New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1872-06-27
AFFAIRS IN JAPAN.
.,,,,, ,,,uADo FACE TO FACE.


IlON-D - .Dnprss ny AN ENGLISH SCHOLAR
S,Ys,TTP PERSONAL VIEW OF THE hlhADo.
,oou rUR REGULAR CORRESPONDENT Or TIE inic
VINO Nav THE Mikado, say the ancient
hropelers Of Japan sits motonless throughout tbe
mon his throne moving neither hanoS nor ~ 20 the
taat,res of hts countenanoe. he spe~As a. tran
,,,, on % the great Ministers of the Dai 10 go
r.. ha eats 10 person beholds him eNU ~1., |
b,gbeat private attendants When he sleeps oooat az
aIone watches him. Modern writer's e'en a., Ioran |
thoaa who compiled the court recoras VI .ho strict
CSC wear admit but little MODIFICATION :, Tror,al |
,,socea They sIude 10 the various oh"uev 90 Sor
80. hIon tbo nractioe of granting AUDIENCES " w
n,eners appears 10 have demanoeu " wy 49, 49,, ,ho |
.onpOesod with the blsckenng Oh '"o 80 sI...on |
:, che evebrovs. and 10 the greoual HuiuiSSlo
shaving oi 'ne her Of the loftier nobility to the
Vi az az oo of the sovereign But until the present
go a. NAV fairy be said the old tra'nuons VI seou
nd secrecy lave been retained win toierape hueS'
rn IL no reason to doubt the truth OF TIE statement
,ht mn TO the close Of last year, only very hhleu
uher OF the most distinguished subjects had enjoyed
err r,vilere Of a direct interview The Kuge Iwakura
hes staed that notwithstanding his individual rank ne
never presented to the Mkado until he received MS
sppointnent TO the Office Of Udain just before SAILING
20 America But however all this may be-and there Is
no cause TO suspect it is either untrue or greatly
eTageerated-the time has certainly arrived when the
native historians If they aim at accuracy in their nara
tyes must set the old theory Of their monarcs
inability to approached and seen by the outer world
of centuries he has within the past few months, exho-
tied disposition to participate in public affairs, and
determination to examine the general progress OF the
practical institutions Of the country, at least equal 10
that Of average European rulers.
This particular change IT, respect, the natural
result the universal change throughout the Empire
with the whole energies Of the nation directed toward
the work Of introducing and famiarzng the most adj
yanced systems OF training and development II would
lave been impossible for the sovereign alone TO MAINTAIN
conspicuous indifference, and thus to withhold the
ttinulus Of his recognition from the active work III
hand The manifold political necessities would not
have allowed him to do 80. AS 1t Happened however
there ia sufficient evidence that the obligations OF duty
are heartily seconded by the MkadO's own inelnatons
All his ministers this to be the and apart from
the probable willingness Of young prince to be relieved
from the rksOme restraints which surrounded MS an
cesOrs the circumstances Of his entrance into public
life favor such belief. His accession occurred during
the turmoil Of impending revolution, when he was just
Of an age be peculiarly excited by the stirring events
which agtated his capital then Mako, and which
threatened at period TO endanger his peaceful oecu
patton of the throne. Before he II he was trans
ferred the tranquil court Of the West TO the more
active atmosphere the present seat Of government
and was almost Immediately brought into contact WIN
the representatives OF the foreign powers whose presence
in Japan the direct OF the overthrow OF
the soguns system and the restoration OF his house TO
actual power From the first he is sad to have mani
tested eagerness TO make himself acquainted with ex
ternal forms aud customs For while this wish was
gratfed by frequent visits TO contiguous places OF
historical interest to famous shrines and the like, and
by such mild entertainments military reviews and the
sort OF open air diversions which could be brought with
III the limits Of his spacious castle grounds Gradually,
we are told desired still further 10 enlarge the scope
Of his observations and especially TO examine the insti
tutions established under his authority and of course
with the essential formay of his sanction in which for
eners assisting the abOrs Of his own people How
to Overstep the barriers of prejudice without unbecOm
ing abruptness a problem which, we may believe
disturbed for time the meditatons Of his counsel
ors 1t seems probable that Of progressive
interviewing was one Of the easy methods adopted
90 bring about this end As 1 mentioned at
The time tho visit Of Mr.. Seward. q year
and a half ago, was, this account, very welcome
circumstance. II enabled the Mkados advisers to take
tho step-th only that cOsts-without serious
difficulty That gentleman having been admitted 1t be-
simpler matter TO introduce in turn certain gem
temen engaged IN the administration Of various depart
ments. In this way Gen. Capron and his party, Mr.
Verboek, Gen. Williams, and others, we're presented
The path having thus opened, Imperial visits in
turn projected, and by were carried out
First came the inspection Of the shpyard foundery, and
dry-dOck YOkOsuka 80 miles down the bay Then FOL
lowed successfully review Of the japanese fleet off
YedO; brief scrutiny OF the chef hospital and med
zeal school; a morning call at the Department
OF Education upon whose premises the Indus
trial Exhibition is held and, finally, the more
elaborate and extended examination Of the national col
which took place yesterday ana Wlch must nOJ
pass without special description, partly because the
institution itself more than any other in existence
contains upon which the future Importance OF
Japan depends and partly because the Mkado, recog
nzing this fact, and pTOOnging his visit beyond all
prooedent or expectation thereby afforded opportunities
for observation in return which had never before pre-
sented themselves
The great school of Yedo certainly deserves a more
minute attention. on its account, than 1 am just
now able to bestOw upon it, but few words concerning
its origin progress, and present condition will not be
misplaced 1t was estabshed-2rst place OF
military acknowledgements the Government Of
the last Taikun. about FIVE years ago. Owing
10 the political disturbances Of that period, its
advancement not rapid, and 1t rose to
Importance only after the establishment OF the new
authority 1868. Fer time its management appears
70 have been somewhat chaotic numbers of teachers
having been employed without any definite plan either
OF separate or combined action In 1869, Mr. g. f. Yer
beck an American gentleman OF long experience IN the
education the japanese, appointed 10 supentend
the foreign depa tmens and since that time certain
degree of order and regularity has been introduced, al
though various the institution Is yet far
from being a thoroughly organized condition AT the
outset indeed for more than year, very little beside
languages were taught by the foreign teachers Anxious
90 retain certain share the work Of popular educa
ton the japanese insisted assuming the burden Of
certain studies-amOng them mathematcs-and under
took the preparation OF incoming scholar IN the ee-
nentary work Of acquiring European tongues. II is
needless say that the time thus occupied almost
wholly wasted Whatever mathematical cleverness the
Japanese may have-and they not without distinc
ton in this respect-their methods are so at
variance with those required by foreign training that
IL was found necessary after long series Of useless
perments afresh under the guidance OF foreign
ers With the want Of confidence which have once or
twice before spoken Of the authorities seemed TO prefer