Year: 1879

came with the kind wishes of my friend and which
/ shall treasure for the giver 1t is small of
white porcelain, with blue figures traced upon it.,
types OF Chinese life and character. On the bottom
is the mark OF the Ming dynasty. General
Grant has thrown a good deal OF suspicion upon
ones enthusiasm tor the antique by crcumstantial
narratives OF certain factory which hourshes in
Newark. n. j., whose owners declare large divi-
dends-a factory devoted the manufacture of
curios, where they make antique and modern works
of art. especially old blue and hawthorn blue and
blue after the rain and mark them with the Ming
dynasty But believe in my vase. l certainly be-
leve in the reverent and friendly spirit that it
to my table; and although if buying old blue
from my own unaided experience would not give
o largo sum for such vase, ! know that II Is the
result OF tr:snI my Ignorance; and that really
artisan labored over with loving hand
in the days Of the Minys. before the
idealize 1t In various ways, and think myself into
the belief that it has poetic beauty OF It's own.
wonder whether Mr.. Merritt will put the poetic
value upon the il 1t my estimate of
its worth. AS was saying never knew how much
there was to interest you in the revenue laws until
began to look over my "things," and wonder what
they will cost in New York Az to taking them to
California no one would dream OF it. You hear ter
rible stories of the California Custom House; how
the officers rummage your trunks and break
your vases and make You pay double
valuation, and have no respect for your
word or ever your oath and how independent
American with temper easily heated took Sat-
suma vase, lovely work that cost him $500, and
dashed 1t to pieces before the eyes of the
rather than be taxed for more than its value. am
afraid this is not true story but hope it is like
to read OF anything original or eccentric, and you
hear many stories of revenue exactions that you
become free trader. You think about your
''things" and talk about them much that they
princely proportions, and you begin TO feel
OF the East and that you have rare possessions and
not, happens to only few odds and ends that
have. as it were trickied in upon you as you wan
dered along, and will have no value when they reach
home but the value OF the memories that surround
them.


HOMIE SICKNESS AND LOVE Affairs.


otr1ra 6alih nJ~,sc
advice-and on this subject body is anxious to
advise you'll concluded to send my ''things" home
by the way OF the Suez Canal direct to New York
and to to California in light marching order, and
when the excisemen came down upon me for curios,
show them only my clothes and a few volumes of
useful information. Somehow, after the
question had been settled and out of
your mind. there irresistible fascination
reason that the talk about the 'things" led in
indirect way to talk about home. and that we
were all OF us just little homesick. more than we
would care to admit. have observed that people
apt to treat homesickness they would a love
affair They like to talk about such emotions in
other people but not in themselves. Take
naval friends. for instance. who have been on this
station for some time. You never saw so much for
is not home but duty which animates a
sailor and since duty commits them to the
ssraeS all the same at when the
day drew near. and it time for the steamers to
come in from the seas. that strange interest took
possession Of our naval friends and heard only
prayers for good weather and impaence ut the slow
lingering hours. Our naval friends are the most
patient of men. Weather. climate. pestilence-it
makes very little difference whether the winds blow
high or blow low so that the mails como In. fam
cied that we talked about our "thngs" because it
led to talk about home and what people would say,
and how affairs had changed in absence. We are
none of us willing to confess to homesick feeling
except the Colonel, who has been avowedly
homesick ever since we left Singapore, and
has announced that his travels arc at an
and most direct route to General Sheridans head
quarters in Chicago. I am sure that not all tho old
blue made, either in China under the Ming dynasty
in General Grants Newark curio manufactory, would
keep gallant comrade over another steamer from
the performance of his duties at the headquarters Of
the Military Division OF the Missouri. AS all
going home together it makes little difference. and
only allude to the Colonel's military enthusiasm
because like to see such spirit among the young
officers in our army and to hold it up tor public
notice and commentator.


GENERAL GRANT AND MR.. IwAKuRA.


Our last days in Japan were crowded with Incl
dents Of personal and public character. the
word personal to describe events that did not find
their way into tho newspapers nor belong to public
receptions. There constant visits to the
General from members of the Cabinet-trom Mr..
Iwakura. especially. who came to talk about public
question when General Grant used his best efforts
to bring China and Japan to good understanding.
What the effect of these conversations will he his
tory alone can tell but may add that the counsel
which the General has given in conversations with
Mr.. Iwakura and tho Ministry he has also given in
writing and very earnestly, to Prince Kung and Ii
Hung-Chang. Since hearing both sides Of the Loo
choo questionable Japanese case and the Chinese
case-General Grant has felt himself in position
speak with more precision than when. in China, he
heard only the Chinese story. Other ques-
tions arose-Questions connected with the in
dustrial and agricultural advancement Of Ja-
pan. The General pointed out to his Japanese
friends the large area OF fertile land awaiting cut
walton. and how much might be added to the wealth
and revenues OF the country If the people were in
duced to develop the whole territory This leads to
q discussion Of the land tax, heavy a burden to
the people, and which the government is compelled
to impose tor revenue. II, instead of taxes land
the authorities could levy tariff for revenue-such
n tariff rs a in Germany and FrAnce-tlen n
tax land could be abated. This led up to the
revision of the treaties. the absorbing question in
Japanese politics. and which is further advanced
than it when MIR. Iwakura went to the treaty
Powers his mission many years ago. The Gem
question. One of the odd phases OF the Eng
lish policy in the East is. that while
please in tariffs to have free trade or protection she
insists that Japan and China shall arrange their i'm
posts and tariffs solely with the view Of helping
English trade In other words Japan. an independ-
ent power, Is under duress that Canada Aus
tralis would never accept. This anomalous condition
of affairs will exist SO long the treaty remains
and England has shown inclination to con-
sent to any abrogation of her paramount rights
that Japan should make Q statement of her case to
the world. She should show the circumstances
under which this treaty was made-how her ignor-
humilating position. She should recall her
own extraordinary progress in accepting and
absorbing tho modern civilization; that i'll doing
this she has opened her empire to modern enter
prise ana shown the best evidence of her desire
be friendly with the world She should recount
the disadvantages under which this treaty places
hor--not alone moral. but material crlppling and
limiting her resources. She should announce that
the treaty at an end. but that she prepared
to sign the most favorable conventions that could
be devised. provided the treaty Powers recognized
her sovereign independent rights. She should at
the time proclaim her tariff open her ports and
tho interior OF her country. welcome foreign capital
foreign immigration: foreign labor and assert her
sovereignty The objection to this in tho minds Of
the Japanese IL that fleets may comc and the Eng
lsh may lombard Toxic as they did simonoseki.


If there IL one thing more certain than another"
reasoned the General. "it Is that England is in no
humor to make war upon Japan for tariff. do
not believe that under any circumstances
Lord Bcaconsfeld would consent to such
an, enterprise. He has had two wars, neither
OF which have commended themselves to tho Eng
lish people. An Englishman does not value tho
glory that comes from Afghan and Zulu campaigns.
To add to these demonstration against Japan be-
cause she had resolved to submit no longer to u
condition bordering on slavery would arouse
against Lord Beaconsicld a feeling at home that
would cost him his government. just now" tho
General advised, "is the best timc Lord Beacons-
field must soon 90 to the peop'e. His Parliament