By B.W. Satow, Bag. Read before the Asia-tie Society on the S0ih October, 1872, Loochoo, called Liukiu by the Chinese and Riukiu by the Japanese, is the chief island of 'a group lying in the North Pacific Ocean, between the 24th and 29th parallels of latitude, Its name is said to be derived from a fancied resemblance to a ' lying stretched out,? but is not written with the Chinese characters which would bear that interpretation. In the commencement of the 14th century it was split up into three independent sovereignties called Chiuzan, Sanuan and Samboku, which were reunited under one monarch about the year 1430. Since that time it has been divided into three provinces, namely, Shimajiri Sei on the south, Chiuzan Sei in the centre, and Kunikia Sei on the north. Te central province contains the capital Shiuri and its port Nafa. The whole number of subject islands, including those on the north which in later times were considered as belonging to the Princes of Satsuma, is thirty-six. The simaller ones are administered by a single Governor, while to Taiheizan (or Miyako) Yayeyama and Oshima*
Oshima, Kikai shima, Tokuno shima avd Oki no Oran shima were entirely under the jurisdiction of Satsuma. The author of the Chinzankokn Shiriakw seems to lnve been iguorunt of this fet, BAS,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.