Forty Years On The Pacific/A Trip Through Japan

by Frank Coffee

Nagasaki

BY an approach that was beautiful we entered Nagasaki Harbor on a Saturday afternoon. On the left is a Catholic church, with a background of high hills, and set in the midst of luxuriant vegetation. I was fortunate in having as a fellow traveler a medical student from the Hong Kong University. He knew Japan well and gave me many "pointers." Across the harbor we witnessed a very unpleasant sight—women coaling ships. There appeared to be hundreds of them, almost naked, passing baskets of coal from one to the other up ladders.

The population of Nagasaki is about 175,000. With few exceptions, there are not the objectionable odors in this city that are experienced in some Chinese towns. As regards public security, I may say that I would rather stroll about any city in Japan at all hours of the night, alone, than run the same risk in any city in Europe or America.

It was in Nagasaki that recent workers in the missionary field discovered evidences of the Catholic faith that had been planted there early in the sixteenth century by the great Jesuit missionary, St. Francis Xavier. Though he had died a few years after beginning his missionary labors in Japan, it was discovered that so thoroughly had the seed been sown that some of his followers continued to observe—and to some extent practice—their faith in secret during a period of over two hundred years. That St. Francis Xavier's success was remarkable was also proved by the fact that certain Japanese converts to Christianity made a pilgrimage to Rome, to visit the Pope, in the latter part of the sixteenth century. Indeed, the Spread of this new religion aroused fierce jealousy among the Japanese princes, and as a consequence about two thousand Japanese Christians were crucified, while others were deported to the Philippines. Finally, Christianity became almost extinct in Japan and for more than two centuries there was very little evidence of it.^[1]

In the middle of the nineteenth century the British, Dutch, French and Americans endeavored to establish communications with the Japanese Empire. The Americans were the most successful, for in 1854 Commodore Perry opened up Japan to American commerce. Shortly after that, American missionary societies launched out in numbers and prosecuted their labors in an energetic manner, which is now testified to by the thousands of missionaries and teachers of various denominations who are working zealously in the Japanese Empire. Freedom of conscience is extended to all religious sects in Japan, and so far as I could observe, missionaries were satisfied with existing conditions.

One Sunday I visited an exhibition of Japanese manufactures in Yokohama, and there met an American missionary. Talking about sectarian matters, he stated that there were five hundred Protestant missionaries in Japan, who claimed 70,000 Christians in their fold. Of Roman Catholics, there are also 70,000, while the Greek Catholics number 35,000. Facing facts, there is no use in disguising the general impression existing among white men who live in Japan: They consider it a waste of time to attempt to convert Japanese adults.

No Caucasian can tell what a Japanese is thinking about. A Buddhist may grow indifferent to Buddhism, but much of his apparent zeal for Christianity is feigned. And many of our yellow brethren do not seem to know exactly what creed they follow. This, too, may be subtlety. As an instance, my courier, who was brought up a Confucianist, told me he had joined the Shinto religion two years before, because his wife's father was of that faith. From his experience, as he described it, my impression was that he had adopted Mormonism. An idea of his deep piety may be gathered from the following incident:

We left the train at Kyoto and took two rickshaws for the hotel. Passing an attractive brick church with two crosses, I expressed a wish to see the inside. We stopped and entered. There was the conventional aisle up the center of the church, and a gallery. My attention was drawn to three young ladies present. One was playing the organ, and the other two were occupied with children, one of these playing with about thirty of the youngsters, the other teaching some of them. The guide and I questioned the three Japanese lady teachers, and tried to find out what denomination owned the edifice. Not one of the three knew which was the sect they belonged to; they could only say that it was "American church." I asked the guide to find out who furnished the money to build the church. His reply was:

"Some d------ fool Americans who think they can convert Japanese!"

Just as we find the Jap puzzling to our ideas, he likely returns the compliment in full. Australia at one time passed a law prohibiting negroes, Japanese and Chinese from entering the country, but continued to send missionaries to the Flowery Kingdom. This treatment puzzled the Japanese, for they could not see why the Australians took the trouble to dispatch missionaries to them, to assist them to get to heaven, yet refused to allow them to enter Australia. There is an air of good logic in that. Speaking of Australia, the Sydney University has recently established a chair for teaching Japanese, doubtless with the same motive that caused America to encourage the teaching of Spanish—trade expansion.

Shintoism, the native religion of Japan, is closely bound up with the history of the country. Both Buddhism and Christianity have been imposed from without, but Buddhism has been to Japan what classic antiquity and Christianity have been to the West, which is to say it brought Chinese civilization and a better religion than the native form. The most probable story of its introduction is that in 552 A. D. a king of Kudera, in Korea, sent pictures of its sacred history to Emperor Kimmei (540-571), and that in this fashion the new teaching fell upon fruitful soil. But it met with opposition. Emperor Bindatsu (572-585), in consequence of the outbreak of an epidemic persecuted the Buddhists and forbade the practice of their religion. A change came about, however, when in 587 Prince Shotoku built a great Buddhist temple and did everything to encourage foundations and organizations for works of mercy and charity.

Emperor Temmu (673-685) finally gave the new doctrine an informal recognition and ordered the erection of Buddhist temples in every province of the empire. Despite this impetus, Buddhism met with early disintegration and was broken up into six sects as hostility between it and the Shinto faith grew more bitter.

After the antagonism to Christianity in Japan, as disseminated by Saint Francis Xavier, its path became less difficult in later centuries. The Reverend George Ensor was the first missionary sent there by the Church Missionary Society of Japan, arriving in 1868, while the Reverend Arthur W. Poole was the first bishop of the Church of England in that country, receiving his appointment in 1883.

Much valuable information is obtained from the Far East missionaries when they return to visit their homes in America. They are very agreeable fellow travelers. Aside from any question of converts to Christianity, they claim that the labor of missionaries has been the first and foremost means of bringing Western civilization into the Orient. They point out that while the Japanese have not taken cordially to the principal features of our Christian religion, they have copied much of the latest scientific methods of America and Europe. Christianity and Science, the missionaries claim, go hand in hand, and it is not their fault if Science makes the greater impression.

I acquired some interesting data from a young passenger named Wilkinson, a member of an old family from South Carolina. His father was a surgeon and missionary at Foochow, a city of 500,000 inhabitants; he received a salary from the Foreign Missionary Society, and was allowed to practice medicine as well as to preach the gospel. A brother of his was studying medicine at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore and later intended also to enter the mission field in the East. Knowledge of medicine is of great value to a missionary.

Young Mr. Wilkinson informed me that there was no desire or opportunity for corruption among the missionaries; but when one of them is allowed a furlough, there is no law against his trading if he so desires. The Chinese, he said, like America at times and will salute her flag. But they have a lurking hatred against England for forcing opium into China and for the taking of Hong Kong. They hate Japan also for taking from them Formosa, an island of 14,000 square miles, which produces most of the world's camphor supply. The Chinese dislike France because she got hold of rich mines in western Manchuria. It follows that they also dislike Germany because she got the concession to Tsingtao, which is four hundred miles from Shanghai. One of the first things the Germans did on getting the concession was to open up a brewery. Incidentally, the sad thing to relate about the English in Hong Kong is their inability to support a local brewery. The industry was begun but had to be sold, being dismantled and shipped to Manila. While talking of industry in China, I want to say that the mission stations there produce fine Irish lace-work; the missionary teachers have taught the Chinese women the art, and now a large income is derived from the manufacture of this exquisite lace.

Missionaries' zeal is often in evidence in other places beside their own humanitarian fields. So anxious are they at times to officiate at sea on a Sunday, that I have known five of them to seek the captain's sanction that each might have precedence in conducting religious services. On one occasion, The Persia was traveling west and approaching the 180th meridian of longitude, when, in order to offset any disputes between his missionary passengers, the captain crossed the line on Saturday night, and dropped Sunday out of the reckoning. Jumping in this fashion from Saturday to Monday prevented any discussion as to religious services, so everybody was happy.

In the cities of the Far East there are no "pubs" or saloon bars as we understand them in America and Australia. Liquor is sold in large family hotels in Hong Kong, Nagasaki and similar centers, but I never saw a man drunk in China or Japan. During 1908 the Japanese hotel keepers laid in a stock of wine and liquors in expectation of a visit of a thousand American excursionists on the steamer Cleveland. Coming from the West, she touched at the ports of Nagasaki and Kobe, but for some reason or other the passengers failed to display any extraordinary thirst. But the wily yellow brother was ready with a scheme, for upon hearing the "dry" news, and to create a demand for strong drink, the Yokohama hotel keepers caused notices to be displayed which read: "Owing to the presence of microbes in the water, visitors are warned against drinking it without diluting."

Japan is a small country, having but 147,655 square miles in its area. Japan is very hilly, and little terraces are formed on the slopes for cultivation, as in Italy and Switzerland. But a very small portion—maybe half—of these hills is rich enough to produce any abundant crops, hence rice and fish remain the chief articles of Japanese diet.

In Nagasaki we visited a Buddhist temple, a huge, roomy edifice the floor of which was covered with matting. Nobody was present save the choir, which consisted of a big bronze drum about the size of a hogshead, out of which one obtains "music" with a baton. In front of this temple was a teagarden under some trees. Pretty Japanese girls flitted about serving the cup that cheers. One distinguishing thing in this particular tea-garden was a rubber-tree planted by General U. S. Grant in June, 1879.

On my tour of investigation I visited a large building in which were displayed samples of the products and manufactured goods in the Nagasaki district. It is astonishing how successfully Japan has reproduced the manufactures of Europe and America. They have electro-plated ware, cruets, cutlery, fountain pens and numerous other familiar articles of Western devising. But there are rarely any chairs to be seen except in the hotels. The Japanese do not seem to take to them. Another feature of the life I noted, in passing: No attention whatever is paid to Sunday, work going on just the same as it is on any other day.

The Geishas

Of course, everybody has heard of the famous Geisha girls of Japan, and sharing the universal curiosity about them, I wanted to find out all I could of these far-famed and fascinating ladies. Therefore, an officer, a lawyer, his wife, a doctor and myself made up a party and went to a tea-house after dinner to witness a Geisha dance or entertainment. The proprietor of the place sent for five of these girls. When they appeared I was struck by their youthfulness, and I ascertained that they were eleven, twelve, thirteen, fifteen and eighteen years of age respectively. All of them were garbed in quaint costumes. Two played stringed instruments and took turns singing. The younger girls were equipped with drums shaped like an egg-boiler. The best thing about the tunes was that they did not last long.

The little dancers wielded fans and sticks with pennants attached, and indulged freely in bowing on the matted floor. Tea, loquats, cakes and soft drinks were brought in. Beer might be had to vary the refreshments if it was ordered. Altogether, the show to me was monotonous and the singing very ordinary. . For years I had heard about the Geisha dancers of Japan, so I had expected something artistic, or at least "atmospheric," in the way of song and terpsichorean performance. I had seen the native Indian dances, the Hula Hula of Hawaii, the Haka Haka of New Zealand, the Siva Siva of the Samoans— aye, I had seen the students' ball in the Latin Quarter, and had known Paris in the days when Cora Pearl was acclaimed as the reigning queen in the Jardin Mabille. But what a disappointment was the Geisha girls' renowned art!

Thousands of people who have never visited Japan, as well as thousands who have, are impressed with the fact that the Geisha is a real national institution. The subject is of sufficient importance for me to quote a portion of an article written by Professor Hiranuma, of the Waseda University, Japan, dealing with it. This writer expresses astonishment at the great increase in number in Tokyo, and elsewhere of the Geisha. He says:

"Originally, the profession of the Geisha was called into requisition in the old Yeddo days to amuse and assist at sake" (the native wine) parties, by music and dancing. When the Yoshiwara was the center of social attraction, the first class courtesans were women renowned for their education and accomplishments, no less than for their personal beauty, and the place used to be frequented by respectable 'Samurai' and literary people. At the parties held by these men the Geisha was an indispensable concomitant, and did much to enliven the entertainments. In those days, however, the Geisha confined herself strictly to her profession, indiscretions on her part were few and far between. The Geishas depended solely on their art and wit for their reputation.

"From the obscure position she occupied for many centuries Japan has emerged as a civilized world-power, and this change has brought in its train, among other things, a great increase in the number of young women who are licensed to engage in the profession of Geisha. These girls probably number more than five thousand in the city of Tokyo alone. If they confined themselves to the business for which they were primarily called into existence and are licensed, there would be little cause for objection.

"Nothing could be more convincing than the official census to show the growth of the Geisha in Tokyo in recent years. Here are the figures:

"The above figures are exclusive of the girls of the suburbs of the city. It will be seen that the number of Geisha in Tokyo increased by something like fifty per cent, during the eleven years under review, while Machiai more than doubled their number during the same period. The figures given relate to the condition of things in Tokyo, but it is only reasonable to assume that a similar state of affairs exists in all cities and towns in the country.

"This demonstrates the futility of the system, begun in the Tokugawa period, of segregating or confining vice to some particular quarter. The problem of successfully controlling vice severely taxed the brains of the Tokugawa administration. In such circumstances the Government was only too glad to accept a proposal for the establishment of licensed quarters, and to confine vice within those limits. For many years the system worked satisfactorily, at least to outward appearances, in the sense that it prevented the public display of vice. The unmistakable tendency in recent years, however, is for things to hark back to their original condition.

"The handwriting is on the wall, and unless the Japanese take heed of the warning before it is too late, the Geisha may prove the ruin of the country. It may be argued that all Geisha are not so depraved as has been depicted, and that there are commendable exceptions. It is said that the maximum income of a first-class Geisha in Tokyo that she can earn by legitimate means, is 3,000 yen a year (£300=$1,500), and against this her annual expenditure is roughly estimated at 3,800 yen (£380=$1,900).

"A movement is taking place in Japan to elevate the standard of morality. Osaka will not replace the houses already destroyed by fire, and is opposed to granting any further concessions to such houses. Here, at least, the benefits of Christianity are in evidence, for it is owing to the influence of the Christians that this reform movement has started."

We left Nagasaki on Sunday, and passed through the Straits of Shimonoseki into the Inland Sea of Japan. The straits are about a quarter of a mile wide. The Inland Sea is some two hundred and forty miles long, so we traveled through it all day. It was Springtime, and numerous islands as well as the shores were covered with luxuriant vegetation. I was delighted with the scenery. Often had I heard of the attractions of the Inland Sea of Japan, but the actuality far exceeded my expectations.

Our first port of call was Kobe, a very pretty city, three hundred and sixty miles from Yokohama. On a short visit, such as I made, it is difficult to arrive at any definite estimate of existing conditions. One hears too many misleading statements.

At Kobe I had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Suttor, the Australian trade commissioner, who supplied me with information most valuable to me in my trip through Japan. From Kobe, I went to Kyoto, and here I put up at the Miyado Hotel, "one of the largest in the country. I noticed in many of the hotels that the rooms on the ground floor are all rented to local merchants, who use them to display silks, satins and various other commodities. Kyoto, with a population of 400,000, is held to be the center of the manufacture of Japanese art. Forty miles distant is Osaka, a city of one and a half millions, the chief products of which are metal goods, carpets, rugs, etc.

I was surprised at the large number of Germans I met with in the trains. Quite sixty per cent., if not more, of the firstclass passengers were unmistakably German. Many of them live at Kyoto and visit Osaka daily on business. In their efforts to secure the Japanese markets German manufacturers follow their clever policy of giving twelve months' credit.

Yokohama and Tokyo

The same conditions as those outlined exist in Yokohama (population, 325,000) and in Tokyo, which is eighteen miles distant from the former city. Visitors are struck by the upto-date character of many buildings in Tokyo. On the whole, the architecture may be said to be quite modern. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, and has a population of 2,000,000. Here the emperor has his palace in a tract of six hundred and forty acres. About three hundred years ago a moat was dug about the estate to keep off invaders.

I visited Lieutenant Keysar, U. S. Marine Corps, attache of the American embassy at Tokyo. With Lieutenant Hoadly, he occupied a beautiful residence. The officers drove me around the city and described the chief points of interest.

The breakwater at Yokohama caught my attention, for it is built from the money that was paid to the United States by Japan as an indemnity which came of the trouble that Admiral Perry had at Moji, at the Straits of Shimonoseki. A civil war was then in progress. It so happened that the English, French and Americans crossed a religious procession, and were fired on by the Japanese.

I discussed this question of the indemnity with a Japanese steamship captain, who denied the fact, and who asserted that any money spent on the Yokohama breakwater was Japanese money, pure and simple. But it does not seem so simple to me. I got my indemnity facts from Genji Kuribara, clerk in the office of the American consul-general, Mr. Salmon, of Yokohama, who was very kind and hospitable to me during my stay there. Further regarding this breakwater incident, I heard the Japanese consul-general admit it at a Fourth of July banquet at Sydney, Australia, in 1917. But I must add that I heard the indemnity matter again denied by Taizan Tsuji, whom I met at sea. His statement follows:

"Regarding the statement about the erection of Yokohama breakwater, Japan: This statement is questioned by myself. The sum for the construction of the Yokohama breakwater—I claim that the money for constructing same was voted by the Parliament of Japan, 1900-1904. The incident of Commodore Perry occurred about sixty years ago, while the breakwater was built after 1900.

"By Taizan Tsuji, Se. B. (Tokyo University)

"S. S. Niagara, at sea, September 16, 1918."

My curiosity being aroused over these conflicting accounts, I resolved to pursue the truth, so a friend of mine, Charles G. Ross, upon my behest, investigated the matter in the official records at Washington. He reported:

"The friendly attitude of the United States toward Japan was well illustrated in 1883, when the American Government voluntarily returned its share of an indemnity of $3,000,000 exacted of Japan by the treaty powers under the terms of a convention signed in 1864. A full record of the events leading up to that convention, and the subsequent proceedings which culminated in the sending of a draft for $785,000.87 to Japan are on file. The following brief account is based on records and upon the authority of John Bassett Moore, historian:

"In defiance of treaties made with the treaty Powers by the Tycoon's government of Japan, the rebellious Prince of Nagato, having possession of the fortifications commanding the Straits of Shimonoseki, closed the passage to the Inland Sea. At the request of the Tycoon's government, the United States, Great Britain, France and Holland proceeded to open the straits by force. A joint naval force destroyed the batteries of Chosu and compelled an unconditional surrender. The Tycoon was given the option of paying the expenses of the expedition or of opening more of his ports to commerce. He chose the former alternative, and accordingly entered into a convention whereby the Japanese Government promised to pay the four powers $3,000,000, "to include all claims of whatever nature for past aggressions on the part of the Nagato, whether indemnities, ransom for Shimonoseki, or expenses entailed by the operations of the allied squadrons." The convention was signed at Yokohama on October 22, 1864.

"The indemnity was paid and divided among the four Powers. In the diplomatic records of the United States there appear thereafter frequent references to what became known as the 'Shimonoseki affair.' Finally, by an act approved February 22, 1883 (by a coincidence the birthday anniversary of Washington), Congress directed the President to return to the government of Japan the United States' share of the indemnity, after deducting a certain amount for the officers and crew of the U. S. S. Wyoming and of the steamer Takiang for services in destroying hostile vessels in the Straits of Shimonoseki in 1863 and 1864. It was made plain in the proceedings of Congress that the American Government was actuated by a desire to give tangible expression to its good will toward Japan and to promote friendly relations between the two countries.

"In accordance with the act of Congress, a draft for $785,000.87 on the Treasury of the United States was sent to the American minister to Japan (John A. Bingham), and by him delivered, on April 23, 1883, to the Japanese Government."

I went into many manufacturing concerns in Kyoto, and came away convinced that there is a lot to learn from Japanese methods of business. At times the manufacturers quote foreign wholesale buyers higher prices than one pays for the same goods from mercantile brokers, through whom much of the export business is conducted. Besides, one could not always depend on goods being supplied a second time at the same price. If, for example, the merchants supply a sample of doorknobs, and quote a price, and an additional order is given for ten or fifty gross, they will in all probability increase the price ten per cent. Again, in a retail store, a lady may buy a tea-set which, later, may take the fancy of some of her women friends, and they, visiting the same store to buy a similar set, are likely to find the price a few shillings more or less. However, if Australia or America were to attempt to produce the goods peculiar to Japan, they would easily have to pay ten times the price for manufacture.

At Kyoto I saw women in the river-beds—the water was low—up to their knees in mud and water, gathering fine gravel. I saw also seventy or eighty women in that river acting the part of pile drivers. Each of them had hold of a rope reeved through a pulley by which they pulled up and let go of a heavy weight. In this fashion they packed concrete for the foundation of bridge-piers.

On the other hand, there is a canal in Kyoto which in its course flows through three tunnels seven miles long. No locks are needed in the system of operation, for the boats are loaded on electric trucks which convey them from one canal level to the other. This entire project was schemed and carried out by a Japanese engineer between the years 1835-1850, without foreign aid, and at a cost of 150,000 pounds sterling. Boats carrying passengers on this canal ply through tunnels dimly lighted, which produces a rather weird effect.

Food is always a vital subject wherever one goes up and down the world. In Japan I was struck with the poor quality of the butter supplied at the best hotels. In consequence of inferior butter, some foreign families resident there never eat it. Beef must sometimes prove a difficult product. In 1913, for instance, Japan was slaughtering sixty thousand more beef-cattle than were produced by the natural increase. Strawberries were not served in hotels at which I stayed, although this was the season for them. I heard of several persons becoming ill from eating them. I saw no good apples of local cultivation, but the season was still early. Peaches on the trees were wrapped in paper that had been soaked in the juice of persimmons, to protect them against insects.

Japan is brought closer in touch with other countries every year by fast steamers under the Japanese flag. Although the United States paid a small subsidy to her ships carrying mails and cargo, on condition that they should be manned by white men, the amount was not sufficient to make up the difference between white and Chinese labor. Because of this, the Pacific Mail Steamship Company carried Chinese stewards and part of the crew were also Mongolians. The Pacific Mail maintained a splendid service until its ships were "frozen out" by what is known in America as the La Follette Mail Bill.

One of the Empress steamers made the trip from Yokohama to Vancouver in eight days, eighteen hours and thirtyone minutes. That was "going some," to use an American slang phrase. Once, a cargo of raw silk worth a million dollars was landed at New York from Yokohama inside of fifteen days. Silk from Japan is often consigned to Paterson, New Jersey, where, in the big mills located there it is manufactured into beautiful fabrics and patterns.

The enterprising Japanese have produced armor-plate, but a few years ago the principal parts of their warships were manufactured in other countries and assembled in Japan. The Armstrongs of England sunk two million pounds in Japan in trying to establish gun works and ammunition plants. Japanese investors put a million pounds capital into the concern, also.

Characteristic of Japanese cities are the large storehouses which they call "Godowns." It is amusing to see buildings in various cities bearing a sign which reads: "Standard Oil Godown," when we know that that commodity generally goes up.

Traveling through the country one sees men and women busily engaged in planting rice where water is several inches deep. Japanese irrigation is so advanced that they irrigate plots on side-hills, one above the other. In places, during the same year, a crop of barley may be grown on the same ground as that occupied by rice, between the rows of the latter. Where people are too poor to eat rice they grind barley and manage to live on it. Varying values have been placed on good rice land, but six hundred dollars an acre will buy the best there is.

The population of Japan in 1913 was estimated at 60,000,000, but this included 8,000,000 Koreans, who are proud of their own racial distinction. Japan annexed Korea in 1910. The taxes average about ten yen, which is about one pound, or five dollars a head. That was in 1913. Formerly, the taxes were much higher. As for me, I do not even see how they can feed themselves, much less an army abroad, which they do.

Generally speaking, I find Japanese stewards and servants much more independent than they were a few years ago.

A report that went the rounds to the effect that Japanese banks were filled with Chinese clerks is misleading. True, some Chinese are employed, especially in the Hong Kong and Shanghai Bank, of which there are many branches. But the Chinese clerk has not altogether ousted his Japanese rival. I noticed, during my peregrinations, that all grades of bank officers in both China and Japan smoke cigarettes in office hours continuously.

Chinese crews are inveterate gamblers, and the officers of the Mongolia, on which I booked, endeavored to suppress the vice. But their efforts appeared to be in vain. One evening I saw a yelling, gesticulating crowd on the forward deck playing the favorite Chinese game of fan-tan. Piles of silver and gold were stacked on two boards, and excitement ran high. Suddenly a mate approached without attracting any attention and kicked over the boards violently, with the result that showers of tinkling coin were scattered in every direction. It may have been this money shower that brought it to mind, but my thoughts leaped to the rickshaw men and their charges. One of them will pull you about Yokohama all day long for seventyfive cents. Think of how far a five-dollar bill or a pound note would go at this ridiculous rate of transportation! Indeed, you seem to get your money's worth in some things. In exchange for a pound note sterling I got nine hundred and seventy-four cents, or half-pennies.

The third night after leaving Yokohama the chief steward of the boat, Mr. Donohoe, vanished overboard, and no cause was ever discovered for the act to my knowledge. Our trip took seventeen days from Yokohama to San Francisco, stopping one day at Honolulu, for which port we had two thousand tons of cargo.

I have heard it said that the United States is lax in providing embassy buildings for her diplomatic representatives abroad, but she owns her consul's office in Yokohama, and her embassy buildings in Tokyo. These, together with the consular quarters in Turkey, were the only foreign property of the kind owned by the American Government in 1913.

Almost all of the saloon passengers on the Mongolia this trip were German, American and English people. There were one hundred and seventy Jap passengers in the steerage, who paid five pounds fare from Yokohama to San Francisco.

Many of the choicest samples of Japanese plums grown in America and Australia are the result of the experimentation of Luther Burbank, of California, who crossed the Jap variety of the fruit with the English. During a conversation at my table a missionary told me that there was a saying in Japan that the only ripe fruit one gets is green corn.

Foreign Residents in Japan

In China I noted many evidences of Japanese activity and interest. Significant to me is the fact that large numbers of Chinese children are sent to be educated at Japanese schools. The Japanese are certainly a clever people and alive to all advantages. For many years Japan subsidized her mercantile marine to the extent of seventy-five per cent, of the running expenses—which demonstrates her clever commercial insight. If an impecunious Japanese inventor has a device, and makes known his need to the government, it will investigate the worth of his article, and if practicable, money will be advanced to him to make his invention and put it on the market.

The Navy And Mercantile Marine Of Japan

As there is a great deal of interest taken in the development of the Japanese navy and mercantile marine, I have made it my duty to secure the following facts and figures from two reliable authorities on the subject: the "London Daily Mail Year Book for 1905" and the Japanese Consul-General of Sydney, whom I consulted in 1917. In the figures I give for Japanese tonnage of 1895 and 1901, I could not ascertain whether they included or not the combined tonnage of the navy and mercantile service: 6 tons in 1860; 386,163 in 1895; 907,879 in 1901.

In reply to my inquiry, Mr. S. Shimizu, the Japanese Consul-General at Sydney, states on February 8, 1917:

"According to the Sixteenth Financial and Economic Annual of Japan (1916), the gross tonnage of steamers at the end of 1915 was 1,621,205 tons, while the gross tonnage of sailing vessels on the same date, exclusive of figures for sailing vessels under 5 tons, was 671,273 tons."

Since the above date (1915) Japanese-owned ships have increased at such a rate that it is difficult to keep tab on them. However, I received further information in the following letter from the same accommodating Mr. Shimizu, dated March 1, 1917:

"At the time of your first writing, on the 8th ult. my copy of a Japanese Year Book, 1915 (the latest edition of which I have a copy) was not in the office, having been lent. It has since been returned, and I have made a comparison of the figures given therein, up to the end of 1914, with those shown in your letter under reply. The classification is different, the information being in the following form:

Battleships: 11

Battleship cruisers: 8

1st class cruisers: 9

2nd class cruisers: 13

1st class coast defence ships: 6

2nd class coast defence ships: 12

1st class gunboats: 4

2nd class gunboats: 5

1st class torpedo boat destroyers: 2

2nd class torpedo boat destroyers: 12

3rd class torpedo boat destroyers: 47

1st class torpedo boats: 16

2nd class torpedo boats: 15

Submarines: 13

Total: 173

As I said before, it is difficult to keep up with the expansion of the Japanese navy or mercantile marine. Quietly, she is reaching out for the commercial trade of the islands of the Pacific. The Nippon Yusen Kiasha (Japanese Steamship Company) has been selected to trade between Yokohama and the South Sea Islands. They chartered the German steamer Bohemia—that was confiscated by the Japanese Government— and the vessel went on her maiden voyage for them in April, 1916.

Cheaper freight-rates are quoted by the Japanese fcfr the transportation of raw materials from the various islands to her shores, where is found a ready market. As you know, perhaps, Japan is devoid of many raw products, and is therefore compelled to import them. She imports from the islands chiefly trochus shell, sugar and copra.

In the Gilbert, Marshall, Fiji and Caroline Islands (especially those islands where Germany obtained her raw products) splendid timber lands are being cleared and burned to make way for cocoanut plantations. Notwithstanding the possibility that these islands may come under British rule, the Japanese will have secured a big portion of their products before any other country will have time to become established. In the past Great Britain and her colonies have been hampered for want of ships, which, according to present plans, is to be remedied.

The Japanese Abroad

Hosts of writers and travelers have described the Japanese at home. I want to say a word here about them when away from home. For years, I have met them all over the world, and I find them very courteous and polite. In the introduction to this book of mine I claim the right to wander to other places than the Pacific, for comparison or deduction. Therefore, the reader may or may not be surprised to learn that I came across an interesting estimate of the Japanese character in what I might call "Confessions of a Niagara Falls Cab Driver."

Circumstances necessitated my visiting the Falls frequently for some years, and I fell into the habit of chatting with the cab drivers who, among their other prerogatives, have opportunity of meeting men from every quarter of the globe. Years ago, before trolley lines and taxis, the volume of sightseers, domestic and foreign, used the ancient and honorable horse-cabs.

My informant told me that parties of Japanese were the most lavish patrons. He said that up to the time of the Spanish-American War, the Spaniards were good spenders; that Bostonians (called "Boston crackers") earned the reputation of being tightwads; that Chigagoans were not curious enough; but that the Japanese were "easy." The drivers took them to resorts where they received a percentage on all the victims they landed at such places as the Whirlpool Rapids, Table Rock, the Whirlpool, the burning spring, as well as at fur and curio sellers, restaurants, etc.

As guileless tourists, the Japanese gentlemen spent freely and left behind a good impression. They did not care about a few paltry dollars provided they left a herring across the road of their real motives in traveling. It was about this time that the Niagara Falls water-power was being transformed into electricity, and the wily sons of Nippon had come to study and learn the magic lesson.

Among the large users of electricity at the Falls during those days was a company organized for the production of aluminum from ore brought from the State of Georgia and other regions. The visiting Japanese made note of many things in the manufacturing end, and gave close scrutiny to how the water was carried through flumes to the vertical turbines, thus producing electric power.

Just to illustrate the study of this one article of aluminum that they made: Some time later I happened to be shown through an aluminum works at Kensington, near Pittsburgh. Piles of ingots lay about. I asked questions. I learned that this factory at one time shipped to Japan quantities of manufactured aluminum ware such as rolled sheets, wire, etc., etc. But one day a party of Oriental tourists called at the plant and were shown the process of manufacture from ingots to sheets and wire. After a lapse of sufficient time to enable the Japanese visitors to reach home, the Kensington aluminum makers noted that Japan ceased ordering the finished goods and was importing the raw material.

Those clever students had made excellent use of their opportunity and in a single visit had grasped the essential secrets of turning out articles of aluminum manufacture. As a last word I may say that Japanese visitors are not being shown about factories so freely as in former years. The English and Americans are "on" to them.

Foreign Property Owners And Taxes In Japan

An American actuary in Yokohama has given me much valuable material on this subject of ownership of property by aliens in Japan. The barriers against foreign property-holders are not generally known.

Japan was opened up to foreign trade and residence about fifty years ago. This action was not voluntary, neither motives of friendship nor the desire on the part of the Japanese people or government for intercourse with other nations actuating them. Under the persuasive influence of the guns of foreign warships it was accomplished. And the first socalled Conventions (treaties) with the United States, Great Britain, France and Germany were made under the same powerful influence.

From the very beginning, the citizens of foreign countries (generalized under the term "Foreigners") were shown that they were "undesirables," a necessary evil, to the extent that in the few ports open to trade by treaties they were not permitted to reside among the Japanese in the towns proper; they had to dwell apart in the so-called "Foreign Settlements," restricted areas on the outskirts of the towns selected by the Japanese Government. Only in such settlements in Japan are foreigners allowed to buy land and erect their buildings. Nor can they buy this land as freehold property—as all Japanese-owned land is held in Japan—but it was especially arranged by the aforesaid conventions that the land so purchased by foreigners should be held under leases in perpetuity.

Foreigners were not permitted to have contract dealings with individual Japanese, especially as to land, and the Central Government therefore first acquired the land to be set aside for the Foreign Settlements from the Japanese owners, and then granted the lots to foreigners as applied for them as a direct grant from the Central Government. Had foreigners been permitted to buy direct from the owners, they would, as a matter of course, have succeeded to the freehold title, putting them on an equal footing with the Japanese. The modus operandi adopted by the Government did away with any such risk and made the foreign property owner a leaseholder only. But foreigners were satisfied with these leases because the land granted thereby was granted in perpetuity, which to all intents and purposes is as good as a freehold grant, and no difficulty would ever have arisen if the Japanese Government had kept to the terms of these leases.

In all cases there was an upset price paid to the Central Government by each applicant at the time of the grant of the land, and an annual payment, denominated "ground rent"— which it was not—was provided to be made to the Central Government, not as rental, because the land was bought and paid for, but to cover for all time the land tax that might be assessed on freehold property, and especially all municipal charges. This ground rent then became a commuted payment which, if made annually, would cover and dispose of all taxation of these two classes.

For nearly forty years, or up to July, 1899, when the revised treaties came into force—which new treaties, by the way, did not in any particular alter the terms of perpetual leases—the Central Government regularly recognized that the ground rent payment received by it was paid to satisfy all charges incurred in municipal government. No complaint has at any time been made by the Central Government that the receipts from the ground rent payments were not sufficient to pay both the land tax and the municipal charges which it had assumed and guaranteed to pay.

In fact, it is a matter of record that when the Conventional Agreements were signed, the question came up as to the amount at which the annual ground rent payment should be fixed. The amount named by the Japanese negotiator was found to be approximately seven times the tax paid by the Japanese residents on higher and better land. Sir Harry Parkes, the'foreign negotiator, objected strongly to this highhandedness, but on the understanding that the charge made . was a commuted tax charge covering for all time the land and municipal taxes, he agreed to it though he still emphasized its exorbitance.

There can be no question, then, in view of the facts stated, that the Japanese Government had arranged by treaty to accept the abnormally high ground rent as a commuted payment of all land taxes and all municipal taxes and charges, and this naturally was understood to preclude the collection of further taxes of these two classes for all time, or so long as the high ground rent was annually paid.

In July, 1899, new treaties, abolishing the old conventions, came into force. The status of foreigners was changed considerably, inasmuch as foreigners were placed under the jurisdiction of Japan and thus lost that freedom of action which they had enjoyed under the consular jurisdiction. But these treaties did not in any way change the terms and conditions of the perpetual leases granted to foreigners. On the contrary, they made specific provisions that no taxes, charges or conditions, other than those stated in the leases on perpetuity, should be imposed in respect of or on account of the properties which had paid the commuted tax.

Notwithstanding this specific provision and the fact that the new treaties require the confirmation of the leases and a continuation of the protection to the properties, the Japanese Government, since 1899, has imposed on foreigners, first a house tax, and, in addition, various municipal taxes over and above the annual ground rent payment. Foreigners, of course, refused to pay these imposts, but the Japanese authorities forcibly collected the house tax for three years, up to 1902, when the foreign governments finally moved in the matter in answer to innumerable appeals through the various legations. Thereupon the Japanese Government agreed to submit the question of the house tax to the Hague Tribunal. On May 22, 1905, the award of the Hague Tribunal was given in favor of the foreign contention.

The Japanese Government, in due course, refunded the moneys illegally collected as house tax, but still insisted (1914), in the face of the Hague award, that it has a right to impose and collect municipal taxes. It does not deny that the Court has decided that its action is illegal, but bases its demand for the payment of these taxes on a mere technicality, namely, that the reference made to the Hague Court contemplated the decision by that Court of the question as to the validity of the house tax only, and that in covering in the award any further or related question, the Court has exceeded its authority under the reference.

Foreigners insist, of course, on the award being taken in its entirety, as covering both the house tax and the municipal tax, and they object to the municipal tax imposition as emphatically as they objected to the house tax. They object to it on the ground that it is illegal and has been declared so by the highest tribunal in the world. This objection has been formally and fully supported by a note of protest delivered by the governments of Great Britain, France and Germany to the Government of Japan.

To this note of protest the Japanese replied, asking for time and further discussion. So the matter rests. Meantime, the authorities have made every effort to enforce payment of these taxes, in some cases by the drastic process of distraint, while the Japanese press keeps forever inciting the people of their country against the "foreign tax dodgers."

Notes

1. When visiting the Jesuits' Church at New Orleans, Louisiana, I observed a tablet in memory of The Blessed Charles Spinola, who, at Nagasaki, in the sixteenth century, died a martyr to his faith.