New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-09-12
JdPAN'S SILVER QUESTION.
OBSERVATIONS OF AN AMERICAN NAVAL
OFFICER.
THE GREAT DEPRECIATION OF THE hN
FOURTH OF JULY IL YOKOHAMA.


Washington Sept. 1O.-Commander Dickens u Wv
Navy who has returned from trip to JalS'" ~
c,von "a renorter an interesting account 81 his re''
observations In that country. Among other tllnsS "'
said ,
The country Is at present suffering uhn'r -,
tagnation Of trade. owing to the eXorm'ar' '''' ,
exchange against the JAPANESE silver currency ~
yen while containing within "A small lr'c'o' q"
much weight Of silver the American dollas q"o''
in exchange at only 69.9 cents. This make no uiii''
ence I'm the matter OF internal commerce. for yen "
part Of the country Is rs good nS IN a'o'i'' w
when n comes 10 foreign exchanges the native lhei
chant Is AT an immense disadvantage. aihs'e ="
stance will serve TO illustrate. When | bought NY
ticket for Yokohama In san FrandSco 1t cost me ia
American gold 5000 In returning the fare was 'he
same stated at 200 yen, and only had to exchange
Sl3a 80 in American money Ia get the zoo yen u pay
for It.
"The thing that the whole OF Japan IS waiting for
open eyed and opcn-mouthed. f. the passage Oh our
FreeSlver bill and when that Is DONE the way the
japanese currency Will be turned into bullion ana
shipped TO America for sale will be establishment 70
our native residents. do not know much about The PM
osophy Of finance but it certainly 10 ME That
would mean raising the value Of IN. whole currency
OF Japan 30 cents the dollar and II that woun
not be done at our expense, fail TO al whose ek-
pellse II would be- done.
Just before WIS leaving the country met nm old
could do for him in America when l came back
Well said he, i don't know Of anything You
could do that would De better for than Ia wsTk Tor
the passage Of the Free Coinage bill II that should
ever be passed with rc present utes Of exchange on
Silver Will be- able 10 sell here and 90 back
10 the states and Nv" In luxury That Is tar way
they look N the matter Of free coinage over there
one Of the surcst marks Of the monetary drpres'
sion f. the style OF living Of the foreign residents In
the years Of my first visit to the country, every one
who pretended to be- anyone kept his horse or his
trap Of sort which. OF course. meant the he ping
OF one more 10 for ii and IA" whole
air OF the foreign colonies in the open ports that
Of easy luxury such they would not have thought
of adopting at home 1t showed that money VISA
comparatively free and plenty. Now things are
changed and the young foreigner who used t, ride or
drive his horse either takes JnrcashaT o. else
goes on FOOT
Commander Dlckins also gave this spirited account
of the celebration Of the Fourth Of July
The most surprising We'll ENJOYABLE affair
that ! witnessed before leaving the country the
celebration Of the American Fourth OF July In loko-
hama il Is custom Of the foreign residents there. as
in the other cities where there 1, foreign settlement.
to make the celebration of National holiday al in
ternationa nnair. In which all the Americans and
Europeans Join. All the French. English and Ger
man holidays are celebrated Ia this when the
glorious Fourth round. II was decided 10 make
The Grand Ilot, Is Of Ia" most luxurious ho,
tlerlss out Of Europe. The management ~ the house
is American but all the dOme~tcs are japanese. II
is the rllyng point ~ IL" foreign element In the
city ON the morning of the Fourth II was decorated
with the flags Of all Nations. among which the stars
and stripes conspicuous. IN" hotel fronts on
the and OF III" wharf In the hnrlnr th"r" wer"
anchored couple 81 barses from which all the morn
ing there sent up wonderful display ~ dN IRE
works. such We seldom see on THIS side Of the Sar
figures Of men and women, birds beasts and fishes.
and dragons and monsters of every description That
wandered about I'm the upper air aud finally rNplfd'd
or went up I'm smoke. Beside This here was constant
discharge Of innumcrable gum. bombs aud crnch'rs
kent ND from the land all DAY 20 add 10 the noise
At tifiin which T. 10 say, midday luncheon All
the guests 81 IN" hotel and muny from The outside
gathered in the dining ham, Just outside Of Nch Their"
posted a japanese band which played American
patriotic air. and finally the listener. All catching
the cOntacion Of tho thing Joined In ia" chorus ana
soon the whole Assembly WAS singing. ana the nm
kept up I'll evening when the attention ~ ~" party
diverted by the beginning Of IN" nights Fireworks.
which NOR" gorgeous tlnn tho" 81 the day
This kept up I'll far into the nigt-as long III
fact as the cOmbuStihes lasted"