15 



one of varied experiences. Originally a creation and 

 ever since a protege of the local Government of 

 the Hokkaido, the College had to undergo the same 

 vicissitudes, to which the local administration might 

 be subject. We shall now proceed to cast a cursory 

 glance at the changes, which followed one after 

 another in quick succession in the experimental ad- 

 ministration of the Island. 



Judged by the fruits of its labors, covering a 

 period of more than a decade, the further continu- 

 ance of the Kaitakushi was deemed unnecessary ; 

 and it was decided by the Government that this 

 unprofitable branch of administration should be re- 

 moved. This decision was welcomed by the people, 

 very few of whom really knew what had been done 

 in the Hokkaido, and scarcely any of whom had any 

 notion what pioneering meant. The Kaitakushi 

 expired formally in February, 1882. The College 

 survived this political catastrophe, having been 

 adopted, as it were, for the time- being by a bureau 

 in the Department of Agriculture and Commerce. 

 It was arranged that this Department, which liad its 

 headquarters in Tokyo,, should look after the agri- 

 cultural interests of the Island, while the general 

 administration was to be attended to by the three 

 prefectures (Kens) now established in Sapporo, 

 Hakodate and Nemuro. A year later, i. e. in Feb- 

 ruary of 1883, a subdivision in the Department of 

 Agriculture and Commerce was created under the 

 name of Kanri-Kyoku (Bureau of Supervision), and 

 the College was placed in its charge. It so conti- 

 nued, until its new protector was consigned to an- 

 nihilation in the summary reforms of 1886, whereby 



