About six months ago the Minister of Education in Japan dispatched an order to the Legations established in Europe and America, recalling the students from the Hizen family was appointed Minister of colleges where they had commenced their curriculum in the Arts, Sciences, and Law abroad, 20 us to qualify them for posts in the Civil Servies of their native country. The terms under which they were sent forth to study western knowledge, inculcated accurse of university and practical educat varying from three to five years, in order that. they should perfect themselves in the special branches fur which they showed the most aptitude, Under the original order, og many as six hundred young gentlemen of promising abilities arrived in this coun try, on the Continent of Europe, and in the United States of America, Their passages to and from Japan were guaranteed to be paid, and on an average each was to receive ubout two hundred pounds sterling per annutn ¢o maintain himself and pay his class fees, At that time most of them had only gone through twelve or eighteen months of their studies, and were, in a manner, just acquiring the rudiments of the subject they had undertaken to learn thoroughly. Chis sudden recall, therefore, nipped their professional studies in the bud; for they had only asuperticial knowledge of the topics taught them by the professors, which they were expected to know practically. The order was, therefore, manifestly unjust, Accordingly the students, their relations and friends remonstrated strongly against its being put into effect, and addressed Mr. Oke, the Minister of Education, upon the ques-'These remonstrauices had the d red effect, for the order was im diately withdrawn, and the students were allowed to pursue their studies at the Government expense up to this time. Within the past fortnight the recall has been renewed, accompanied with peremptory instructions that all those studying for the Civil Service of Japan must return within two months after receiving the notice, Hence there is now a general exodus of these young men from the cities wherein they have taken up their abode, to their native country; so that the passenger ships bound for Yokohama will days or 80, Those whom I know leave with have crowded cabins during the next forty much regret, not only on account of the sudden breaking off from their studies, but of leaving the friends and acquaintances they have made, especially the young ladies who have enchained their affection This order does not affect' those who have entered for the military and naval services, but they are few in number compared with their fellow students in the other departments, It so happens that I am intimately acquainted with three of them attending the classes in the University of this city. One of them has kindly given me some useful lessons in the Japanese language, which I value exceedingly; and I return him a quid pro quo, in giving him some i ion in English grammar and com-apt pupil, and can our language with a facility that would do credit to an ordinary British scholar. One thing I have observed in him, and indeed it is characteristic of them all so far as Lknow, the desire to lear, No enthusiastic student competing for a fellowship or bursary is more diligent at his attendance in the class rooms, or at home in studying the text books or his notes on the prelections of the professors, than he is. On enquiry of him as to the namber and distribution of the Government students among western nations, I have gleaned the following particulars, although they must not be relied on as statistically correct.
The first students sent to be educated in left Japan in 1868, after the new Govern Europe and America at the public expense
ment of the Mikado came into power, upon the overthrow of the Shiogoon. At that time the educational institutions in Japan were on an unsatisfactory basis, which continued for three years, when' Oke of the
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.