392 



JAPAN. 



JUDD, G. P. 



The consular reports to the English Govern- 

 ment cull attention to tho difficulties which be- 

 set the progress of commerce in Ju)<:m. Mr 

 II. Parkes points out the potent and injurious 

 influence exercised on foreign commerce by 

 the Japanese guilds. These commercial cor- 

 porations are allied with the Japanese Govern- 

 ment, and extend over the whole country. 

 Their proceedings are shrouded in secrecy, but 

 the effects of their action are evident. The 

 influence of these corporations is .said to be in- 

 creasing from day to day, constituting a power 

 which the foreign houses must necessarily take 

 into consideration. Strange to say, some of 

 the foreign houses afford aid to these guilds in 

 the shape of capital. The guilds also issue pa- 

 per money without limit, being authorized to 

 do SO by the Government, und this paper 

 money is accepted in payment for imports. It 

 is true that the paper is soon cashed ; but the 

 guilds, nevertheless, have the benefit of a cer- 

 tain amount of floating capital through the ex- 

 istence of this currency. The capital possessed 

 by the guilds is furnished to some extent by 

 the Government, as also partly by the Japan- 

 ese, supplemented as already observed by u 

 few foreign merchants. These guilds, or cor- 

 porations, have grown rapidly since commer- 

 cial relations with foreigners became of impor- 

 tance, and, in consequence of this system, the 

 trade of Yokohama has become a gigantic 

 monopoly in the bands of the Japanese Gov- 

 ernment. This is altogether contrary to the 

 letter and spirit of the treaties negotiated by 

 foreign powers some time back. Each of the 

 powers then negotiating with Japan provided 

 in the treaty a special article, establishing the 

 right of its own subjects, as also of the Japan- 

 ese merchants, to enter into trading relations 

 without any official interference. Bnt by 

 means of those guilds the Japanese have alto- 

 gether evaded the effect of this article in the 

 treaties. The vice of the old official system 

 continues, and tho completeness of the organ- 

 ization, together with its recognized power, 

 enables it to control or rather to coerce 

 the trade of the country. The central body at 

 Yokohama operates through the corporation 

 of the provinces, so as to "arrest, weaken, or 

 strengthen " tho demand for exports and im- 

 ports. The institution at Yokohama "fixes 

 the price at which its affiliated societies may 

 sell their products, or buy those of the foreign - 

 era." These societies know that all decrees of 

 the directors are sanctioned by the Govern- 

 ment, and that it is a mutter of serious peril to 

 resist them. Hence, under the present rule ot 

 tho Mikado, as formerly under the regime of 

 the Onimioa, the soles of the product- of the 

 empire are in the hands of the sovereign or 

 his delegate*. 



Toward the close of the year tho Jap. 

 Government was believed to prepare lor ob- 

 taining redress for tho inhumanity exhibited 

 by the Kormosans toward the crown of cer- 

 tain Japanese crafts which have at various 



times been compelled to put into one of the 

 ports on the Formosan coast The Chinese 



Government having repudiated all responsibil- 

 ity upon this score, the Imperial (iovernmeiit 

 has opened communication with the Formo- 

 san authorities, whoso tone, however, hardly 

 favors the idea of an amicable settlem< i.l. 



In July a serious revolt occurred in the prov- 

 ince of Fukuoka (in South Japan), owing to a 

 misunderstanding between the Keusho or ' 

 eminent officers and the farmers. 'The farm- 

 ers rose in a body to the number of from 15,- 

 000 to 20,000, according to other accounts 60,- 

 000, armed with long bamboos, which they 

 pointed with iron, and used as spears. Some 

 also had guns. They commenced destroying 

 all the Government property they could lay 

 their hands upon. They appear to have be- 

 gun at Kokuro, or north part of the province, 

 cutting down all the telegraph-poles, and de- 

 stroying tho wires and insulators for the entire 

 length of the province. On their road they 

 pulled down or fired every Government offi- 

 cer'* hou>e, killing the officer if he did not 

 make his escape. At Fukuoka they set fire to 

 the town in two places, totally destroy ing tho 

 Yuski where the telegraph-office is situated, 

 breaking every thing in the place, including 

 windows and doors, the roof and flooring not 

 escaping their vengeance. The rebels bm mil 

 all the official papers and destroyed all the 

 spare stores. After the officers had time to 

 muster, they brought a 80-lb. gun into play on 

 the rebels, and, utter killing about 180 with a 

 few rounds of grape, the remainder retreated 

 for the time. They next paid their visit to 

 every .-hop in the town of Fukuoka and the 

 suburbs where European goods or stor. - w i re 

 sold, breaking and destroying every thing in 

 the place. This riot continued for about six 

 days, when two regiments of foot (Sotsuma 

 men) arrived and gave the rebels a warm re- 

 ception, killing about '2<>: the remainder then 

 retreated into the surrounding mountains. 



JU1)1>, G. P., M.I)., an eminent statesman 

 and councillor of the kingdom of llawuii. horn 

 in Paris, Oiicida County. N. V., April M, : 

 died in Honolulu, Sandwich Islands, .luh 

 1878. \\ ehave been unable to ascertain wheth- 

 er I>r. Judd was a graduate of any college, or 

 where he obtained his medical education, but 

 late in 1827 he received the appointment of mis- 

 sionary physician from tin- American Board of 

 Commissioners for Foreign Missions, and ar- 

 rived in Honolulu in company with Messrs. 

 Clark, Andrews, Green, and (iiilick, and their 

 in March, 1828. In 1840 he accompa- 

 nied Commodore \Vilkes in bis exploring tour 

 through the islands. In 1842 he resigned his 

 connection with the mission, and, at the invita- 

 tion of Kamehamehalll., accepted (lie position 

 of recorder and interpreter to the Government, 

 an office somewhat similar to that of secretary 

 to the King. When Lord (leorge Panic! took 

 possession of the islands in 1S43, I>r. .Judd was 

 appointed one of the joint commission to rep- 



