The death of Prof. Yakumo Koiuami (Lafcadio Hearn) took place of trouble on the night of the 26th September at his residence at Tokio. He was of Irish and Greek parentage and came to Japan some fourteen years ago. Prof. Hearn was formerly in jthe Imperial Tokio University and subsequently the Waseda University. Long ago he was at Matsuye, Izumo province, where he embraced Shintoism, the locality being the seat of the famous Izumo kaisha. He was one of the best known litterateurs in the world; his speciality, of late, being Japan. The funeral was held on Friday, the intimate friends and re-natives principally attending. Prof. Ume of the Imperial Univerity, who is native of the same province as Mrs. Hearn, will look after her interests. Apropos, " Yokohama paper says that as 'a stylist ho soams to tank with Walter Pater or even with Lander, but he chose to move in ore limited field than either of those writers, with the result that his writings have perhaps not received so much attention as they deserve. With Japan his name will always be' closely connected, not so much because he became a subject of the Japanese Empire—his Japanese name never became familiar to foreign ears and ho will always be known as Lafcadio Hoarn—Dut because he realised and crystallized certain phases of Japanese life which had not been dealt with before. Mr. Hearn had the peculiarity that, while he was an agnostic, there was yet a large amount of mysticism in_ his nature. ardent admirer and student of Herbert: Spencer, ho yet loved to dabble in studios which were on the edge of metaphysics, if they did not overstep the edge. This delight in the mystical and shadowy soamed to grow upon him during his life in Japan and may perhaps be partly assigned to his studies in the literature of the East. Much has been said as to the exalted impressions of the country conveyed in Mr. Hearn's writings, but it myst be remembered that these impros-sions were as Mr. Hearn saw them. No Qoubt he looked st things from the {dealistic point of view, but it may be regarded that ho was more than is given to minds less richly endowed to discern. Me. Hearn married a Japanceo lady, doing adopted into her family and thus becoming a Japanese subject. Of late he has lived a very retired life in Zekio, having dropped most of his old friends, who indeed, rarely saw him. He raising resigned the position at the University public charities. One brilliant proposal last year. "Me. Hearn wa fifty-five years that up to date has not met with much al enthusiasm, is to tax all sorts of Saturday afternoon pleasures, such as cricket and Army Reform in Corea. football matches, whilst theatre and It is reported from Seoul that the concert goers are also threatened with Army Reform Scheme has been already an impost. Hoalf-a-crown yearly it is sanctioned by the Emperor and as to the proposed to take from bicycle owners, announcement of the programme, who are mostly working men, and uso ference of the committee concern them for business purposes instead of the expected on the 27th inst. The re-wretched train services so frequently capitulation of the return' bill is: Ist, provided. It is to be noted that so far, To create the General Staif Board; 2nd, the moderately wealthy who can afford To create the Inspectorate-General of golf and such like pastimes, as well as Military Education; 3rd, To inaugurate the owner of the motor-car are not the system of Imperial A.D.C.; 4th, The mentioned, yet the Premier and his readjustment and unification of arms supporters chief jibe at the expense of (rifles after the pattern of Japan's 30th the Labour Party is that they stand for year (1897 style); 5th, To discharge those class legislation, pure and simple. The dits' over "40 years and under 21 Premier's latest proposal rans the labour years; 6th, The sppointment:'and dis-men very fine in this matter, however missal of officers to be made in considera-the suggestion noted above is hardly tion of their education; 7th, To change likely to grow out of the budding stage. the distribution of troops, etc. Major-"At the last State election we were asked General Yi Tchi-yang (the signator of to give answers to certain questions on the Japanese-Corean alliance protocol) religious instruction in State schools. was appointed the Inspector-General The referendum decided that matters of Military Educations should remain in statu quo. The Council Return to Tibet of Churches, the party foremost in the The Rev. Yokai Kawaguchi, of Tibetan matter, accepted this decision for a time. fame, will leave Kobe by a steamer on Hi ing agreed to submit to arbitration, the Council now refuses to accept the deci-the Lith October on another tour to Lhassa.- Ho will first proceed to Nepal sion, and by side pressure has induced the Premier to allow of religious instruc-vii Burma and; Caleutta,'in order to present the reigning sovereign a prayer of tion being given in State schools on one the Japanese Ohbakn sect. Early next or two days a week during school hours, year ho is expected to reach Lhassa under the people to supply teachers, and the parents their consent. This attitude on protection of the: British authorities. the part of{the Cabinet denotes a certain amount of wobbling on the question,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.