The record-union., 1897-08-11
VIII Not be Long Before Japan Has
a Gold Currency.
On the First of October the New Scheme
viii Go Into Effect.
Publishers and Editors Of Four
Japanese Papers Condemned TO
Prison for Insulting the Minis
ters of State by the Publication
of the Famous "Song Of March"

SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 1O.-The
Eteamer Peru arrived this morning
from Yokohama via Hongkong, with
the following Japanese adVices:
There is no doubt whatever that from
October 1st next Japan will have
gold currency. A circular issued by
the specie banks announces that from
that date it will pay gold for Bank
of Japan notes. The Osaka mint IS
very busy at present minting new gold
coins, the twenty yen coin being struck
first. The project is to mint ten mil
lion yen worth of subsidiary coins, in
cluding fifty sen coin, within the year.
In order to expedite the issuance or
the new coins, the usual summer vaca-
fion of officials has been dispensed with
The publishers and editors of the
''Tolzio Nichi Nichi," "Shimbun,"
S'Chuwe Shimbun' and Tokyo Shin
bun" have been condemned to i'm
prisonment for one month, and to pay
a fine of five yen for insulting the Min
listers Of State by the publication in
their papers Of the famous Song OF
March,
The japanese Government has decid-
ed to totally abolish the export duty
from the commencement of the 31st
financial year. that is to say, from
April 1st next. Although the budget
for that year shows a deficit of reVe-
nue., the decision has been made with
the view of encouraging the export
trade. The amount of export duty for
the current year is 1863, 77S yen, but in
view of there being an increase or
some 100000 yen in customs receipts
from 1899, when the new treaties be-
come operative, and of their gradu-
ally Increasing, there will be no diff
Guilty, even though the export duty is
abolished.
The Japanese papers are unanimous
in approving the proposed submission
of the Hawaiian difficulty to arbitra-
fion.
The "NIainchi," commenting upon the
annexation question, says: THE reason
why Japan has made protest as soon
as the signing of the annexation be-
came known is that she has done so
simply out of friendship, so as to make
known her views in the matter before
diplomatic negotiations are opened.
From the reply of the United States
Secretary of State to Japan's first pro-
test. it appears that the determination
of America on the subject is very firm.
has not relied on the attitude of other
countries from the outset, and this pol
icy viii be adhered to to the last"
The japanese Gazette says that
there is a feeling akin to panic at Kobe,
which if not soon checked, will lead
to serious results. Foreigners are be-
coming alarmed for their safety, en-
counters with coolies are rife, and the
spectacle of foreign blue jackets be-
ing pursued by a mob of roughs is
not reassuring.
Piracy is paralyzing business in the
Canton delta, in the neighborhood Of
Sal Tsui, a town about forty miles
westward from Canton. Robberies are
perpetrated every night, and the
Wretched inhabitants of this unhappy
region are now in d state of panic.
Kobe is earning an unenviable no.
foriety in the manner of collisions with
coolies. The latest case to be given
publicity is that of Ensign Everhardt
of the United States steamship York
town, who was charged with assault
sing a ricksha coolie named Genzo OHa-
y1noto. whom he had engaged at the
American Hatoba to take him to the
Nako-No-Tokiwa- The coolie was
slow. whereupon Everhardt obtained
an ato-oshi, and on paying them off,
gave them ten sen each, which was
more than the legal fare. The ato-oshi
.7went away quite satisfied, but Genzo
sOkamoto followed and pushed against
saEverhardt, and a. crowd collected.
fThereupon Everhardt struck the cool
55es, and produced a revolver-the cool
de said a knife, but this was denied
and subsequently fed into the house Of
NV. P. Turreer. The court found that
the Lieutenant had only acted in self
defense, and dismissed the case Sew
eraI cases have occurred of late Of
coolies becoming very abusive.