The New York herald., 1877-07-29
THE JAPANESE REBELLION.
A Visit to the Scene Of the
Outbreak. l~ M
THE SATSUMA NOBILITY.
Modern Ideas in the Most Antiquated
Town of Old Japan.
NAoAsAEI. Japan. June Is. Is.

news OF the rebellion In Nasasak, your correspond
ent conceived the happy idea Of going to Kagosna
where, according to all accounts, great battle wat
TO be fought, and OF Judging Tor himself resard
to the extent of the The English newspapers
Yokohama had been filed with accounts OF govern.
reverses OF the critical situation OF tho govern.
lnenl at Ragosma, OF the capture OF
sells, aud of the sinking OF the ron-cad Riogo-kan,
and although could not ind any confirmation OF these
reports Notwithstanding the fact that Nagasaki ID much
nearer to and IN constant communication with the
seat of war, thought that possibly the government
suppressed the nows and that truth leaked
Yokohama some unknown way. To get to Kago-
sma, however, was easy matter. Tho governments
caiously guards ali channels of communication, and
allowed ON board tho transport and other
steamers except the crews attached to them.
A
found means, however, to become temporarily
cmploye OF the steamers. which from evident
reasons cannot name, and one morning shortly
aitor the steamer left Nagasak With supplies for
the garrison at Kagosima 1t seemed TO
that straw formed largo portion OF the cargo, but
upon inquring | learned that tho bundles OF straw
gabions bags be nlicd with sand and straw
sandals Tor the of tho soldiers straw sandals are
characteristic OF Japan Wherever you 20 there they
great abundance They arc vcry cheap, costing
less Than n cent pair and they soon wear out; and
tho loop which passes the big oui
| the owner quietly leaves his sandal wherever he MAJ
be and purchases the urst shop Great heapt
| Of them may be the temples especially, and
think that tho caused by kneeling down mus
be OF wearing out, un less ths
Japanese gods regard old shoes with favorable eye AZ
a votvo offering The japanese soldiers dressed in
European costumes all except tho shoes, and Is
wonder then, that largo supplies OF such fashionable
articles sandals have be constantly sont 70
tho troops in the field.
Kagoslma Is tho chief city aud capital Of the Satsuma
country. lies the southeastern part OF tho island
OF Tinsin, at the head OF kagoslma Gulf, about
hundred and fifty miles from NucasakL Here 1t
that the forces for the Formosan campaign
collected, and hero also were stored tho arms
and munitions Tor the Corcan Campaign, which novor
took place-uckily people used 10 say before this re.
| bellon, but now IL Is an open question whether Il
| would not been better Tor japan II II mad
anu Corca hc rebellion would not have arisen at this
time; the Satsuma samura would have found vent for
thor warhSc naur.s IN another held Bnt sooner or
later the question had DO settled, Was japan 10
ruo snisuma or saisuma Japany rhe sooner case
like that Is settled the better It Is Tor all hands
THE ARRIVAL
1t was morning when the steamer entered Ksgosina
Guf, and was enabled to appreciate the beautiful
scenery: Mount Homer, concal peak 900 feet hugh,
lies at the lett hand side and twenty live miles tho
bay is Mieake, aDother concai peak the island VI
saKura. the two forming excellent landmarks. Sakura
Sna lies IN the upper part oil Tue buy, and opposite IT,
the western shore, IL hayosiina. AS wo approaCncd
the town dense volumes OF smoke were TO bo seen
slowly rising, and afterwards learned that thcy
from viage which mad been set ON hrc the
night before by tue impcrialist forceA But
great was my astonshment TO SEQ the RIO
JoSan tho iron-clad winch ! understood had
Lecn sunk, vigorously sheiing valley to the north-
ward OF the town The story published by the English
papers in Yokohama the effect that OF the
synpathizns with the rebels had opened valve
and the ship had sunk before II discovered whonco
The came. The story was about as true Us the
they published some ne ago that tho government
| had Direu men 10 assassluatc Gelsfai SAigo.
LOOKING OVER rHK TOWN
took advantage oi The stay oi the steamer at Kngo.
sina 10 visit the town and the iortiIicito met
Dauvo reporter Tor Tic h'ctih'eti 'sAi"oan, paper
japanese reporters have yet 10 learn tho
ways OF The craft civilized lands Kago-
sma extends some Two three miles along
the coast Of The bay IN a nor,hcriy and
southery direction, reaching back from the shore
ranges ,of hills run ang parallel to lhs coast line as
distances OF from one hall 10 Two mios rne i'm osraI
forces, ucr taking possesson sent all the nabitants
away then burned all oi the houses that intericred
IN any way with the ine OF iortncations that they
threw up. About one-1uar,er oi tho town has been
destroyed in tins way aud as they SCI hre TO house
every night 30 rs to prevent surprise by the
rebels. II 10 only question u time before
aaolher quarter disappears The fortdcat,ons
arc ned and placed In tiers, and confined by net
work OF bamboo. ON the hills are batteries mounting
small pieces ol artillery and the bridges OF a small
the southern part Of the town dcfcndcd ia
the mauner Despite me fearful defeats Tho I'M
periaissts had suffered a, kaeosna accordng 10 the
newspapers, counted only iory graves IN the ceme-
terry and learned that MOI moro than one hundred had
been wounded In three montna
GAKsIsvN
There are some ten tIousaad troops garrisonng the
town, aud runor places the nupver OF rebels around
ut doubie that number. But, judging from what oc-
CURED the nisht be orc got 10 kagosina. think the
number very much exaggerated The iVper.ai forces
made sally and captured ridge nOrth OF tho Town
vita the greatest case Alter burning village they
returned To tue lortilcations with loss oi on.y
KILLED and wounded. Tho arsenal lies TO tho
nVrlnward OF the town, just outside the orthcations
and the rebels had been making strenuous ctofts 70
destroy it, and II was this account that the sally
mivic und " to cover the Withdrawal OF the
troops within The iorbcatons thai the k,oJokan was
irng the morning that arrived. AS far could
make out the government simply WISH to hold k1
gosima while the main body of lner troops atiacs
! ng the reueis northern side As they driven
TO the southward the Satsuina VIII DO greatly ds
hearlened by nndng iheir capital occupied
THE PRINCE OF sATsUMA
Tho city has long been Il notified oi disanecton and
rebellion. Shimadzu saburo, tue Prince ot satsuna,
has held almost a regal court at his residence ~ me
Guy, surrounded 1t IS by the residences of thou.
sanus OF samurai or hghiing men. These residences
give kagoslna an appearance NOT 10 DO found 10 any
Other japanese town. not even excepting Toxic
Large wide Streets houses surrounded by gardens and
hcdgcs, are rarely met with IN Japan outside oi ka-
gosiuua anu the power and wealth Of the Satsuma
princes well shown IN Lhas they could
support large number Of rstainers
Of eper nobity and before the presen. regime thsy
were allowed The two swords, s,sn Of rank
ia Japan, and to lord II over the heimin or mddls
cass ana tho coolies or common people THEFT
day past however and the present rebellion Is sher
last rugglc tor existence The government troops
ruoruueu pr ncipay from the hcInn, anl The
vnh which hcy have fought against the warlike
and noted samurai OF Japan hy dsabused tho
POI ular nj Of the IDEA that Tie samura alone could
ngna Old Japan dies hari, but the bringing Of ihis
war a successful termination by tho government
Will prove The deathblow 10 the last the
fcuda y stem which has existed japan ovor Two
thousand years
Upon my return 20 NagasakI learned that the Inn
pcralsts had met with important successes driving
The rebels back from Kumanloto ana defeating thoua
at Iakashi, where they captured $40 prisoners the
ses, number that has been taken on either side yos
A portion of the rebels entered the ProYince OF
Boang0 and induced the samurai TO joW them.
Several battles have been fought IN all OF which tho
government has been successful. Virtually the REBEL
lion rs crushed The visit OF the Mkad0 10 tue OF
war, which TO nave becn the dernier resort has
been gwen up the government has ceased send more
troops and tic wounded longer arrive by the ship
load.
KINGS COUNTY SURROGATE'S COURT,