Reading a few days since the concluding articles of a very interesting and instruc tive series upon Greece recently contributed to the Chautauquan by Professor Mahaffy of Dublin University, I was struck with the Peculiar appositeness of several passages to Japan, and particularly to some of the topics and questions of the present time. There is one especially, which seems worthy of quotation here, as it sets forth most cleatly a condition of things numerous residents affirm exists here, and throws none too strong a light upon jealousies and prejudices which are not the less discreditable to the Japanese because the Greeks in Europe exceed them in their reluctance to welcomeandin their wish to obstruct and thwart the foreigner. Possibly the passage may catch the eye of one or two Japanese who are unable to regard the foreigners in their country with anything else than suspicion, mistrust and veiled dislike; and if the larger-minded and more advanced section see it, they will perhaps welcome it as a telling passage to use against their loud-spoken opponents, who have always unfortunately a strong weapon of offence in their ill-based claim to a superabundance of patriotic feelings. He is the true patriot who has the courage to pierce the mist of present day ignorance and prejudice, and to proclaim the freer view only possible to the brave and the wu selfish. No high standard of character is needed by the class who live by re-echoing a cry of danger and by subtly and consciously or weakly and unconsciously pandering to the churlishness and illiberality of the average conservative quidnunc. The passage is as follows, with the exception of the proper names which I have altered of course.
"Tt seems to require a high civilisation to apprehend the investing of foreign capital in any country must tend to its profit, and cannot do it damage, for every foreigner who becomes rich by residing in Japan, there must be one hundred natives enriched.... How Jong will it require for a country in thi state to realise its splendid resources? The recent strong opposition to the revision of the Treaties is the fruit of a jealous mis. giving as to the ability of the Japanese to cope with the foreigner, and of fear lest the latter with his wider experience and keener enterprise should rush in and mono-pelisse profitable ventures. If the self-conceit which is not wanting in the average Japanese any more than it is in the Greek according to the eminent authority named, did but tend to the development of more self-confidence and trust, we should meet with less niggardliness of view, and should soon find instead thereof a spirit sufticiently generous and strong to encourage and invite aliens to settle amongst the people and work side by side with them in the advancement of the country. But there are some people who, influenced by a silly pride, prefer to remain still than to accept assistance from anybody; though, happily, such people are in the minority.
ere is nothing new in connection with Treaty Revision except that the ratification of the Russian Treaty is said to be shortly expected, the receipt of which is eagerly awaited for the sake of the opportunity the supporters of Count Okuma consider it will afford the Emperor to set for ever at rest all opposition and cavil. The Yomiuri Shimbun, according to the Mail, states that there is no intention to submit the Treaty to the consideration of the jolly with a note in the Jiji Shimpo Privy Council, a view which substanti-
of the 7th inst, It is safe to predict that only delay and discord would in the main result froma a course which would virtually place the Sumitsu In (Privy Council) on-even a higher plane than the Cabinet. To-day's Jijt announces that replies have been received by the French Minister from his Government, and that active negotiations were resumed on the 11th instant, when a lengthy sitting took place during which severe discussions arose.
With the partial restoration of telegraphic and rail communication, reports have currie in from all parts of the country confirming the misgivings as to the losses and disasters caused by the recent floods and storms. The interruption of both telegraph and railway was evidently more serious than was at first anticipated, the former having only just been restored, whilst the latter was not re-opened for trafic until the 13th and 4th and in some cases later dates. The reports from Osaka published in the native journals shew that there were serious and extensive floodings there through the extraordinary rise in the high water level of the Some accounts represent the flooding, at Wakayama to have been almost as ba as in the previous month! There was further loss of life in the district through the typhoon of the 11th, and at a place in machi called Takaidamura a fatal accident occurred in a tunnel in course of construction by which three workmen were crushed to death and several more or less severely wounded. But by far the worst item of intelligence relates to the fearful loss of life and widespread damage on the coastlines of the provinces of Owari and Mikawa, on the eastern side of the well-known Owari Gulf, of which news has only just come to hand. It is to be hoped that the version published in the Jiji Shimpo is exaggerated, for that gives 800 as the num of lives lost in Mikawa and Owari and 250 as having been drowned in Miyagi prefecture. At both of these coast districts the ruin and death were wrought by an immense wave or waves, and it is presumed that they were a part of the typhoon already mentioned. The Hochi Shimbun also reports yet another disaster with heavy loss of life in Mie Ken, where through the rupture of the embankments of some of the rivers, large tracts of country wereoverflown, and no less than 600 persons destroyed, prefecture, I believe, is on the opposite or western shore of Owari Gulf. If all these announcements are mainly true, the present year will long be remembered with sadness in wany and many a home and hamlet of Japan. It certainly does seem to be a year of unparalleled misfortunes and calamities to some lands. The accounts being published by the Tokio papers shew that the landships and inundatious in the district called Totsugawa-go and the complete blotting out of numerous villages are, if anything, more appalling than was at frst supposed.
The Yamashiro Maru sails at noon tomorrow for Honolulu with 1,004 emigrants for the Hawaian Islands. There must now be about 5,000 Japanese on the Islands, and it appears likely that the number will be still further augmented before the year closes, as the Jiji Shimpo states that the Yamashiro Muru makes another voyage to the Islands, and that rumours prevail to the effect that one or more trips will follow. The emigrants as on former occasions are from the country about Hiroshima on the Inland Sea. High pay is, of course, the controlling influence at work in the case, but it seems strange that if there are any overpopulated tr: in the country that the surplus fe induced to go to the Hokkaido, cannot where
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.