Not tthe least interesting development coming over political circles in the Japanese Empire is the gradual] return to power of the Satsuma clan. The Premier just appointed is a Satsuma man, is in fact leader of the Satsuma clique of which he is really the founder and the creator. Largely due to the influence wielded by Admiral Yamamoto the Satsuma clan has been able to control the Navy just as the Choshus—bitter rivals of the Satsuma men—under the leadership of the late Prince Yamagata retained, and still re-ain, control of the Army. There has always been bitter jealousy between two clans and, although they have always been able to sink their differences in the face of a common national danger, it is said that a Satsuma man and a Choshu adherent could never meet without glaring defiance at each other. This jealousy and rivalry for power has, in a way, affected the growth of the Army and the Navy, for if the Navy laid down a keel—even when hi: was absolutely necessary—the Army immediately added a division in order to keep up with the expansion of Satsuma power which the addition of.a vessel to the Navy meant in domestic clan manoeuvrings for power and influence. And vice versd if thp Choshus effected anything like an enlargement of the land forces, this automatically led to, an increase in the Navy by the Satsumas. As neither the Minister for War nor the Navy Department is responsible to the Premier—they are responsible for their actions direct to the Throne only—no check could be effectively put on these donnish intrigues.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.