Year: 1879

OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES OBSERVATIONS CON-


CERNING FOREIGN COUNTRIES.


[Condensed from the Sacramento Record Union,


Nov. L.


During his visit here General Grant talked freely
and sociably with all whom he met. His reputation
for retcence not only not sustained but, on the
contrary, he proved himself to be q free and ready
conversationast, and while not fluent in speech. he
is yet ready and entertaining II have" said hc ga
pair of white elephants in the shape Of couple of
Arab an horses. presented to by the Sultan. They
have pedigree extending back FIVE hundred years."
The company questioned him concerning their style
and FORM which he described minutely. The sub
ject Of horses thus introduced General Grant said:
The value Of the Arabian stock is due to the indis
pensable the horse Is to his master. He has m
intrinsic value which is not known and cannot be
appreciated elsewhere. All his high qualities Of en-
durance and speed have been bred up because those
qualities possess higher value to the breeder than
elsewhere perhaps Now. in China they have only
inferior breed OF scrubs, because in that country
human labor is the cheapest thing known. The
greater part Of the transportation is performed by
men, They have vehicle. the name Of which when
translated Is man pull-cart' literally. or per-
haps as we would say 'man-cart' in which you
ride with considerable ease. Journeys are made
long distances with these. works in the shafts
pulling them with his hands. without harness OF
any kind and much of the travel in the country is
performed in that way" In answer to the question
what the military establishment of China was Gen.
eral Grant said it very inferior that the tactics
in use were those formerly according to regulation
in the armies of England and America but that the
arms were cast on and rejected weapons, of very
inferior quality, Of the American and European ma
tions. The Chinese do not possess the soldierly
quality common to civilized peoples. He said that
at public reception given to him by the vceroy ut
ITEM sin a military display constituted one OF its
features, which gave him an opportunity OF forming
Judgment as to the quality and bearing of the sol
diers. He did not believe the Chinese people to be
in any sense u military people.


AGRIcULTUKE IN CHINA.


Speaking of the methods of agriculture in China,
he said that he shown piece of land wh ch had
been under cultivation every year for 5000 years
without deterioration Of the fertility Of the soil.
This is effected by returning to the soil every
thing taken from it, Fish constitutes large pro-
portion OF the food of the people. and all the oal
the SOIL and fish is great fertilizer. Even the roots
of the wheat-wheat is grown to . very limited
turned to the SOIL All the leaves and garbage are
utilized in the same manner. He said d:-"Famines
occur in the interior OF China, in which thousands
die Of starvation. This due to the want Of facili
ties Of transportation. In the aggregate the
country produces enough to support even the donse
life OF China but III every there portions
Of the country where crops total or partial
failures, while in these same seasons crops
abundant and successful in other parts Facilities
for trsnsportation would enable the more favored
districts to supply the destiuton in the localities Of
want. but no such facilities exist


JAPAN.


We have already stated that the favorite topic Of
conversation with General Grant just now is the
they have in civilization the General fond Of
discoursing. gentleman OF the party asked il
opportunity to witness any military display occurred
during his stay in that country, to which General
Grant replied:-"Yes; witnessed very fine mill
tary review in Japan, and must say that have
never seen in any country more thoroughly martial
exhibition. The Japanese make good soldiers. Their
army is thoroughly drilled and disciplined is well
armed with arms of mooern invention and precision
and in all respects is equal to those of European
nations The Japanese people are light in weight. but
they are very muscular and possess iron consti-
tutions. was informed that for single days march
. distance OF eighty or eighty-hve miles could be
accomplished by Japanese soldier. carrying the
accoutrements, which weigh about twenty-five
pounds. Besides this. the rations furnished to the
Japanese soldier for week do not exceed in guam
tity that furnished to the American soldier for
day. You will readily perceive the advantage such
an army would have in the marching incident to
thsx sre =. a,d tness Japanese
are, could march 5000 miles through China q
hostile or invading force without meeting success
full resistance


.'The Japanese are adopting the manners and ha-
bits of Western civilization rapidly. Not than
six years ago 1t would have been impossible for
stranger to penetrate tho interior Of that country
Now man may pass through Japan with much
safety and comfort so far as the opposition of the
natives Of that country is concerned, any
try in Europe Not more than five or six years ago
the traveller would have been met with hostile





would have proceeded from the two-sworded gentry
OF that country the Of the old aristocratic
soldiery of Japan"


CIVILIZATION OF THE JAPANESE


Recurring to the subject OF the great and sudden
change in the civilization of Japan General Grant
said: THE japanese have had q civilization from
time immemorial. 1t possessed many elements and
attributes of great value In mathematics they are
the equal If not the superior OF other peoples But
their civilization both in its religicus and intelec-
tua aspects. developed in them very largely single
i YeuIin Wi
which they have adopted the new civilization.
mean the capacity OF comparison ana the willing
ness to adopt that which under comparison proves
to be the best. Religious and civil and social tradi
tions have never produced in them that rigid ortho
doxy of spirit which would operate to make them
hold on old things simply because they are old.
Their ability to compare and'form judgment from
the materials obtained by such comparison is associ
to discard the old and adopt the new If the latter
vndicates its title to be adjudged the best One Of
the company inquired, But is there no conserva-
tive party in Japan, old foges resist all this
rapid revolution of social customs and ideas of civil
government Most certainly" tho reply,
.'there party of conservatives composed mainly
of very old people of the most ignorant class and
OF the class privileged under the old order of thinps
and who will lose their dominance by the present
tendencies to adopt broader and more liberal prin.
cipes OF government. The two-sword fellows of the
old time, whose social and civil rank enabled them
to live without work, understand the signfca ance
Of the present tendencies and clearly that in the
distribution OF opportunities among all classes
will be put to his mettle. The privileges
and immunites this class have enjoyed are very rap
idly passing away. IL would bc but natural
to suppose that they would not give up these good
things without some resistance, but as party
element in the government they are growing smaller
and weaker. Nothing arrest the present ten
dency to adopt our civilization the part of tho
Japanese government. The national character and
the national characterstics of mind such to
readily assmilate civilized ideas and adopt civilized
customs. Tho change that has been wrought is
almost marvellous. but 1t must be remembered that
the peculiar civilization which for centuries has
isteu In Japan has prepared that people in q
remarkable way for the adoption of the new order
nf vlap la h, aot.J h,.a
thoroughly ripened tor the era of European civil
ization now dawning that country When we
are better acquainted with the old civilization OF
Japan and its ideas the historian will find ready
solution for the changes now taking place. The new
condition of things must have arisen naturally aud
legitmately out of the DID," General Grant spoke
in of the sevcrest reprobaton OF the conduct
of the English government toward China In forcing
opiam upon that people