416 



JAPAF. 



beinw all descendants of the celebrated Jeyayas, the 

 founder of the dignity of Shogoon ; but the right 

 of succession is vested in two other families of 

 more direct descent, though of scarcely any territorial 

 influence. These are the families of the Tyass and 

 Stotsbashi. 



In the event of a failure of heirs in these two last- 

 named families one of the Gosankioi is adopted into 

 them. The family name of the Shpgoon's dynasty 

 is Tokugawa, of which the five families above named 

 are branches, all with the same name. The death of 

 a Shogoon is always kept secret for about six weeks, 

 till the appointment of his successor, which is 

 generally the subject of some intrigue, is ratified by 

 the Mikado, from whom the Shogoon receives his 

 investiture. The permanent seat of his government 

 is at Yedo, but he frequently resides at Miako with 

 his principal ministers of state. On these occasions 

 his court is called Midionzio. It was a very rare 

 event, in former times, for the Shogoon to visit 

 Miako. As long as his power was supreme in Japan he 

 governed from Yedo, and the Mikado and his min- 

 ister, the Quambak, were contented to follow the 

 advice of the Shoshidi, or political agent of the 

 Shogoon, permanently resident at Miako. Now, 

 however, the authority of the Shogoon is slipping away 

 from him, and he has found it advisable to visit 

 Miako more frequently for the purpose of counter- 

 acting by his personal influence the intrigues of the 

 Daimios to deprive him of power. 



It does not appear that either of the two great 

 Councils of Daimios, one consisting of 18 or 24 and the 

 others 342, which are alluded to by Sir Eutherford 

 Alcock in his interesting work, do really exist. 

 They were probably invented by his informant as a 

 useful body of objectors, to be put forward when the 

 Government wished to excuse themselves from con- 

 ceding some obnoxious point of policy. 



The new Tycoon, Stotsbashi, was formally 

 installed into liisnew office on the 10th of Janu- 

 ary, 1807. From that he \vas fully endowed 

 with the Tycoonal power, while before he had 

 only been administering the government as 

 Tycoon-elect. 



The Mikado, whose reigning name was Kingo 

 Koo Thci, died on the 3d of February, 1867, at 

 Kioto, in the thirty-seventh year of his age, 

 and twenty-fifth of his reign, leaving a son 

 sixteen or seventeen years old, as his successor 

 to the throne. The usual period of mourning 

 for the death of a Mikado is now fifty days ; at 

 the end of which time the ceremonies apper- 

 taining to the accession of a successor are pro- 

 ceeded with, and generally occupy thirty days. 

 .In the mean time no governmental or other busi- 

 ness of the country, requiring a reference to 

 the court of the Mikado, can be transacted. 

 The Mikado died of small-pox a disease which, 

 although quite common to the country since 

 the time of the first Mikado, Jingmoo Ten-o, 

 who reigned 2,503 years ago, has never been 

 known to attack the sacred person of a Mikado 

 before. 



The new Tycoon gave another proof of his 

 friendly disposition toward foreign nations by 

 inviting the foreign ministers to visit him at 

 Osaka, and to confer with him and the Goro- 

 jib on a new regulation of the relations between 

 Japan and foreign countries. The invitation 

 was accepted, and the meeting took place in 

 the first days of May. The treatment of the 

 ambassadors by the Tycoon was princely. 



Houses had been prepared for them, filled with 

 the costliest European furniture, French cooks 

 and European servants were provided, wines 

 and liquors were without stint, and, in fact, 

 every thing they wanted during their stay was 

 furnished in abundance and free of expense. 

 " Each representative and suite was granted a 

 private audience and dinner with the Tycoon 

 several days before the official visits took place. 

 On these occasions the Tycoon presided at the 

 table, in a large, high room, wholly European 

 in its outfittings. The dinner was thoroughly 

 French in detail, and small but valuable pres- 

 ents were laid beside each plate. The Tycoon 

 is a man of ordinary stature, apparently thirty- 

 three years of age, with good features, bright 

 black eyes, and splendid teeth, which he fre- 

 quently displays in smiling. He was very richly 

 dressed, and his manners are easy and refined. 

 At the official visit, which was of short dura- 

 tion, every thing was Japanese. The Tycoon 

 expressed to Minister Van Valkenburg his 

 great gratification at the establishment of the 

 new steamship line between America and 

 Japan. The time of the ambassadors during 

 their stay in Osaka was chiefly occupied in con- 

 ferences among themselves and with the Goro- 

 jio. The result of the conference was entirely 

 satisfactory ; arrangements were made for the 

 establishment of foreigners at Hiogo and Osaka 

 on the 1st of January, 1888, and the promise 

 given that Yedo and some port on the western 

 coast would likewise be opened to foreigners. 

 The following is the full text of the conven- 

 tion: 



1. The Japanese Government will form at Hiogo 

 a settlement for foreigners of all nations having trea- 

 ties with Japan, on the ground situated between the 

 town of Kobe a_nd the Ikuto Kiver. The Japanese 

 Government will raise that portion of the ground 

 colored red on the annexed plan, and will give it such 

 an incline toward the sea as is necessary for the 

 thorough drainage of the site. They will also con- 

 struct an enbankment, faced with stone, on the sea 

 front of the said site ; of not less than 400 ken in 

 length, and will provide such roads and drains as 

 may hereafter be determined on. 



2. As soon as all the ground thus prepared in 

 accordance with the preceding article for the use of 

 the foreigners above named is occupied and more 

 space is required, the settlement may be extended 

 toward the hills at the back as far as may be found 

 necessary, and Japanese owning ground or buildings 

 in the town of Kobe will then be at liberty to lease 

 the same to foreigners if they wish to do so. 



3. The Japanese Government will set aside the site 

 shown in the annexed plan and colored red, within 

 which foreigners may, in the terms of the treaties, 

 hire houses and reside at Osaka. But no Japanese 

 shall be compelled to rent any buildings to foreigners 

 within the said site against his will ; and as the^ Jap- 

 anese Government are willing that foreigners of those 

 nations having treaties with Japan should enjoy at 

 Osaka the same facilities for leasing ground and build- 

 ing houses as are secured to them by treaty at the 

 ports, the Japanese Government are prepared to lease 

 to foreigners for building purposes that portion of 

 land on the same plan which is colored blue. The 

 Japanese Government will raise the ground now 

 under cultivation on the west face of the latter site to 

 the level of the other portion of the ground- within 

 it, and will embank it with stone. The necessary 



