410 



JAPAN 



of the CUJioTcuan Kuaigi will be apparent to all. 

 Our earnest endeavors shall be directed to this end. 



The Mikado replied : 



It was our intention to convoke this Assembly in 

 May of last year. But at that time our foreign rela- 

 tions were attended with some perplexities, and de- 

 manded its postponement. We now greatly rejoice 

 that the members have assembled together. This be- 

 ing your first meeting, for which our history affords 

 neither precedent nor guiding law, our hopes are based 

 on the tenor of your reply, and we confidently trust 

 that your efforts will avail to bring forth from deep 

 sources streams of lasting happiness to the people. 



The Assembly closed its session July 17th. 

 The subjects debated were the organization 

 of a national police force, the improvement 

 of roads and bridges, and the establishment of 

 a popular House of Representatives. The first 

 two were satisfactorily adjusted, and the third 

 left open for further consideration. 



In July a convention was signed between 

 Russia and Japan by which the island of Sag- 

 halien, at the mouth of the river Amoor, is 

 ceded to Russia. In exchange, Russia ceded 

 to Japan its portion of the Kurile Islands. 

 The treaty provides that subjects shall be al- 

 lowed to remain in or leave the territories as 

 they may decide, those remaining receiving 

 equal rights and protection to property and 

 religion. The island of Saghalien is about 600 

 miles long, and about 90 miles broad. Its pop- 

 ulation is no more than about 15,000 souls, of 

 whom 3,000 are Russians, but only 50 are Eu- 

 ropeans or Americans. There is a Russian 

 garrison at Dhui, which is the principal settle- 

 ment in the island, also some artillery. The 

 object of maintaining this garrison, at any rate 

 during the summer, is not apparent ; for the 

 deported persons detained at Saghalien could 

 not escape if they tried. The sea all around 

 is far too dangerous. At the time of the Crim- 

 ean War the garrison was removed to Si- 

 beria. In winter the sea is frozen over for 

 the space of four months, and then the pas- 

 sage to Siberia is effected by sledges drawn 

 by dogs. Russia appears always to have 

 had a hankering for Saghalien long before 

 its value as a colony was known. Indeed, it 

 disputes the priority of occupation with the 

 Japanese. In 1807 the Russian Lieutenant 

 Ohoostoff formally took possession of it as a 

 Russian dependency, but in 1813 the Russian 

 G-overnment declared that occupation invalid. 

 Since then Japan has gradually acquired pos- 

 session of the southern half, whereas the north- 

 ern has always been indisputably under Rus- 

 sian government. There has been a good deal 

 of friction between Russians and Japanese con- 

 cerning the possession of the island, but, valu- 

 able or almost invaluable as it is to Russia, it 

 would be useless to Japan, owing to the differ- 

 ence of climate. This fact alone would invest 

 the island with importance as a site for a Rus- 

 sian naval station. But, over and beyond this, 

 Saghalien holds an enviable tactical position. 

 It commands and protects the mouth of the 

 river Amoor, a channel of communication with 



a great future, and also the sea of Okhotsk. It 

 is, therefore, all-important for Russia to have 

 possession of it. Its extensive coal-fields are 

 to be worked by Russian engineers and miners, 

 and it is intended for this purpose to employ a 

 large number of the convicts from Siberia. In 

 August the Russian and Japanese commission 

 sailed from Tokio to complete the transfer of 

 the Kurile Islands to Japan, and the Saghalien 

 Islands to Russia. 



New complications have arisen in the Liu- 

 Khiu affair, in consequence of a party of Liu- 

 Khiuans having started, without authority, to 

 congratulate the new Emperor of China on his 

 accession. They were escorted to Peking and 

 lodged in one of the government buildings. 

 A false announcement being made that the 

 visit was for the purpose of renewing the dec- 

 larations of ancient vassalage, the Japanese 

 charge,, instead of referring to his Government 

 for instruction in the matter, committed the 

 mistake of seeking a personal explanation from 

 the Liu-Khiuans. To this the Chinese au- 

 thorities objected. The Japanese Government, 

 while regretting that the affair had been care- 

 lessly handled by the charge, deemed it neces- 

 sary to warn China not to continue surrepti- 

 tious relations with this Japanese dependency, 

 and decided to establish a military camp at the 

 Liu-Khiu Islands. 



The relations between Japan and Corea were 

 throughout the year of an unfriendly character. 

 It was stated that there was a great clamor 

 for war among the soldiers, who showed them- 

 selves as eager to go against Corea as formerly 

 to go to Formosa. It was believed that for 

 want of a foreign war the soldiers might create 

 disturbances at home, and that the most reso- 

 lute and the most united action on the part of 

 the Mikado and all the members of his Gov- 

 ernment was needed to avert either internal 

 or external war. In October it was reported 

 that a Japanese man-of-war was fired upon 

 from a Corean fort near the capital, and that 

 the Ministers of War and Navy were ordered 

 to make the necessary preparations. 



In September, Judge Richardson, of the 

 United States Court of Claims, at Washington, 

 and Commander Lewis, of the United States 

 steamer Yantic, while traveling within the 

 treaty limits of Yokohama, were arrested by 

 local officers and sent back to the foreign set- 

 tlement. The act was undoubtedly illegal, and 

 was immediately recognized as such by the 

 Government at Yeddo, which took immediate 

 measures for an investigation of the case before 

 any complaint had been made of the offending 

 parties, who were promptly punished and am- 

 ple apology made. 



In November, Arinori Mori, formerly min- 

 ister to the United States, and latterly Vice- 

 Mini ster of Foreign Affairs, was appointed 

 minister to China. 



A proclamation was issued in November in- 

 timating that " the age of feudalism is past for- 

 ever." 



