Page:The National Geographic Magazine Vol 16 1905.djvu/259

Rh entrance to Soya (Japanese) harbor. Here they found four junks, mostly laden with stores for the Soya garrison. These junks they rifled and burnt, car- rying off, amongst other booty, a ten- pounder bronze cannon captured by Taikosama from the Koreans. The officers in charge of the junks reported to their government that they had been wrecked in the storm at Rushin. The Russians sent ashore the prisoners taken at Kushunkotan and Itorup. To one of them was entrusted a message to the Japanese authorities, which was taken down in Japanese and ran as follows :

" ' To the Governor of Matsumaye :

" ' The distance between Russia and Japan being but small, our Emperor sent his officers across the sea to request that trade between the two countries might be permitted. If due inquiry had been made and a treaty of commerce concluded, all would have been well, but although our officers went repeatedly to Nagasaki they were sent away without an answer. Then things took an un- pleasant turn, and our Emperor com- manded us to give you a specimen of his power in return for your refusing to listen to his first request. If you per- sist in refusing his offers, we will take all your northern territory from you, and if possible get an answer out of you in that way. The red men (Russians) can always come to Saghalien and Itorup and chase you about. If you comply with our wishes, we shall always be good friends with you. If not, we will come again with more ships and behave in the same way as we have done before this year.

About the time when Commodore Perry entered the waters of Japan, in March, 1853, and his return there, in February, 1854, the rumors of trouble between the Chinese and European powers were being constantly received through the Dutch by the statesmen of Japan with the greatest concern. The incessant and increasing visits of the black ships and the persistent demands of the various powers to open the country to the intercourse of the world deeply occupied the minds of the thinking population of Japan. They never had those awe-inspiring black ships on their side, nor had they any of those magical sailing ships which could steer their way against the head wind. They never heard before such a tremendous roaring of cannon as that sounded on those monster vessels. The years following the conclusion of the first international treaty of Japan, in 1854, are marked with the tremendous agitation over all the Empire, and the question of national defense was a matter of paramount importance.

The Tokugawa government, by the pressure so tactfully brought upon them and by the persuasion so skillfully administered by the American envoy, were finally compelled to accede to his demands, but public opinion was strongly opposed to the opening of the country. It is impossible to say whether those people who advocated the policy of exclusion really believed in its practica- bility or not, but it was a policy which had been followed during several centuries, and they cherished the quiet peace of seclusion. "Respect the throne and expel the barbarians" was the byword by which public opinion was guided. The pressure of public opinion and the difficulty of the situation compelled the Tokugawa government to openly recognize the authority of the Emperor and the Imperial court, around which now thronged the Samurai of the great and ambitious clans of Satsuma and Choshiu, and, further, to submit the treaty to the Emperor and refer the same to public discussion by the Daimios. It was an act which found no precedence in the history of the Tokugawa government. Both the Emperor and the Daimios vetoed the action of the Tokugawa government.