JAPAN. 



395 



chants of Yokohama had requested their 

 ministers to protest against the issue of 

 paper money, unless the Government would 

 keep bullion sufficient to redeem its issues at 

 sight. 



While the Government of the Mikado ob- 

 served, on the whole, a friendly attitude toward 

 the foreign Governments, a most cruel persecu- 

 tion was instituted against the native Christians, 

 especially in Nagasaki and its vicinity. The 

 following is one of the imperial decrees pub- 

 lished on the subject : 



As the abominable religion of the Christians is 

 strictly prohibited, every one shall be bound to de- 

 nounce to^the proper authorities such persons as ap- 

 pear suspicious to him ; and a reward shall be given 

 to him for so doing. Although the sect of the Chris- 

 tians has been already centuries ago persecuted most 

 rigorously by the Bankfu Government, its entire ex- 

 termination had ncft been arrived at. As, however, 

 the number of the followers of the Christian doctrine 

 had lately considerably augmented in the village of 

 Urakami, near Nagasaki, wnpse peasants secretly ad- 

 here to it, after mature consideration it has been or- 

 dered by the highest authority, that Christians shall 

 be taken into custody, according to the rules laid 

 down in the annexed document: "As the Chris- 

 tian doctrine has been prohibited in this country since 

 the oldest times, this matter ought not to be lightly 

 treated. Those to whose custody Christians shall be 

 confided ; shall therefore instruct them of what is right, 

 with leniency and humanity ; and shall do their best 

 to again make good men of them. But if some should 

 not repent and acknowledge their errors, they shall 

 be most severely punished without any mercy. Those 

 whom it concerns shall keep this well in mind, and 

 denounce to the proper authorities every one who shall 

 prove incorrigible. Those men (Christians), until 

 they have repented, shall not be allowed to have any 

 intercourse with the inhabitants of the places where 

 they are consigned. They shall be used to clear land, 

 or to work in the lime-pits, or the gold and coal mines, 

 or for any work their officers may think fit to employ 

 them on. They shall live in the mountains and for- 

 ests. One -portion of rice shall be allowed per, head 

 to the respective Daimios for the space of three years, 

 to commence from a day to be determined hereafter. 

 They shall be brought in small detachments to the 

 places mentioned below. The Daimios shall, as soon 

 as they receive the information of the arrival of the 

 persons allotted to them, send soldiers to take them 

 over. The above imperial orders are hereby published 

 for observance. The following Daimios shall take 

 over the Christians allotted to them at their respec- 

 tive palaces at Osaca." 



This decree was followed by a list of 84 

 Daimios, who had Christian prisoners allotted 

 to them, in numbers varying from 30 to 250 

 each, the total number being 4,100 persons. 

 The following imperial decree on the subject 

 was posted up at the gates of Yokohama and at 

 Houmra : 



The Christian religion heretofore being strictly 

 forbidden, still, in the same manner as formerly, is 

 strictly interdicted. The devilish sect is strictly pro- 



On the fan of July, one hundred and four- 

 teen native Christians, chiefly men and heads 

 of families, were put on board the Japan- 

 ese steamer Sir H. Parkes, at Nagasaki, and 

 carried out to sea. A rumor spread that they 

 were drowned ; but it was subsequently found 

 out that they were destined to penal servitude 



in the mines of the north. The several consuls, 

 resident at Nagasaki, united in remonstrating 

 with the authorities against this barbarous pro- 

 ceeding, but the only satisfaction they obtained 

 was an insolent recommendation to limit their 

 attention to their own affairs. The ministers 

 at Yeddo also entered a protest, but with no 

 better success. It was hoped that the French 

 would resort to more stringent measures. 



"W. H. Grinnell, formerly a volunteer lieu- 

 tenant in the United States Navy, and attached 

 to tjie Oneida, of the Asiatic squadron, re- 

 ceived an appointment from the Japanese Gov- 

 ernment, as inspector and instructor of the 

 Japanese Navy. Grinnell has thje rank of ad- 

 miral, and $12,000 a year pay, besides house- 

 rent and servants. He presides over the naval 

 school at Hiogo, which is attended by a large 

 number of Japanese officials, some of whom are 

 of high rank, and instructs them in navigation, 

 trigonometry, seamanship, etc. He is also mak- 

 ing preparations for the erection of a navy- 

 yard. He is treated with great respect by all 

 classes of Japanese, being allowed to go any- 

 where curiosity or interest may lead him. 



Eussia, in 1868, concluded a new convention 

 with the Government of Japan (published in 

 the official Law Bulletin of June 18th), supple- 

 mentary to the treaty of 1858. According to 

 Art. 5 of this convention, all the products of 

 Japan may be transported from any part of the 

 country to the open ports, without being sub- 

 jected to a transit or any other duty. Art. 6 

 pledges the Japanese Government to introduce 

 without delay, into the coining of money, the 

 indispensable changes and improvements, for 

 the purpose of removing all obstacles to the 

 free circulation of foreign coin in Japan. Art. 

 9 gives to Japanese merchants of any class the 

 right to trade directly with Russian merchants, 

 without the interference of any Japanese func- 

 tionary, not only in the open ports of Japan, 

 but also in Russia. Japanese princes also, and 

 their retainers, are authorized to go to Russia, 

 and trade with Russia. 



On the llth of November, Yon Polsbroek ? 

 as plenipotentiary for the King of Sweden and 

 Norway, signed a treaty of friendship, com- 

 merce, and navigation, with Higashi Kuze, 

 Chiujyo, Terashima Tozo, and Iseki Saiyemon, 

 as plenipotentiaries for the Mikado. 



In 1867" the Government of the Hawaiian 

 Islands had sent D. C. "Waterman special com- 

 missioner to Japan, for the purpose of gaining 

 a market for sugars, as well as the labor for 

 raising the same. He succeeded in accomplish- 

 ing both his purposes. In 1868 the ship 

 Scioto, fitted up with all the comforts and con- 

 veniences of a first-class emigrant packet, 

 sailed, having on board several hundred pas- 

 sengers, an officer of the Japanese Govern- 

 ment accompanying to see that the terms of 

 the contract be fulfilled, for which, even to the 

 payment of wages, the Hawaiian Government 

 holds itself responsible. 



The great political revolution through which 



