January 8, 1896.1
4.That the action of the master in putting the steamer's helm hard aport and going full speed ahead was right and proper under the circumstances and was the only course open to him.
5-That the said action of porting and going ahead resulted in materially diminishing the force of the collision.
6.--That under the special circumstances of immediate danger when the sailing ship's light was first sighted, it was impossible for the master of the Isis to keep out of the way of the sailing ship.
7. That after the collision all proper efforts were made on the part of the steamer to stand hy and assist the sailing ship.
*
The Court therefore finds that no blame attaches to the master, officers, or crew of the Isis for the collision or for the circumstances attendant thereon.
NEW SHIPS FOR THE NIPPON
YUSEN KAISHA.
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
Our Court and of yourselves, as well as by the hearty cooperation of Our people, the war with China was brought to a glorious termination. At home, Formosa has been reduced to order; and abroad, our relations with the foreign Powers are growing more and more intimate. What is now of urgent importance to the coun- try is that peace should be maintained and efforts concentrated upon the increase and pro- motion of national prosperity and progress. We have, consequently, directed Our Ministers of State to elaborate various schemes required for the advancement of the country in the fields of industry, communications, and education. These schenies we have caused to be submitted to the Diet in the Budget for the 29th fiscal year of Meiji and in Projects of Laws.
As to the defences of the country, it has ever been our intention to complete them by degrees. Desirous of repairing the injuries occasioned during the recent hostilities, and of making necessary provisions for self-protection, We have charged Our Advisers with the task of elaborating the measures to be adopted. We have further ordered them to seek the Diet's approval for the outlays involved in carrying out those measures. We are confident that Our good and loyal subjects will be only too glad to bear whatever increase of their public burdens is thereby entailed.
The vernacular papers have given publicity to so many paragraphs about the Nippon Yusen Kaisha which we are assured have been without any foundation in fact, that we can only reprint further items on the distinct understanding
We are happy to be able say that, through that they must be taken for what they are worth. The Ashai states that the company the glorious virtues of Our illustrious Ancestors, are about to order six new steamers to cost and the loyalty and courage of Our subjects, Our Empire has already made large progress in about 700,000 yen each, the aggregate ton- nage to be 7,500. One is to be built at the civilization. But the nation has a long and Mitsu Bishi yard at Nagasaki, and the order, arduous journey yet to perform. It is, there our contemporary says. has already been given. fore. Our pleasure that you, the members of Though this private dock, we are given to both Houses of the Diet, should, by discharging understand, has made considerable progress, it your duty of harmonious cooperation, endeavour has not yet demonstrated its ability to constructe conforts to Our wishes,
Some of the engineers are large steamers. foreigners and the materials are supplied from abroad. The Mitsu Bishi Company are prepared to construct the ship for the same figure as the foreign firms will build the others, though they expect to lose about 10.000 yen on the transaction. This they are willing to bear, if need be, for the sake of gaining experience, whereby they may have greater confidence in their aim to build a ship as large as 10,000 tons some time in the future.
Mr. Yasui has been appointed manager for the Nippon Yusen Kaisha at Bombay, where the company will shortly open their own office. Messrs. Tata & Co. have hitherto been agents for the company at Bombay.--Kobe Chronicle.
VALUE OF LAND IN KOBE,
We have recently given some account of the great rise in the price of land that has taken place in Kobe during the last few months, so that the movement at present almost amounts to a boom. We learn some interesting facts as to the rise in values from our vernacular con- temporary the Kwansei Shogyo Nippo. It is stated that in Nakayamate-dori land is now valued at 15 yen per tsubo which a few months ago could be bought for 10 yen. In Shimo- yamate-dori the rise is still greater, being from 10 to 20 yen. In Kitanagasa-dori lots, in- cluding buildings erected on them, have risen in value from 20 and 25 yen to 50 and 55 yen per tsubo, while in Motomachi values are reckoned from 75 to 100 yen. Some lots in Sakai- machi are valued at present as high as 140 and 150 yen. Altogether the rise in land values in Kobe during the last few months has been most remarkable, keeping pace with the trade specula- tion that has been in progress.-Kobe Chronicle.
THE JAPANESE DIET.
now
The Japanese Diet was opened on the 28th December. We avail ourselves of the Japan Mail's translations of the Emperor's speech and the draft address to the Throne on the subject of foreign policy.
THE EMPEROR'S SPEECHI. We hereby perform the ceremony of opening the Imperial Diet and announce the fact to the members of the House of Peers and of the House of Representatives.
We are rejoiced that, with the advice and concert of the civil and military servants of
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THE ADDRESS TO THE THRONE ON THE
SUBJECT OF FOREIGN POLICY. The following is a translation of the draft Address to the Throne introduced in the House of Representatives on the 28th instant over the signatures of Messrs. Shimada, Ozaki, Otake, Ohigashi, Nakamura, Hatoyama, Suzuki, Ta guchi, Inukai, and Ishiwaru :-
The undersigned, Your Majesty's humble ser- rant, Kusumoto Masataka. President of the House of Representatives, herewith by a re- solution of the said House. most reverently submits the present Address to the Throne.
into a dead letter and a pledge was given for the retrocession of the territory. Such conduct not fail to seriously injure the prestige Imperial House and compromise the dignity of the country: When the empire is engaged in a foreign war, it is one of the most import. ant duties of the Ministers of State to keep a vigilant watch over the conduct of neutral Powers and take precantions against their possible antagonism. Such vigilance and such precautionary measures are particularly import- ant in regard to questions of teritory. To conclude a treaty of peace without taking these essential precautionary steps is a gross neglect of duty on the part of those charged with diplomatico affairs. Such was the in- capacity of the Ministers of State in the field of diplomacy, that they could neither pre- rent the formation of a hostile alliance by Russia, Germany, and France, nor confront that alliance with a counter-alliance. They had not even the courage to rely upon the justice of their country's cause and reject the demand of the Allies. In a moment of confusion and con- sternation they knew only how to bow their heads to the interfering Powers, thereby sub- jecting the country to unprecedented humilia tion and disgrace.
¿
It was by no means a novel phenomenon that European Powers should prepare for interven- tion by increasing their armaments in the East. Your Majesty's servants in the House of Representatives offered an admonition to the Ministers of State on this subject in the seventh and eighth sessions of the Diet. In utter dis- regard of these admonitions, and in profound ignorance of the diplomatic intervention already in sight, the Ministers concluded the Shimo- noseki Treaty and asked for Your Majesty's Re- script sanctioning that Treaty. Immediately afterwards, tamely yielding to the remonstrance of the three Powers, they again asked for an- other Rescript annulling the former one. Through their misconduct the glorious victories of the country's arms ended in lowering Your Majesty's prestige and impairing the country's dignity. This is a matter of profound grief to the undersigned and other servants of Your Majesty in the House of Representatives.
Equally regrettable was the Korean distur bance of the 8th of October last. A Minister Plenipotentiary carries Your Majesty's creden tials and represents the Empire at the Court to For more than two hundred days after the which he is accredited. In recommending commencement of the late war with China, functionary to discharge such a grave responsi Your Majesty held the Court at Hiroshima, bility the utmost caution and circumspection where Your Majesty personally directed mili- should be exercised by the Minister of State tary affairs. and shared the labours and hard- What has been their behaviour in the present ships of Your Majesty's officers and men, instance? They seem to think that their re- Animated by Your Majesty's example, the sponsibility ends with the dismissal of the mem But so long as the whole people rose like one man determined to bers of the Legation.
Ministers themselves remain in office who re- serve their Sovereign and country; while all in the Army and the Navy went to the front with commended the appointment of the erring the resolution to conquer or to die. The result officials, how can it be possible to prove to the has been a glorious triumph for the Imperial world that the misdeeds of those officials were arms--a triumph principally due to the grand opposed to the wishes of Your Majesty and of the nation ? The truth is that the dif- martial virtues of Your Majesty. Your Ma- jesty's humble servants, the undersigned and ficulties of the Korean situation are to be other members of the House of Representatives, principally ascribed to the retrocession of the being aware of the importance of their functions Fêngtien peninsula, and that the misdeeds of the diplomatic officials under consideration were and duties, relieved the national coffers from all danger of deficiency by voting a large War in one sense an unavoidable consequence of the Supply and also spared no effort to rouse the vacillating policy pursued by the Government martial spirit of the people, urging them to de- toward Korea. Mistaken in policy, injudicious vote themselves to the service of their Sovereign. in the recommendation of officials, and incom- In all this, they were actuated by reverent soli-petent in controlling and directing them, the citude to conform with Your Majesty's wishes Ministers of State have to answer for serious neglect of duty. There are several other and to contribute their humble mite to the exe- cution of the grand Imperial policy, thereby instances of maladministration on the part of the Ministers in domestic, as well as foreign elevating the position of their country. The Ministers of State, on the other hand, proved affairs. But none compares in gravity with those with themselves so negligent in the conduct of foreign connected with the return of Fêngtien and affairs that they have not only been incapable the Korean question. Your Majesty may be so of securing the legitimate fruits of the victory magnanimous as to pass over the Ministers' of the Imperial arms, but have even suffered a misconduct, but it is to be feared that to show stain to be cast upon the dignity of the country. magnanimity toward them will be prejudicial to The Fêngtien (Liaotung) peninsula was oc- the interests of the country. It being the duty cupied as part of the price of the valued of the undersigned and others to offer admoni- blood of Your Majesty's subjects, and by its re- tion, they would be guility of an act of disloyalty. trocession the Ministers of State cannot escape to Your Majesty did they keep silence on this the blame of having employed the Imperial question. Consequently, they have ventured to appeal to Your Majesty's enlighted judgment troops and sacrificed lives for no adequate reason. Nor is that all. Not twenty days had passed in connection with the above mentioned two from the issue of an Imperial Rescript proclaim. most serious cases of maladministration on the ing the acquisition of the territory from China, part of the Ministers of State. Inipressed with when yielding to the intervention of Russia, Ger the fact that difficulties are fast multiplying many, and France, that Rescript was converted in the East, it is the humble opinion of the
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