Year: 1872




here that the subject of the English garrison at Yoko
hama has been brought up in Parliament and that de-
hate s Threatened thercupon This very persistence In
maintaining a useless armed force at the principal
foreign settlement is OF them Nothing can be more
certain than that tho handful OF British troops could
never have been OF the slightest practical service in case
OF real danger and st is seriously doubted by many
whether there was ever any actual occasion for their
having been stationed here at all IL the necessity at
one time existed it has long since passed away. BY
Americans such preeauton has been considered es-
sential or expedlent II there perilous time
for foreigners in Japan u wbeG Mr. Townsend ar-
rs resided alone In Yed0 for months
after oil his colleagues had Withdrawn IN
panic; but that gentleman at least never
entertained the notion Of surrounding himself win
show OF military defense, other than that sug-
gested and supplied by the native Government
Nor did anything occur, 80 far as nc was
personally concerned. TO indicate that his commence
was misapplied. Even at that early day. the Enshsh
appeared to have secured monopoly OF japanese III
feeling The attacks made. from whatever motives upon
Sir r. Alcock Mr. Richardson, and Others seemed sui-
cent 20 them TO the introduction OF regiment
OF infantry to preserve the peace of mind OF the settlers
In Yokohama This was resisted as, indeed II cod
not well have been. by the japanese; Dut IL Sas aW'yS
regarded as an afrOnt, and is now, since inc eSaoSh
ment of the government resented WIN great DoeI
ness as needless and purposelcss insult The autnor-





and also say with very good reason that II they them
solves ore not capable preserving public tranquility
an far as TO proect foreigners from any general on
slaucbt the presence of few hundred rihemen would
be of little avail The truth undoubtedly Is tbat the En-
csh officials are beginning TO share the growing oOhc
tion that their petty armament is waste OF money ana
material and are restrained from discOntnuing 1t at
once only by an apprehension that the withdrawal may
he taken as an open acknowledgment OF the folly ana
Injustice OF so long maintaining it. Under any circuin-
stances It certain that the japanese who are every
day getting views of Their own rights VIII not
endure it longer than the time fixed for tho revision Oi
the troates-next year.


Neither the better class Of the community here nor
the Government officials, in the habit of complaining
much about the actions or general demeanOr Of foreign
ers but is pretty well recognized fact that whenever
they are reused from their mpeturbabty, Engishmen
are toeraby TO be the cause Of it, am AFRAID that
al of u are too apt to exhibit our sense OF supposed
superiority over the native Inhabitants but with the
English it is not only the proclaim it in the most
aggressive way but to spare opportunity that can be
discovered or invented for throwing rdoue and dis
grace upon the entire japanese people Their projects
OF REFORM their vigorous efforts TO obtain something IKE


worthy commercial ard political stand among the ma
tons are constantly derded and impeded. Excepting
so far a the new Government movements can be turned
to profitable account they are opposed as useless and
mschievOus The Japanese, for instance, have intima-



and export tariff next year. 1t is, in fact an absolute
financial necessity but it will interfere TO some extent
with the present prosperity OF tho English traders ana
an outcry Is raised about 1t which would lead casual
observer suppose that they had been threatened with
every conceivable outrage and that the immediate inter
Of the foreign legations was necessary for their
protection 1t is not often that they reused to de-
monstratlons of this extreme character, but
their practice of covering with cOntemptuous
misrepresentation every act and event IN
which the japanese concerned is elmost
unceasing. Half dozen religious fanatics are shot
down in an attempt to force their way into the Mados
CASTLE and Yokohama cries out that lnsurrecton
has broken forth, that the Government cannot protect
the soveregns person and that the dynasty doomed
vast cOnfagratiOn spreads over the capital during
which the order and tranquility Of the people are ad
mrably displayed, and the English newspapers are cd
with infamous fabTicatOns about immense and wan
ton destruction Of human life by infulated soldiers
dered frantic through their inability 10 control the
ccsses Of the pOpuaee. This imaginary ferOoy Of the
Japaneae sanurai is OF the favOrte ctiOns Of the
English in Japan To admit that such ferOcity does not
universally exist would be TO acknowledge that scores
Of handed reprsals, violent demands for indemn
ties and other indignes offered during the last ten
years have without ustifcationa belief which the
most impartial and cOnsiderate observers do
hesitate to Again the temporary return OF Ito
and Okubo Of the Embassy TO this country was greeted
with an ezultant shout that the mission had been
failure and that all concerned in it would probably be
degraded and perhaps deprived in effective way
Of the power of wandering abroad In future.
treaty was recently made with China. one clause
Of which obvious copy Of the second section OF the
the Townsend Harris treaty Of 1858, and the Govern
ment is consequently accused OF deliberate attempt to
defy all the Powers of Europe by entering into
scheme of offensive and defensive Asiatic opera
lOhS IN th7 anoI, eNeiS 5pt bh MI vi
does affect Is thought likely TO affect British inter
ess, is quarred with; and all Others Of whatever I'M
scOffed II. i
that this teady course OF insoence and nterier-
anoe can bTeeen the sole of all the bitterness
Just fet and expressed against England; but that
1t has contributed to IL In considerable degree there is


The final granting Of an increased subsidy to the
Pacific Mail Steam ship Company Is spoken OF here in
that very little interest felt IN the matter by anybody
This indifference partly arises from the fact that 1t
universally believed that the profile OF the line were
enormous that its managers had really claim upon
Government support and that they were all along fully
determined to double their traffic this year. whether the
wshedfOr assistance should be granted withheld and
partly from the absence Of any serious desire for
addition to the number Of annual mails. The merchants
appeared TO be perfectly satisfied with mail "a
that movements of the steamers calculated TO
render the regular intercourse more rapid have been
cdenSilY last month Of replying without delay to the
American letters Of May was far from being generally
welcome. Usually, the San Francisco steamer from
America arrives two three days after the departure
OF that ior tne on.ed STATES Last Ohta ne order
In great ribulatiOn about it, II the task OF answer
ing letters within 4S hours is considered hardship,
extra mail every two weeks hardly be very
earnestly desired But 1t was sure TO be established
under any circumstances. Apart from its magnificent
earnings the Pacific Mail Company bad no idea Of
rendering without an effort the monopoly 1t now enjoys
Half million year is a tri0ng amount compared with
what they would have risked II they had delayed en-
largng their accommodations and increasing the
Der of their ships report has just arrived from the
north Of formidable insurrection OF peasantry against
the authorities at Ni-gata, which, IL hereafter
confirmed will be Of consequence. AT present II too
shadOwy TO receive much attention Tue officers Of the
Embassy, who suddenly to Japan last month, will
return by the next steamer, accompanied by erashima
one the experienced and clever of the Foreign
Minister'S but great invalid Whether he goes reGn
force Commission, to arrange in Europe for the
reception Of japanese contributions 20 the Austrian Ex
position is not announced. The last OF the Takuns,