Cathay; In TIE
island was called Jippun, and by Polo afterwards
Zipangu Cipango. The unsuitable monarch, In
OF his warke hosts upon the hardy people OF
Jippun. Polo, when he returned to his beautiful
ndno Fri QuIS
and heard, spoke OF Cipango and how the courage
and devotion OF It's people had beaten back the tide
OF invasion and overthrown the magnlhcently ap.
poin ted armies OF Kubai Khan, sine cCnquerOr OF
Asia and the territories OF Europe"
POLO FIRST BRINGS JAPAN TO THE ATTENTION OF
WEST.
The knowledge brought back bv Polo might have
been forgotten and lost had 1t fallen only upon the
barren brains OF his friends. But the commercial
enterprise OF the Italian republics had excited. in
SUITS a spirit of maritime discovery and explora-
ton which called up the skill and genius OF many
bold and daring navlgators. science gathereH INTO
students and travellers Not the least OF these con-
tributors was POLO. Cathay. with her lewelled and
buried away III unknown seas, were carefully
cherished IN the storehouse OF geographical know-
edge. One hundred and ninety seven years alter
the return OF POLO, Columbus In his bold VOYAGE to-
| wards the unknown West encounters the far island
| OF cuba and calls 1t Cipango The geographical
| location OF Cpango given by Polo was thought 10
| correspond, but the magnihcence OF his descrip-
lions were only answered IN luXurant vegetation
! and lew strange people.
| THE FIRST EUROPEAN IN JAPAN.
The great ADMIRAL had long gone the way o! all
nesh before the tdngs reached Europe OF the for.
tunate stress OF weather which drove Ferdinand
Mendez Pinto in his storm.beaten craft on the
coast OF Japan and compelled him to take refuge
in the harbor OF Bungo, on the island OF Knsin.
THE FIRST RECEPTION OF THE FOREIGNERS.
This unexpected event, which occurred IN the
year l543-45, was as much OF a surprise 10 Pinto
and hts companions as 1t was to the inhabitants on
the shore. The arrival or the strangers created
small excitement. and an occurrence so extraordi-
nary was not only recorded IN the chronicles OF the
taken, to he preserved In the government collec-
ton. This nrst meeting of foreigners with the
Japanese was mutually agreeable. The people
were free and h0spiIable toward the strangers.
FIRST AGREEMENT TO TRADE.
SO great was the pleasure Oh meeting tnat Pinto
which was stipulated that Portuguese ship should
be sent annually TO the island OF kin.sln TO trdde
In return TO receive gold, silver and copper.
Thus were inaugurated the first attempts at COM
mercia intercourse with japan.
THE ATTITUDE OF PORTUGAL.
AT this time the Portuguese were unquestonably
IN the advance 10 the race Tor the acquisition OF
new countries. THIS greed for territory had
the SHIPS OF Portugal, spain, Holland and England
INFO almost every sea In the East Portugal speedily
occupied chain OF maritime ports extending from
her own shores to the stormy coasts OF Cipango.
she occupied the important Isles OF the Atlantic,
on tee mainland of Africa, Goa ON the soil of india
Macao, within the dominions or the descendants or
the great Khan, and mad now completed her neld OF
commerce with the privileges OF Intercourse with
Japan
A few years after the arrival or the Portuguese
Japanese named Hanslro fed from his native land
to escape punishment for homicide and settled at
the Portuguese Indian settlement at Goa. Here the
refugee fell with the prOpOunders OF q new re
glon and under their arguments and teachings soon
became interested In this strange faith. with the
natural ardor OF proselyte mission was urged TO
be sent TO japan. That jealous and good man.
Francis Xavier, was persuaded to head few Jesuit
monks and landed In the country about the year
1850.
The enthusiasm OF the Church OF that day never
met with q greater reward. The conversion OF the
heather was actively commenced, Xavier and MS
coaborers met with unex pected kindness and sue.
In the ncipency OF their work they received
the same encouragement which had greeted
Pinto the hands OF the Prince OF Bung0
SO pleased was Xavier that he excains:-
Il know not when to cease in speaking or the
Japanese. They are truly the delight OF my heart"