New-York tribune., 1873-01-02
JAPANESE PROGRESS.

REFoRMs-THE CHINESE coMMlssIoNER-IM-
PoRTANT SOCIAL RRFoRMs-MIsBEHAVlOR OF
A BRITISH TRADER
TyRoN The RSGULAR CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRIBUNE
YEDo, Nov. 7-The City of Yedo is under
going vast changes Strangers who visited two years
ago saw the last OF its ancient character ana
smother twelve months will probably have diyesed OF
pearly all those quaint and captivating architectural
features which made IL the constant degnt OF curious
Observers The general transformation may be directly
traced 20 the various political and social reVonohs VI
the last few years Even the great fire OF Aprii only
served TO clear the ground alterations which were IN
eyitabe under any circumstances The turnnRpOnt oI
Yedos glory was the decree OF lsG by which the da
were relieved from the necessity OF living at the
Tycoon's capital for months OF every year-a custom
introduced by Iyeyssu the founder Of the last great
family OF Sioruns and followed uninteuuptedly until 10
years AGO During their residence here, they were at
tended by large bodies Of retaineTs which numoereo jill
few extreme cases, upward OF 10000 menat-arm''
In those days the removal Of noblemans townhouse
from one quarter another sometimes sufficient 10
disturb the balance prosperity all the metropolis
1t ia probable enough that the estimates OF the enormous
population exaggerated, although the great ma
iority OF inhabitants were not strictly permanent
In 1862 lords OF the provinces received permission 10
live altogether upon their esatesOrief visits once
IN seven years only being required The number OF resi-
dents sccdv fell 20 less than 7O0O0 The fine yasisis
by their They were, however kept
in toeabe repair until the change OF government which
followed the civil OF 1861 when most OF thein were
abandoned 70 decay. few Of the powerful barons-the
chief conspraoTs OF the successful coup d(a-s pre-
served their mansions but these relinquished
when Che Administration passed the sweeping measure
Of dsestbsning the peerage and aboshnR the feudal
system Those which found convenient for public
Offices barracks schools hospitals, occupied and
put IN order the others suffered TO fall to pieces
which most OF them did with unexpected rapidy. AS
consequence the general aspect Of the former aristo
cratic of the city is at present far from prepos
sreat deal said about the carelessness ana
indifference of the Government in thus allowing so maAy
evidenc Of run and desOatOn TO accumulate, but In
truth bc Government is in to blame. The space
occuped m the city is now much too large for its popu
laton AT the inhabitants here have ample room for
their a3l and tho deserted regions are coveted by
nobody The buildings upon them are or we're, OF per
sahr atcrals and person has had any interest
in mai1,.r them, nothing has been done and nothing
could b.: tone. 70 prevent their downfall
BrDpHIsT TEMPLES FAILING TO RUINS.
with nay of the Buddhist temples the case has been
similar. the days Of Tokugawa they were supported
to great extent. by the public treasury; but the su
thorcs o. the regime decline to contribute TO their
nain.cnance There are not only political reasons
against TO- but it is next to a financial mpossbihty No
money can spared certainly ought to be spared
for and OstenaiOus generosity with regard 10
The two most celebrated shrnes-the beautiful groves
and temples OF ShiOa and Uyeno-great outcres are
made by foreigners who unacquainted with the
real s,to % aGlirs The Government has sgnihed its
indOst0u TO continue the excessive expenditures re-
aured ter their preservation Therefore, say the fault
finders. the Government ls composed OF vandals and
iconocasts The fact is that these temples are chiefly
famous because their gardens selected as the burial
places or the soguns The tOnbs Of all of them. except
the ars5 and thrd of the line in one or the other
IL was part the policy Of the now suppressed dynasty
az the Tougawas to surround those cemeteries with
every accessory OF dignity and pomp EA treasure thus
llvished was Thought to be well bestowed. But the
ia 1aru no upho oh
de,o,ed family were its enemies. For the Mikado's ad
ylsers to make a special exception in favor Of
property however sacred. which could only be
cherished as memorial OF the power and
grandeur OF the pOtentates whose work OF the
past three centuries they striving in every 10
Undo would singular contradiction in the eyes OF
the uui tude. They do not particularly desireioEsus-
tain The grandeur of these establishments and they
could not well afford TO- IL they did. At the same time
they do interfere with any action OF that sort on the
part OF the members Of the once powerful family The
ex-siocun Yoshisa, who now lives, amOderatey pros
ps-ous gentleman In retirement at shidzuoha, in the
proy,ncs Of suruga has recently contributed enough
nom bis own income to keep shba in good condition
for long time come. UyeDo, however, seems to be
doomed This was, unquestioDably, in its prime the
greatest institution OF It's kind in the empire. 1t was the
residence that relative of the Mkado who &C
eorpg 20 the instructions left by Iyeyasu, always
kent close az hand 20 be proclaimed rival sovereign
In tae event Of misunderstanding between
the Courts Of KiOto and Hedo-an experl-
nept by the by. which tried in 1867, and which
fsed on account Of the sOguDs refusal to cooperate
In natural beauty far surpassed and still surpasses,
Ehiha But is sanctity was seriously impaired by the
battle which took place there FOR the possession OF the
person OF this duplicate Mkado. In the struggle the
r,,t ter,ple was destroyed and it has never been
built
RrvrRENcE FOR RESTING PLACES or rHE DEAD
IT,, smaller temples. however. especially those al
t,.bsd to the tombs have been preserved In gloomy
s..t, "a, this time They are now with tntipOsstble ex-
.,f ~ two or three about to be sacrificed, Already
,betr out.r wooden walls and gi,oways have been
,r-,Vp down. aud the imposing avenues Of massive
.pe aud copper ranternstesimonals Of respect which
vrs Offered uy successive generations OF daimos' qua
,si,b were couuted by th0usands-have been removed
and convert 20 other uses II IS pity In one sense
H. tbey would have had no sguihcaEco whatever dls-
.,,,,t,f from Their traditional surroundings. The
tomb. themselves receive tho most honorable treatment
= Allow them % be- sighted would. indeed, be as great
a, error of policy Ia one direction as 10 glorfy them
,ltafv.s 1ui DO IN another by whatever means The
et,suns uay really have attained the.t they were
u,rpn.y ana o.tensiby selected bY ths Mikadossfor
tr i,r Office and 70 throw absolute Glscrodit on their
rsmor, wodd be 10 assall ths infnlihiy Of the I'm
ps-a Wisdom FOR The past 800 yeors bat apart from
a. The soling n rev for resting places OF tho
a L. an sred an article Of faith hat there could be no
,,t a,over OF doaeorat0n. Tho nsusoleims, which m
al. course of the rcauangement have been thrown
su a, enc public gazc for tho first time are 70 bo IN
s,ss sffhn heh protecting walls. an1 70 bo scrnpn.
t,,.iy Guarded from Intrusion and moiesiaiion. Oniy
mos costly sppufisnanoes 10 b. ohnteraed A. 'he
sns af fia ola fe ~ Yed0 thus disappeafisooi heed
stgen ta piaus wholesome reuOyhtUn The ehiifocuy
- b.n snrveyod with view 10 the roadusiment Of
frsts aud public sguarosa measure which Che scpera
s..frsrf.sn ,y tha nra smphss-and an new buHdings
- "a ara sutlsrt to such architectural regulations