No. 202.
Mr. Bingham to Mr. Frelinghuysen.
United
States Legation,
Japan,
Tokei, August 27, 1882. (Received
September 25.)
No. 1551.]
Sir: Herewith I beg leave to inclose for your
information an extract from the report of Sir James Bain, ex-lord provost of
Glasgow, and recently made by that gentleman to the Glasgow Chamber of
Commerce, together with the words of approval thereof by the British
Mercantile Gazette, as published in the Japan Gazette of the 24th
instant.
Sir James Bain, you will please observe, was appointed the representative of
the Glasgow Chamber of Commerce to the Yokohama Chamber of Commerce, and was
requested to gather information concerning the commercial relations between
Great Britain and the countries of the East. The extract from his report
which is inclosed treats only of Japan, and points out the disadvantages to
commerce arising from the erritorial restrictions of existing treaties.
Referring to the desire of the treaty powers to open the empire to foreign
trade, Sir James reports that he was informed by the Japanese minister for
foreign affairs that the Japanese Government might grant the liberty of
trading everywhere in this empire, but only on condition of foreigners
becoming amenable to the native tribunals; but adds that the foreign powers
insist upon the privilege of general trade without the condition. The
Mercantile Gazette remarks:
We are disposed to agree with Sir James in considering such an
arrangement perfectly equitable, more especially as the laws of
Japan are now based on those of England and France, and as the
system of administering justice, and their police, postal, and
educational arrangements, bear favorable comparison with those of
most other countries.
When the actual condition of Japan comes to be better understood by foreign
states—her wonderful progress in the knowledge of good government and
judicial administration—it seems to me that just men everywhere will concur
with Sir James that the proposition of Japan is perfectly equitable and
ought to be accepted by the treaty powers.
It is clear to my mind that the European states do not intend to release
Japan, China, or any of the Oriental nations from European rule and European
government so long as they can prevent it. It is not uncommon to see in
European journals the announcement that the proposition to relieve Japan at
any time, however remote, from the existing foreign control of her affairs,
is not to be entertained by the great powers.
[Page 378]
The world moves, knowledge advances among men and nations, and through its
resistless power the people of the East must regain their lost
liberties.
I have, &c.,
[Inclosure in No. 1551.—Extract from the
Japan Gazette of August 24, 1882.]
In an article headed “Trade with the East,” the British Mercantile
Gazette has the following paragraph on Japan:
“Sir James Bain, ex lord provost of Glasgow, has returned from a tour
around the world, and, having been appointed the representative of the
Glasgow Chamber of Commerce to the Yokohama Chamber of Commerce, and
requested to gather any information he could concerning the commercial
relations between this country and the countries of the East, has
presented his report to the Glasgow Chamber. Some portions of Sir
James’s report are referred to in another column, but we desire here to
direct the attention of those trading with the East to a few points
having an important bearing upon the trade of this country with China,
India, and Japan.
“At present, trade with Japan is conducted under many serious
disadvantages, and is limited to such ports as are specified in existing
treaties, and to a small district round each. The powers in treaty with
Japan, however, now desire to have the whole of Japan open to foreign
trade on the same conditions as those which regulate trade with the
treaty ports. Sir James Bain states that he was informed by the Japanese
minister of foreign affairs that the Japanese Government might grant
liberty of trading everywhere, but only on condition of foreigners
becoming amenable to the native tribunals of the country. Foreign
residents in Japan, it appears, will not accept this, view, but we are
disposed to agree with Sir James in considering such an arrangement
perfectly equitable, more especially as the laws of Japan are now based
on those of England and France, and as their system of administering
justice, and their police., postal, and educational arrangements bear
favorable comparison with those of most other countries.
“While Sir James appears to recognize the importance of having
advantageous commercial relations with Japan, he does not anticipate the
brilliant future for that country that many who visit it prophesy. He
says it lies at ‘the end of the earth,’ and freights to and from must
always be expensive.” The country is thickly peopled, and the
inhabitants have a struggle to raise a sufficiency of food for
themselves. The climate of a large portion of the country is
inhospitable; the roads are good, but the rivers are shallow, and the
mountainous character of the country does not permit of much railway
extension. There is a good coal field at Nagasaki, but it is being
rapidly exhausted. Tea, silk, and rice are the staples of export. The
first is not admired in Europe, and is sent principally to the United
States. The production of silk is considerable and is being increased;
rice is of superior quality, but the cost at the port of shipment and
the expense of transit prevent it being brought into competition with
Rangoon in the London market. The currency is greatly depreciated in
consequence of large sums having been spent in unproductive and
unnecessary works in the shape of fleets, armies, fortifications, and
government offices.”
