The New York herald., 1879-09-01
CHINA PERSISTENT, JAPAN NAUGHTY.
Conference Between General Grant and Mem.
bers Of the Japanese Cabinet.
JAPAN URGED TO MAXI CONCESSIONS.
The Peace of Asia Necessary to the
Peace of the World.
N1Kxo. Japan. July %. 1879.

NIKKo. Japan, July %. 1872
wrote you from China in reference to the
troubles that are brewing between China and Japan
rs to the possession of the group of islands in the
China Seas known as Loochoo. 1t twas in my power
to give you the views Of His Imperial Highness
Prince KunG. the Prince Regent of China and Of Ii
Hung Chang. viceroy OF Chihli and Grand Secretary
of State. on the subject. You will remember that
Prince Kung earnestly requested General Grant on
his arrival in Japan to his good offices for peace
in Asia When the General arrived in Toxic he was
informed by the Chinese Embassy that order had
been received from Prince Kung directing the EN-
bassy to confer with him and present statement Of
the Of China against Japan General Grant said
that the proper person to take charge Of the affair
was the American Minister; that he had promised
ter and then if proper to speak with the Japanese
authorities. At the same time he would be glad to
hear their case matter of personal interest The
Embassy then presented the points OF their for
the consideration of General Grant, and these will
Aammarize.
THE CHINESE SIDE OF THE LoocHoo QUESTION.
"China." said the Embassy to General Grant.
'claims Loochoo as q vassal for the following
sons:-Upon succeeding to the throne of Loochoo
the King requests investiture. and sends memo.
rial through the viceroy Of Fukien. which is then
sent down to the Board of Ceremonies for them to
consider whether the hereditary successor named
ought to receive investiture as King of Chung
Shan. and to prepare imperial edct and instruc-
an assistant Whenever one Of our emperors is to
be congratulated his accession to the throne
Loochoo sends high commissioners to perform tho
ceremony Of congratulations and on every congratu-
latory occasion. in addition. Loochoo also sends
ENJOYS In like manner to bring congratulations.
The time of bringing tribute to Loochoo has been
hxed once for every two years. The tribute is
brought to the capital by the envoy of the province
OF Fukien. The articles. fixed by regulation are
sulphur, copper. white metal and lead. The pupils
who accompany the commissioners of the King of
Loochoo permitted to enter and pursue their
studies in the imperial college Pekn In the case OF
Loochooans being shipwrecked they furnished
with subsistence. their vessels rcpsired and
they provided with tho means of returning to
their own country by the viceroys Of the maritime
in force 1919 until the present time and are to
be found in the Ta-Tsing Hum Ticn and in the reg
ulations OF the Board of Ceremonies and the his
tory Of Loochoo, written by Japanese authors
Loochoo has held intercourse with China from the
time Of the Sue dynasty, A. d. $50. and in the year
OF Hung We of the Ming dynasty. after having
come to court bearing tribute. the several islands
were united into one Kingdom. and thoir name was
changed TO the country OF Loochoo and their King
invested the King of Chung Shan. Tho
family name of Shang was bestowed by the Emperor
OF China upon the King and he given thirty six
Fukien families to reside in the country for the
promotion of civilization. No change has taken
place in these arrangements from the time Of
the present dynasty to this time. Loochoo.
from the time of the Ming dynasty to the present
time. has always followed the Chinese mode Of
designating the year. calendar and mode of writing
Bome time ago-namoly in 1s54-Loochoo made .
treaty with the United States; in 1856 she MADE one
with France. and in 1859 with Holland In all these
treaties tho Chinese written language used, and
the dates were expressed in the Chinese STYLE"
cHINA's ARnAIaNMESr JAPAN.
Having presented their historical claims of China
TO Loochoo tho Embassy thon took up what they
called 1.-THE violent and cotrcive conduct OF Japan"
On this point thoy made the following statement -
"Japan in 1872 wrote letter to the King of Chung
Shan. the King of Loochoo. requiring him TO send
his son to Toxic. Four months later in the sarne
year. Japan invested tho King of Loochoo with the
Japanese title of han. The authorities returned a
letter. declining the title of ham, and requesting
that the title OF King OF Chung shan might bo re
tanned. In 1873 Japan sent orders Loochoo to de-
liver up and send to the Japanese Department for
Foreign Affairs the treaties entered into between
Loochoo and the United States. France and Holland
The Prime Minister OF Loochoo sent u letter, de-
rning to do Japan. after investing Loochoo as
. han, handed to the Department of Foreign
Affairs all matters pertaining to tho intercourse
OF Loochoo with other countries. Tho Minister OF
Foreign Affairs Informed Loochoo that it was not at
al intended to abolish do away with that ham,
aud that both its territorial extent and the conttu
lion of Its government should forever remain un-
changed. and that tho regulation allowing intercourse
with China should continue stl in force. The author.
ties OF Loochoo sent lettor OF thanks. In lST4
Japan again orders transferring the affairs Of
Loochoo to tho Home Department and again in
formed Loochoo that every thing should remain un-
changed. In 1875 Japan sent message TO Loochoo
saying that 1T appears that tho Loochoo han has
been in the habit of sending ENJOYS to China to pay
homage aud tribute and of sending cnvoys to offer
congratulations whenovor an Emperor Of China
succeeds to tho throne. Lot this custom
DO stopped And also this order, In
the han Meigi must be used as tho
designation of tho year. aud that tho Official rcgua.
tions now In force must be changed and done away
with. Tho Loochoo Kingdom being astonishod at
these orders. from the King himself and from his
Prime Minister down. the whole country ministers
and people, after tho other sent up fourteen
memorials in which it was stated that ''Loochoo
had been a vassa OF China for lvo hundred years" !"
that .'China had treated Loochoo with
comparable only to that of heaven and earth. and
that "if Loochoo should not China 90 vassal
then the country ought no longer to DO considered
scountry nor n man to be considered man." &c.,
aud again and again resisted and declined. Japan.