New-York tribune., 1872-02-12
.pR0GRESSFVE JAPAN.


w Dec. 28.-The steamer which Is about
.Yt,r san Francisco carries deal Of weight hoth
70 $50 -t uun,bor and the quality Of its passengers
...fe.rooms have been constructed in various
t~ the accommodation OF the numerous japanese
-o 10 take passage each one Of whom II Is proOaDS
1T ,o regard OF at least two or three uuoS 'N0
,-ti.ce OF an ordinary traveller. The Uhi'eu states
,tt.r and his family head the list of Caucasian wy
R.spectlne the ambassadors from nippon you
g boeu fully iuforIped in another letter concerning
~ f,ir unofficial companions few words may ne
ne 10 those who take pleasure in making then-
~ ,-ersinted with the social ard historical pecuh-
-. o, this strange land.
,.tsulaira Hizen no kami, exdaimio OF the fro'"eo
-. ,,boso family name is Nabeshima was, until
'reut abolition Of the ieudal privileges 'ne aosO'
w ti over the population and revenues ci one OF 'no
,+ districts IN the south Of Japan. In order ol
-. he was .he tenth nobleman in the land having
INC of SEQ 900 kokus of nice. The amount OF money
s,ntot bv this quantity Of grain varies OF course
,,5i.- 20 the extent Of the yearly crop soune'ui'S
~, is worth SO this year, season OF eA'Iao "i'''
- 3. has fallen as low as =, and IN some instances
With about 20 Others, Nabeshima was ulS'in'
"A .,,ve the other 24O daimos by being koRuShu'
-. NJ q, provnce-the majority being only rulers Oh
,br.,od districts or large estates he was
.,,,,r,- one OF the hereditary Nee-siosuns %
"a i.ud 81 KiuSin, the other belhg o".-
,.m, It Is curious reverse OF history that
Of
- ,,t- qre,tucss and even their existence 10 the
- and f.vor OF Iyeyas the founder Of the Ioku-
s..,,.r sbould have been the most energetic OF
,.-,s "a, overthrow HE descendants in 1856. sat
, .o r1rtcua., repeatedly arrayed himsen AGAINST
IN, u tle wars o the 18th century ana was Is o'ten
"A, .-,1 and FORGIVEN. Naheshima reu oul one I'M
.,~,,rsa thereafter true 10 his conqueror by MS
,,.,ment the great lawgiyer Of the l7th century
-,.,,,+lg Invested them with all the power which
.yt,rp recently turned against his successors Inc
t,.5.irio OF Iizeu who died about year ago was an
, ogr and iu some respects rival as well as an ac
,r,re Of the intellectual head Of the satsuma cai
s,.,,s,r Sghuro The present Naheshima IS young !
-aa aua has not been permitted 10 assume the place o.
P,Icll Importance which his father heid. lie ls no"
allowed 90 enjoy onetenth Of his former revenue "cD
shou.s average about Sl5ooOo "a wear.
F, +qnlsrl AVA no kami. oxdamio OF the province
o. ,ys ou the island Of sEoEu. was also one Vi tne
rr.- to.t-hu and Tho sixteenth in order ~ Wea''n,
hs,i-- t.., ir.11la receipt of 100000 kokuS o' W
aul..-. -.ar,e - interviewer with the early history
Of b, family . lso the famous warrior and ruler OF
IT, sixteenth century and the only man. in the annals OF
Jl who cverIroso from plcbean station 10 the posi-
oa % T, coon pauper and vaCrant ID ms YOUTH
Willie wandering. unprotected cnld IL MS NATIVE
r-,. nee le was accustomed 10 sleep az night IN the
ori,~ ,r nv the roadside On one occasion he lodged
h.r..!f r-p,n bridge in Okasaka, and roughly
av ..u,C by KICK from powerful and wenormed
M, SO demanded lis name. My name Is saru-
p,,-r'' lie answered. and his is the highway. You
l-vo 10 right 70 disturb me. The road is |
M. is much as yours. Who are you" Il |
am ggo." said the other. q know Hiko Of !
Ogarr" Ic'orcd sarumatsul lsuch Was Talko's name |
rfndlo,lI. for come from Dwarf myself Hiko is |
rr AID vi not stir for him." Il is related that
U.. who was indeed the most notorious hghwayman
ofhs t instead Of resentiug the lads audaeity was
aua ID lis spirit, and took him under his protection
.ydhna,y ways befriended him, in return for which,
f- -
Elma made the former desperate daimio, with the
,ne Of Hschska From that time the house was always
powerful but it not held in high social esteem until
,ut 80 wears ago when of the Tycoon's family was
adopt - the heir Hence the name OF Matsudalfa'
which strictly belongs 10 the TOkugawas, but which was
form, s bestowed upon all nobemen who either sprang
fror - were connected by marriage with the dominant
vrcs N.eshiua, sltsuml, Tosa and others OF Tue ne"
p.r,r have held il, but, naturally enough they |
dorat car. 20 be Identified with it now NotWlthst"hu
mguf u.u tc relationship, tie late damIo oil AVA WAS
one f frst to- oin the movement against the Tycoon
A. te case with an the others except one the result
b, AN .ip his family of its influence ana posses
so, s- -o dorve his heir, the present head OF the
bou.e o. everything he formerly owned, leaving MN
onJ ension which may he still further diminished OF
dsofpued altogether at the pleasure OF the Govern
met For the moment. however, he las silll some
t. 90 year at lis disposal he is quite young-not
more than 25 yoars Of age should judSe-and' Tor
6ngal lord has shown considerable anxiety TO acquire
certain bass u sound knowledge lie was Tor "LIie
student n he chief college OF YeGo fulfilling his duties
80 tc same manner and on 10 other terms THAN tAose
o. e-e equality with, the humOiest Of the pupils But
L. not remain long enough TO gain more than super
o. = acquaintance with Engnsh-not sufficient 10 De o
tuy advantage 20 him IL Ms foreign tour.
P.c Affairs at capital exhibit very little change
ri- mouth. Most OF the exDamlOs arc living quietly
il -I private residences, having been informed that
thc lreat vasI" which formerly belonged to them
arr 1.,u.ed for the business purposes OF the Govern
meut. o. these enOrLOus Enclosures, some OF Whch
cover crs Of ground remains in the possession
o. i.s original owner Those OF AVA and Nabeshima, for
example, are now occupied a. barracks Afew OF tie
dep5sed mobiles su remain in their distant estates upon
vaou, proeyt but the officials are confident OF gather
mca within therimmedate control before the enc OF the
Jalana yclrabout the lst Of March Reports OF local
ftons In distant quarters do not appear to dis
t1rO .Ae tranquility Of the metropolis We have an
theutc intelligence OF the continuation OF the riots ID
Az, Wtsh4; Of outbreak at Iakamatsu' |
IN slulh, where the populace assembled |
% f0N5y prevent the departure OF ther |
lord tlr Y.do and where conflict is consequently 90
ns between them and theiGOvernment troops-and oi
seizure Of the island Of sado, where the richest gold
mines Of japan lie 10y band OF 5000 ronins-disbanded
samura who have been driven TO desperation by the
sudden deprivation o. their accustomed means oi SUD
sstence.
Notwithstanding these and other similar signs of
public Insecurity the Of eyents in Yedo md
Gates confidence altogether unprecedented II seems
difficult TO place any boundary to the liberal intentions
o, the Administration Within few weeks the class
known The Yeta which in all past time has been heid
IN abec gadation aud confined TO the most servie
oeoupaons-the class which beggars, butchers tan
ners and public executioners belonged and from Whch
no member permitted TO emerge, has been re-
heyed Of al lis disabilities Marriage between
lie Yeta aEd any other class is now freely
permitted their hereditary chief has been appointed
10 responsible position in the Interior Department
For tie first TINE centuries the sentinels have been
tho and eeiy