is not for us to guess at the authorship of the letter which has recently appeared in the 'Timee on the subject of 'Japan and her Foreign Relations.' Nearly all such contributions are put down to a gentleman formerly resident in Japan, who is known to be a practised writer as well as a firm friend and well-wisher of the Japanese. Anything coming from such a source is likely to be read with interest by the advisers of the Mikado, and to have its full weight in their Councils. Be the author who he may, however, there can be no question of the fairness and good sense of what he writes. The Cabinet of Tokio is undoubtedly beset with difficulties which demand greater experience and grenter skill than it can just now boast. Some of these difficulties relate to domestic policy. The country is teeming with parties not, happily, with the seditious "sects" which give such trouble to the Chinese authorities, but with political clubs, consisting chiefly of hot-headed young men under the guidance or leadership of agitators. Woe have soon many roferences to these organisations in the native press, which, if not dangerous, are at least mischievous and so far harassing. Candour compels us, too, to acknowledge that come of the reported speeches at the meetings of these clubs are of a distinctly inflam. motory nature, and the great object apparently held in view is the hastening on of the formation of s representative assembly. These demonstra. tions are regrettable, in that they are calculated to worry and harass the Government; but hitherto, at any rate, they have not been fraught with any distinct danger to the state. The most serious embarrassment to the Cabinet, as pointed out by the writer in the Times, la that connected with finance. The movement which restored Imperial power to the Mikado left the Govern. ment in pecuniary straits. The insurrections which have occurred since involved a very largo expenditure, and in addition to this laid the Government under obligations to its supporters which increased its actual and potential liabilities to a very serious extent. Tu this emergency the advisers of the Mikado had recourse to the tempting but perilous expedient of issuing an naredeemable paper coinage. This tided them over for the time, but the
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.