Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1874-04-03
THE JAPANESE INDEMNITY.
BY PROF. J. H. sEELYE, D. D., AMHERST.

]
money, known as the japanese Indemnity
Fund. As the attention Of Congress, with
out whose authority the money cannot he
used, has been several times, and Is now
again, directed to the matter, it seems de-
sirable that IL should also receive the re-
newed notice of the people.
The money came into the hands Of our
| government in this wise: The treaties by
which japan was opened to foreign inter-
course we're, al first, quite obnoxious to
many of the Japanese Princes, some of
whom did not hesitate TO show their oppo-
sition by an armed hostility. Conspicuous
among these was Chosn, Prince of Magato,
a wealthy and powerful Daimio, who set
himself in open rebellion against the trea-
ties, and the government Of the Tycoon by
which they had been negotiated. His ter
ritdry touched the Straits of Simonoseki, a
narrow channel which furnishes the only
western entrance 10 the Japan Inland Sea,
en- the banks OF which lie erected batteries
sufficient 10 command the passage. OI tie
25th of june 1863 tue Pembroke, an Amer
can me chant steamer belonging 10 Russell
& Co., on entering these Straits, was driven
back, but without loss of life, and without
damage y the ship. a few days afterwardsa
Dutch and also French vessel, attempting
10 make the same passage, were also fired
upon and driven back. The Wyoming, a U.
S. man of-war then at Yokohama, was
promptly despatched to the scene, and on
the 10th of July an engagement took place
between her and the batteries and vessels
in the Straits, resulting in the destruc-
tion of two japanese ships, and Consider
able damage 10 the smoke stack and rig
ging of the Wyoming" but without silenc-
ing the batteries. The loss OF life on the
japanese side was not known, but was
supposed to bo large. On the American
side, four seamen were killed and seven
wounded.
The Wyoming returned, and strong
pressure was brought by the treaty powers
upon the government OF the Tycoon to in
duce him to punish his refractory subject,
and TO fulfil the stipulation of the treaties.
The Tycoon professed himself willing and
desirous TO do both, but also declared,
what was clearly true, that in the present
state Of the country he had not power
enough to chastise aud coerce the Prince of
Magato.
After more than "A year Of uncertain and
unsatisfactory negotiations, the American,
British, Dutch and French Ministers de-
termined 10 take the matter into their own
hands and send a naval expedition suffi
cient to destroy the Simonoseki batteries and
open the channel 10 commerce. 1t was
deemed best that each of these powers
should participate in the expedition, but as
| the jamestown, the only L. $. man oil war
then in those waters, was not serviceable,
the American Minister chartered of Walsh,
Hall Co., the Ia Kiang, a merchant
steamer with three small guns Of her own,
to which was added a 80 pound Parrot
from the jamestown. The force, consist
ing, besides this, OF nine British, four
Dutch, and three French steamers, sailed
from Yokohama, and, on the 4lh, 9th, 7th
and Sth OF September, 1864, attacked and
entirely destroyed tho batteries of Cbosiu,
commanding the straits. The Prince made
an unconditional surrender, and dgreed to
pay such sum as the ministers of the
treaty powers might demand for the sx-
penses of the expedition. The feet re-
turned TO Yokohama, afler an absence of
less than a month, and bearing with il sew
enty guns captured from the batteries.
Aner some delay, the government of the
Tycoon assumed the responsibility for the
settlement Of the affair, whereupoa the
ministers agreed 10 demand $1,000 900 as
indemnity, an anamount vastly disproportion-
ate to the expenses incurred, and largely
exceed ing what they originally purposed
TO require. The sum was put at this high
figure, not for the sake of the money, but
In the hope that the Tycoon would take the
option which they gave him of opening a
new port TO foreign commerce, in lieu of
this payment. But the Tycoon was weak,
while the prejudice against any increase of
intercourse with foreigners WAS strong, and
his government therefore, not daring to at
tempt the opening of another port, agreed
TO pay the money. One-haf of this sum,
Sl,5O0,000 has already been paid, and been
equally divided among the four powers.
The U. S. portion was recei, ed by Mr..
Seward, then Secretary of State, and
invested in government bonds, whose ac-
cunlulaions make it now amount TO not
far from SS50,OOO. This is the so-caled
japanese Indemnity Fund, 10 the right
disposal of which the attention of Congress
is again directed.
Docs this money righteously belong to
the United States? Was there anything
like fair equivalent in the transaction for
which it was paid? Let us see. The Ia
Kiang was chartered for $1,000 per month,
and The service was less Than n month. Dur
ing the four days fight she fired eighteen
shells valued at $780, During the expedi-
ton she consumed one hundred and fty
tons Of coal, at cost of sl,Sis. The total
cost of the affair to our government was
therefore, Sll,6 Irnow we add 10 this
s., 1869, the cost of the ammunition expend-
ed by the Wyoming in her expedition
against these batteries the year before, and
5000, the cost, as estimated by the Navy
Department, of her repairs, we have an ex-
penditure, all told, of s2l,777, for which
the Japanese government has already paid
the United States 1875, 900, and is under
bonds 10 pay an equal amount more! To
this account nothing is to be added for the
affair of the Pembroke, which was settled
separately by the Japanese, with full pay
ment of the claim. Looked at as a pecuni-
ary transaction, the simple statement of the
facts in the case would seem sufficient TO
show that this Indemnity is not properly
ours. at was paid" said Mr.. Seward,
"without any substantial equivalent to the
japanese government"
But was there anything other than tho
pecuniary damage-any insult 10 our flag,
or other atiront to national dignity, for
which the indemnity could r'ghteously
have been exactedH This does not appear.
There was no treaty stipulation that the
| INLAND Sea shnnld ha nnannd 10 GAroinn