366 



JAPAN. 



in consequence of the strictures of English Cabinet 

 ministers at the indiscreet publication in an Italian 

 green book of secret negotiations relative to the re- 

 tention of Kassala, though the Italian minister was 

 not the instigator of the publication, which was in- 

 tended as an attack on the late ministry. Gen. 

 Ricotti offered his resignation on July 11 in conse- 

 quence of the rejection by the Cabinet of his pro- 

 posal to reduce the numerical strength of the army. 

 In view of his action Premier di Kudini and the 

 other ministers placed their resignations in the 

 hands of the King. The Marquis di Rudirri was 

 charged with the reconstruction of the ministry. 

 The Cabinet adjourned pending the crisis, which 

 was ended on July 14 by the appointment of the 

 following Cabinet: President of the Council, Min- 

 ister of the Interior, and ad interim Minister of For- 

 eign Affairs, the Marquis di Rudini ; Minister of 

 Marine, Admiral Brin ; Minister of War, Gen. 

 Luig_i Pelloux ; Minister of Justice, Signor Costa ; 

 Minister of Finance, Signor Branca ; Minister of 

 the Treasury, Luigi Luzzati ; Minister of Public 

 Works, Giulio Prinetti ; Minister of Public Instruc- 

 tion, Signor Gianturco ; Minister of Agriculture, 

 Count Guicciardini ; Minister of Posts and Tele- 

 graphs, Emilia Sineo ; minister without portfolio, 

 Count Codronchi, Civil Commissioner in Sicily. 

 Gen. Pelloux insisted on restoring the military 

 budget from 234,000.000 lire to the original figure, 

 246,000.000 lire. The Cabinet was completed on 

 July 17, when the Marquis Visconti-Venosta ac- 

 cepted the portfolio of Foreign Affairs. 



The principal subject of debate at the opening of 

 the winter session on Nov. 30 was the definitive 

 treaty with Abyssinia. Major Nerazzini as pleni- 

 potentiary of the Italian Government signed at 

 Adis Abeba on Oct. 26 the final treaty of peace 

 with Menelek. King of Shoa and Emperor of Ethio- 

 pia, whose forces crushed the Italian army at Abba 

 Karima, near Adovva. By this treaty Italy acceded 

 to Menelek's original demand, which had been 

 granted in the provisional agreement, that Italian 

 sovereignty should be restricted to the Massowah- 

 Keren-Asmara triangle, the exact boundaries to be 

 determined after a year by special delegates of the 

 two governments. In the meantime the status quo 

 ante and the Mareb-Belesa-Muna boundary shall be 

 respected. In a separate convention Menelek agreed 

 to release all the Italian prisoners of war, a large 

 number of whom had already been given up. Italy 

 recognized the absolute independence of Abyssinia. 

 Italy also engaged not to cede to other powers any 

 part of the colony of Erythrea. It was stipulated 

 that, if the Italian Government should spontaneous- 

 ly wish to abandon any portion of its territory, this 

 would return to Ethiopian rule. While abrogating 

 the treaty of Ucciali and renouncing the Italian 



claim to a protectorate over Abyssinia, the treaty, 

 according to the interpretation of the Italian Prinie 

 Minister, equally bars the assertion of any similar 

 claim by any other European power. The treaty 

 secured to Italy possession of the Okule Kusai, 

 which had previously been in dispute. In the con- 

 vention for the release of prisoners Menelek agreed 

 to send them to Harrar, whence they would leave 

 for Zeila as soon as the ratifications of the treaty 

 were exchanged. This took place a month after 

 the signature, and the prisoners were sent on their 

 way home. The Negus stipulated for an indemnity 

 for the heavy expenses incurred in supporting and 

 bringing together the prisoners, leaving the determi- 

 nation of the amount to the sense of' equity of the 

 Italian Government. Although the treaty was 

 made and ratified without the consent of the Italian 

 Chamber, its discussion and that of the fate of the 

 Italian colony in Africa were inevitable. When 

 the Chamber met on Nov. 30 and immediately be- 

 gan to discuss the treaty and the African policy of 

 the Government, Signor Imbriani, the Radical 

 leader, supported by the Socialist representative, 

 Signor Agnini, proposed the speedy evacuation of 

 Erythrea and complete withdrawal from Africa. 

 The Marquis di Rudini in his explanation left the 

 door open for the ultimate abandonment of the ter- 

 ritory, or for its transfer to a commercial company, 

 or for its development as a national colony, but 

 said that the success of the colony and the interests 

 of Italy depended upon its transformation from a 

 military into an agricultural and commercial col- 

 ony. He said that the time had not arrived for a 

 definite decision, and moved the indefinite adjourn- 

 ment of the debate. The lack of a quorum saved 

 the Government from a defeat on this motion. The 

 Duke of Sermoneta, the late Minister for Foreign 

 Affairs, was active in supporting the proposal to 

 abandon the African enterprise. The Government 

 had a majority of 220 to 33 on a motion censur- 

 ing its domestic policy. On Dec. 3 came the news 

 of the massacre by Somalis of the acting Italian 

 consul to Zanzibar, Signor Cechhi, and 7 Italian 

 officers and 6 men, deserted by their escort of 70 

 Askaris near Mogadoscio, where the consul was en- 

 gaged as a special commissioner in transferring the 

 administration of the Benadir coast to a private 

 Italian company. Signor Cavalotti renewed his as- 

 saults on the character of ex- Premier Crispi, but the 

 Chamber would not listen to a revival of scandal. 

 After discussing the Tunisian treaty and ratifying 

 it by a vote of 232 votes against 64, the Chamber 

 adjourned for the holidays on Dec. 22, having pre- 

 viously voted an annual allowance of 1,000,000 lire 

 to the newly married Prince of Naples, which the 

 King promised to return to the treasury every year 

 from the civil list. 



J 



JAPAN, an empire occupying an archipelago 

 lying eastward of the Asian continent, between the 

 Spanish and Russian possessions, extending from 

 the twentieth to the forty-ninth degree of north 

 latitude. The two largest islands are Hondo and 

 Formosa. The various groups officially recognized 

 because of habitation or Government use (out of 

 the known total of nearly 4,000) comprise Hondo 

 with 166, Kiushiu 150, Shikoku 74, Riu Kiu 55, 

 Chishima (Kuriles) 32, Bonin 17, Yezo 12. and 

 Tsushima 5 islands; total, 411. Formosa and the 

 Pescadores constitute the newer group. In this 

 article, unless specially stated, the statistics do not 



include Formosa. The coast line of the empire 

 and the area, based on the great map of T. Ino, 

 made about 1830, are 175.728 linear and 155.966 

 square miles respectively. Of the total area, Hondo 

 has 59, Hokkaido or Yezo 20, Kiushiu 11, Shikoku 

 5. and Chishima 4 per cent. Hondo, the main isl- 

 and, is 900 miles long and. on an average, 90 miles 

 wide. A volcanic range of mountains extends from 

 the northern to the southern end. The population 

 numbers 280 to the square mile. 



The Emperor Mutsuhito (" gentle or peaceful 

 man") was born Nov. 3, 1852. The Km press Ha- 

 ruko, born May 28, 1850, was married Feb. 3, 1869. 



