ABSTRACT OF PROCEEDINGS, JULY 11th, 1904. 



The monthly meeting of the Eoyal 

 Socieiiy of Tasmania waa held at the 

 society's room on Monday evening. The 

 Bishop of Tasmania, Dr. Mercer, occu- 

 pied the chair, and among those present 

 were Dr. T. M. Hocken, F.L.S., of New 

 Zealand, Sir Adye Dougla;s, Mr. E. M. 

 Johnston, I.S.O., Mr. Bernard Shaw, Mr. 

 L. Eodway, and the hon. secretary (Mr. 

 A. Morton). An apology for absence was 

 received from His Excellency the 

 Lieut. -Governor, Sir John Dodds, 



K.C.M.G. 



The collection of Meiseonier's artists' 

 engravings left to the Art Gallery by the 

 late Mr. C. J. Barclay, and some Japan- 

 ese paintings and embroidery work 

 brought from Japan by Mrs. Hocken 

 were on view, and were greatly admired. 



The Late Mr. C. J. Barclay. 



The Chairman said that before proceed- 

 ing with the business, he wished to refer 

 to a late member of the Council of the 

 Society, Mr. C. J. Barclay. Since the 

 last meeting of the society that gentle- 

 man had passed away. Mr. Barclay had 

 been, although he had not had the plea- 

 sure of knowing him especially in con- 

 nection with this society, for many years 

 connected with it. He was elected a 

 Fellow of the society on the 10th of Janu- 

 ary, 1873, more than 30 years ago. He 

 had always taken a keen interest in this 

 institution, and he had bequeathed a 

 large collection of Meissonier's artists' 

 proof engravings. It was a mo'St valu- 

 able gift; not only were they splendid 

 engravings themselves, but the collection 

 was one of the msot valuable gifts of art 

 ever presented to their institution, and 

 when placed in the gallery could not fail 

 to be appreciated by the public. He 

 •was sure he spoke for all connected with 

 the society when he expressed the pro- 

 found regret at the loss they had sils- 

 tained in the death of Mr. Barclay. 

 (Hear, hear.) 



New Member. 



Rev. Herman Eitz, M.A., was elected 

 a member of the society. 



Social Equality. 



Mr. E. M. Johnston further elucidated 

 his paper read at last meeting on "Ob- 

 servations regarding some economic as- 

 pects of the Eisenach social equality pro- 

 blem." The discussion waa further ad- 

 journed till next meeting of the society. 



Japan: Its People and Industries. 

 Dr. Hocken delivered an interesting ad- 

 drees on this subject. He said : Whilst 



entirely appreciating the compliment of 

 being asked to make a few remarks on 

 the Eorestry Department of Japan, I feel 

 that they are scarcely worthy to be plac- 

 ed before your Eoyal Society, ina.gmuch 

 as the notes and references I made were 

 packed away some time ago with other 

 material, and forwarded to Dunedin. 

 Your secretary, however, g&ems always to 

 be on the alert, and seeking Avhom he 

 may devour, and it was he who beguiled 

 me into a predicament, from which I 

 can only escape by your courtesy and 

 forgiveness. Within the last three years 

 I have twice visited Japan, and a word 

 or two upon certain features of that in- 

 teresting country may interest you, and 

 will not be entirely astray from our sub- 

 ject. It is but a short fifty years ago 

 since the American Commodore Perry 

 knocked at the gates of Japan — I had 

 almost said with cannon ball. To that 

 time the country had been almost se- 

 cluded from commerce with the nations, 

 and, content in its pride of ancient feu- 

 dalism and curious semi-ciyilisation, it 

 stood aloof from them. But when, in 

 unmistakable, nay, threatening, tones 

 the outside world said that this old order 

 must change, and that Japan, geographi- 

 cally situated as it was, must no longer 

 impede trade and progress, what was tlie 

 reault ? Just such as our recently gained 

 knowledge of Japanese character would 

 lead us to expect. Though there were 

 two parties, there was no indifferentism, 

 laisez faire. Whilst one party sprang to 

 the position at once, and saw that the only 

 hope of safety and advance lay in ac- 

 cepting Western methods, and entering 

 upon their civilisation, the other, the old 

 warrior party, the Daimios of the Shogu- 

 nati. were incensed beyond measure at 

 the impudent threats of the foreigner. 

 And though the barrier was thua roughly 

 broken down, and the Americans and then 

 ourselves began to enter, all was violent 

 strife amongst the people themselves. 

 Cries of "traitor" were incessant, civil 

 war raged, assassination and murder, 

 from which many of our own people did 

 not escape, were common, and it seemed 

 indeed as though the blessings of civilisa- 

 tion were to be anything but blessed — 

 rather a curse. And then those terrible 

 commotions began to oease, as they gener- 

 ally do, and gradually from north to 

 south the people began to accept the 

 teachings of the barbarian in thorough 

 earnest, and we may date this time 

 about the last 25 or 30 years. Since then 

 their progress has been nothing less than 

 marvellous. Their constitution is simi- 

 lar to ours — representative government, 

 with an Upper and a Lower House. 

 Eailways run through the land. The 



