It will thus he seen that " the history of the empire of the Rising Sun is divisible into four distinct periods: the first, which ends with the landing of the Portuguese in 1548, is purely local; the second, which extends from 1543 to 1638, includes the story of St.. Francis Xavier, the trade with Portugal, the persecutions, and the final expulsion of Europeans; the third, from 1638 to 1854, is distinguished by the Dutch monopoly, and the resolute'exclusion of all foreigners; in the fourth, since 1854, Japan has once more become accessible to everybody.
In the Japan of 1854 we went back to Europe of the 12th c.—to the feudalism of England under the Plantagenets. An aristocratic caste of a few hundred nobles—tho daimios or territorial princes of Japan (278 in number)—ruled large provinces with des potic and almost independent authority; their incomes reaching in one or two instances to i2800,000. The shiogun gave deep offense, both to the daimios and the nation, by signing the Perry treaty at all; but especially by signing it without the sanction of the mikado, and for ten years a policy of assassination and deadly hatred to foreigners (whom the government could not protect) was carried out. This resulted in the two bombardments of Kagoshima Chioshiu, by the English and combined fleets; which. opened the eyes of the Japanese to the power of the western nations, and awakened iu their minds an intense desire to raise their country to an equality with them. A comn nlete reaction in favor of the despised foreigners set in; and a desire for a strong central government—" the unification of the nation in the hands of the mikado"—who was urged by the most powerful of the daimios to suppress the shiogunate. The shiognn tendered his resignation; but, notwithstanding, a coup (Voted. appears to have been nec essary for the complete extinction of the shiogun and his party. This was carried out in time winter of 1867-68. and after a short but sharp civil war of some six months' dura tion, time shiogun, with his partisans, were defeated, and the shiogunate (or "govern ment under generalissimo") became a thing of the past. The dannios decided upon a act of self-sacrifice, and suppresseethemselves. "Two hundred and seventy eight military princes, possessing regal powers. vast wealth, and separate armies, abdicated from purely patriotic motives, the station which their families had held for twenty centuries!" The Japanese government is now organized partly upon the French imperial system, and presents the following features: (1.) The mikado is supreme in temporal and spirit ual matters; (2.) An executive ministry divided into eight departments, viz.—foreign affairs, war, navy, finances, the interior, justice, public instruction, and ecclesiastical affairs; (3.) A senate (lain) of thirty members, and a council of state (slwin), members unlimited; (4.) A "great council "—by which the government is really carried on—
divided into three sections, viz., the center, composed of the prime minister, vice-prime minister, and five advisers; the right, which includes the ministers and vice-ministers of the eight departments: the left, formed entirely of the council of state, whose Nue tions correspond to the French conseil d'etat. All matters of high importance are decided by the great council and the mikado; but ordinary questions arc left to the ministers, individually or in cabinet. An elective parliament is in contemplation. In 1871 the provincial administration was taken from the ex-daimios; and "prefects," with extensive have been appointed, one to each of the 75 districts into which Japan is now divided.
Great progress is being made in finance, education, and public works, as well as the reconstruction of both army and navy. The public debt in 1878 was £72,645,140. There is a reserve fund of £7,800,300. In the budget, approved by the council for the year 1877-78, the total receipts amounted to £10,251,258. the expenditure just balancing the revenue. It was apportioned substantially as in the budget of 1872, the items of which, slightly condensed, are as follows: It will be seen that the bulk of the revenue is derived from the rice-tax, which is a very certain and productive impOst; but as the principle of taxing the staple food of the people is radically wrong, and in this instance it weighs very unfairly upon the agri cultural population (absorbing one-third of the entire annual crop), the newly inaugu rated government is considering how gradually to diminish, and to replace it " by other duties less objectionable, and more in harmony with the spirit which now guides the country." A ministry of instruction was created in 1871, and public primary schools are being established in towns. Light-houses, dock-yards, the buoying of harbors, and the con struction of roads and railroads, have all been in progress during the last three years. A railway from Yedo to Yokohama has been made, and telegraphs are in course of erection. Newspapers and printing-presses have started into existence, and books are eagerly read. The government has engaged foreign professors of languages, and sent some 500 state students to Europe and America. The army is being and organized on the French model, and instructed by French officers. In 1876 the numbers of the active army were 35.380 men. On the war footing the total amounts to 50.240. The navy has at present 21 vessels of all classes. The western calendar (excepting only the names of the month, which are represented by numbers) has, by a recent decree, been adopted; and a national code of laws based on the Code Napoleon. is being drawn up.