THE WEST SHORE.
329
OLD AND NEW JAPAN.
NO III.
BY "01-1 Jnpnn" is mooat tho LluJ Empire as we
found it iu 1853, with ita stagnant, evou fossilized
civilization, which hiul changod but slightly for hundreds
of years; with its divino Mikado of a lineage 3,000 years
old; with its warrior chieftain and Botual ruler, tho Sho.
gun; with numerous feudal princes (Ammo) and their
hordes of two-swordod soldiers (Simurai) in possession
of the provinces; with a vigorous general government
Bnd an oppressive feudal Bystem that ground tho people
to powder benoath the heel of the ruling class and re
duced them to abject slavufy. Under Buch a Bystem uo
social progress was ixwsihlo. Caste ruled supreme, and
the gulf bctweeu tho classes it was almost impossible to
cross. The ruling classes wore tho only educate ones,
though reading, writing and othor rudimentary branches
were taught the children of the ioor in the village schools.
Of chances to rise in life there wore none. A child could
not aspire to do more than his father, his grandfather
and his great-grandfather had done before him, or to
occupy a higher position in society. " Liko father, like
son," was in its broadest sonso tho underlying principle
of Japanose society. There was no encouragement for
genius in any of tho fields of science, mechanics, litera
ture or art Every one was content to travel iu the same
ruts his ancestors had made oonturios before.
This fixed state of society continued for uinoteon
years after tho visit of Commodore Perry, and it was not
until 1872 that the spirit of resistance to innovations
finally gave way completely Ixiforo foroign pressure, and
"New Japan" had its birth. It was my privilego to
study the old system for nineteen years, and then for
eleven years more to watch tho development of tho now
life which had been infused into the Mikado's realm, and
witness the marvelous transformation of customs and
ideas which followed. Jajwin was like a living mummy,
envolojod in its manifold wrappings of ancient custom,
suddenly brought to the light of day. Ancient and
modern civilization were brought faot to face. Then,
after a season, like a chrysalis, it burst iU bonds and
sprang into a uew and more beautiful life. It is of this
old and encrusted civilization and this sudden awakening
into a now and progressive lifo of which I apeak and
with which I Waiue familiar by years of intermingling
with tho people of all classes through both the old and
new regime.
It was on tho 17th of July, 1853, that Commodore
Perry Bailed out of Yedo liny, with tho intention of win
tering in China and returning in tho spring to receive
tho Mikado's reply to the letter of President Fillmore.
As the fleet passed down the bay, the ships in tow of the
trainers, the shore on either side was thronged with
natives, whilo on tho waters of the boy hundreds of bunt
darted hither and thither, all intently watching the mar
vol of four vessels cutting rapidly through tho water
without a Bail being unfurled. A they pas the fort
at Uragnwa the garrison, which had More taken to their
heels when they had supposed that enormous engine of
destruction, Uie Mimsatpph smokestack, to le pointed
at them with hostilo intent, again scampered np tho hill,
but this time only for the purxmo ot obtaining a bettor
view of the departing fleet Tho receding lamlnoao was
beautiful, and above all object tho sacred Fuji-Yaiua
stood out bold and commanding in the dear sunlight,
truo to it name, tho "Peerless Mountain," tho most
beautiful objoct in all the landscapes of Japan.
Just off tho ontranoo to tho bay black clouds of smoke
wero rising from a low volcnnio island, which had sud
denly blazed up into tho sky but a few uighU before,
lighting up the country for miles around. In tho dim
distance could be discerned tho small island of llatchijoa,
used as a onal colony by tho Government To tho eye
all was Ixmutiful on laud and sea. It was imixMtsihlo
that these peoplo oould live iu tho iititlnt of such scenes
and not )e impressed in a certain measure with their
Iteauty and a desire to reproduce them. Their many
works ot art show this, and yet they lived, as It wero, in
tho dim past, in the civilization of the aueieuts, unpro
gressive and unambitious. As wo departed from tho bay
uono realized in what maimer and how quickly our desire
for a moral and social resurrection of this peoplo woidd
Im accomplished, It was at this time that several small
islands lying just within the outranca were named in
honor of our ships and some of tho olueors, and these
titles they loar to tho present day. The fleet separata),
each vessel going to some designated port or engaging in
the exploration of boiiio xrtion of tho coast or outlying
islands. Commodore Perry returned In tho Miiifi
to tho Ijooehoo (solled liiukiu by tho natives) Islands,
to resumo tho negotiations heguii there a fow weeks be
fore. Nappa, tho most Important harbor, was reached
on thofclth of July.
Tho Looohoo Islands, over which Japan and China
have boon bo long disputing, and which frequently fill so
much space in tho telegraphic columns of the pre, aro
peopled by tho same raoo as tho islands of Jajmn, and
aro in reality a portion of that empire, though not hound
to it by close political tie. Their position has always
been complicated one, compiling them to adopt the
"Good Ijord, OckxI Devil" policy. lining actually a
feudal dependency of tho ruler of ftatsuma, the most
southwestern of the main group of Jaanose Islands, they
were exposed in times past to inroads by Chinese free,
hooters, and in order to pacify this powerful and unscru
pulous nolghW, they yearly dlsatchud a secret embassy
to Pekin bearing tribute to the Chinese emperor. Of
late years tho Chinese Government has used this secret
tribute as foundation upon which to build claim for
complete domination of tho islands, and this is the cause
of the existing troublo between the "lWly Knijx-ri.r "
of China and tho "Hon of Heaven" who presides over
the destinies of Jaaii. Iletweeu the two tho haphwa
Ijoochooan are kept in a constant state of turmoil.
No one expected the full opening of Japanese porta
for several years to come, and therefore Commodore
Perry had decided to establish on the Lxxdioo Isltiuls a
coaling station for steamers that were eiwt'd to b m1