TREATIES NOT YET RATIFIED Chap. XVII. 
the Mikado; and this high and mysterious per- 
sonage, it is suspected, has not yet given such 
sanction. The following note on this subject has 
just appeared in the 4 China Mail,’ and is worth 
attentive perusal : — 
4 4 It is well known now that the Mikado has not 
yet given his formal consent to the treaties made 
with the Foreign Powers, and it must be evident 
that without his consent those treaties have no 
legal value in the eyes of the Japanese princes and 
people. This, then, is the root of all the recent 
troubles. This is the reason why the Tycoon s 
Government is not able to defend our Ministers 
and us, and is hardly able to defend itself, from the 
attacks of the malcontents who seek its embarrass- 
ment or our expulsion. This is why it does not 
and dare not punish those assassins who from time 
to time cut unoffending foreigners to pieces in the 
open streets, or in the very teeth of the native 
guard and at the door of the British Minister. 
This is why it endeavours to restrict our trade and 
to make its farther pursuit uninviting. This is 
why it refused to open Yedo last January, and is 
reluctant to open Osaca next January. This is 
why we are desired to retire to Nagasaki, where 
foreign trade has long been established, and are 
offered there the facilities denied us here (Yedo). 
In short, this is why there is no peace or friend- 
ship for foreigners in this part of Japan, and 
why neither our political nor our commercial 
relations with this people are what they ought to 
