ver imported into the mint for the year was 1,638,082.97 ounces troy (pages 3 & 4). The entire coinage at the mint from the commencement thereof up to the 30th of June, 1879, amounted in value to 86,219,050.57 yen, of which amount 52,562,739 yen were gold. On the 30th of June last the amount of gold, silver, and copper bullion and coin held by the mint was as follows: gold, 3,829.28 ounces; silver, 351,587.20 ounces; copper, 5,342,997.86 ounces. I have, &c., No. 429. JNO. A. BINGHAM. No. 1051.] Mr. Bingham to Mr. Evarts. UNITED STATES LEGATION, Tokei, January 16, 1880. (Received February 19.) SIR: By the latest report of the ravages of the cholera in Japan from its appearance in April last until the 27th ultimo, it is shown that the whole number of persons attacked was 168,344, of whom 101,364 died, 47,885 recovered, and 19,065 remained under treatment. I have, &c., No. 430. JNO. A. BINGHAM. No. 1059.] Mr. Bingham to Mr. Evarts. UNITED STATES LEGATION, Tokei, January 21, 1880. (Received February 19.) SIR: I have the honor to acquaint you that on the 15th ultimo his excellency the minister for foreign affairs addressed to me a communi. cation, a copy of which is herewith, advising me that an imperial notification had been issued declaring quarantine against the importation to Japan of cattle from Shanghai, China, by reason of a cattle plague which prevailed at that place, but also providing that all cattle shipped at Shanghai for Japan before the notification had been issued would be purchased by the Japanese Government and destroyed. To his excellency's communication I replied, acquainting him of my purpose to enforce the cattle quarantine, and that I would advise our consuls and consular agents accordingly, a copy of which reply is herewith. I also inclose a copy of my letter to Consul-General Van Buren, in which I requested him to publicly proclaim (by advertisement) the quarantine, and that it should be observed, and to notify our other consuls in Japan thereof, which the consul-general did promptly and satisfactorily. It has been privately stated to me that the representatives of the European powers accepted the situation and recognized their obligation to enforce this cattle quarantine, which I may be allowed to say suggests that in the opinion of some of the European states a quarantine by His Imperial Japanese Majesty's Government against the importation of cattle suffering from an infectious disease is altogether allowable, although the same powers last year, and before, denied the right of His Imperial Japanese Majesty's Government to quarantine against the importation of men infected with an infectious plague. It would seem from this that in the judgment of some of the representatives of the foreign powers the lives of cattle are of more value than the lives of human beings in Japan; or, stating it in another form, that while it is lawful for His Imperial Japanese Majesty to protect his cattle from an importation of a cattle plague, it is unlawful to protect himself or his faithful people from the importation under the flags of all nations of a destructive human plague into His Majesty's Empire. It will always be a satisfaction to me that, under your wise administration, our government took no part in this denial of the inherent right of His Imperial Majesty's Government. I have, &c., [Inclosure 1 in No. 1059.] JNO. A. BINGHAM. Mr. Kaosa to Mr. Bingham. FOREIGN OFFICE, TOKEI, SIR: I have the honor to inform your excellency that in consequence of a credible report to the effect that an epidemic prevails among cattle at Shanghai, China, the inclosed notification has been issued, prohibiting the landing at the open ports of any such cattle brought from Shanghai, and beg that your excellency will be good enough to communicate the same to the consuls of your country. I avail myself, &c., INOUYE KAOSA. [Inclosure 2 in No. 1059.J No. 1136.] Mr. Bingham to Mr. Inouye Kaosa. UNITED STATES LEGATION, SIR: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your excellency's communica tion of yesterday, informing me that owing to a prevailing epidemic among cattle in Shanghai, China, the landing of cattle shipped from that port is prohibited by His Imperial Japanese Majesty's Government, and that all cattle shipped from that port before the issuance of the notification of his excellency Sanjo Saneyoshi, His Imperial Japanese Majesty's prime minister, will be purchased by the government and destroyed. In accordance with your excellency's request, I will communicate the notification to our consuls, to the end that the same may be duly observed by citizens of the United States. I beg leave to suggest that the notification should be printed in English in one or more of the foreign newspapers in Japan. Accept, &c., [Inclosure 3 in No. 1059.] JNO. A. BINGHAM. Mr. Bingham to Mr. Van Buren. UNITED STATES LEGATION, SIR: Herewith I inclose a notification of his excellency Mr. Sanjo. His Imperial Japanese Majesty's prime minister, to the effect that owing to the prevailing epidemic among cattle at Shanghai, China, the landing of cattle shipped from that port for Japan is prohibited within the ports of Japan. I have to request that you will give public notice of this order and that citizens of the United States will be expected to duly observe the same. I will also thank you to forward me copies of the notice you may publish to our several consuls and our consular agent in Japan. I am, &c., JNO. A. BINGHAM. No. 1070.] No. 431. Mr. Bingham to Mr. Evarts. UNITED STATES LEGATION, Tokei, February 6, 1880. (Received March 15.) SIR: Herewith I have the honor to inclose for your information copies of the "eighth report of the postmaster-general of Japan," for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1879. From this report it appears that the revenues of the postal department for the fiscal year were 949,357.01 yen, and that the expenditures for the year were 826,378.98 yen, showing that the revenues exceeded the expenditures by 122,000 yen in round numbers, a showing by which other governments might profit. Of mails the report shows that 55,775,206 letters were transmitted during the year. The aggregate length of mail routes was 36,052 English miles, and this within a territory of about 150,000 square miles. The whole number of post-offices, as reported, is 7,439. The report also refers to the Paris postal convention of June 1, 1878, and the connection of this government therewith, and states that by 'ts operation over nearly the entire globe, while there has been a large ncrease in the postal service there has been a decrease of postal expenditure. Of the foreign mails from Japan, of letters, the total, in round numbers, was 174,000, of which 72,000 were dispatched to the United States, and 55,000 by way of the United States. Of foreign letters received, the total number of letters was 105,000 in round numbers, of which 55,000 came from the United States. Of printed matter forwarded and received by the foreign mails, fully onehalf went to and came from the United States. Of letters actually lost through the mails during the year, there were but 341, and the total loss of money transmitted through the mails was but 44.59 yen. The aggregate value of the postal money-orders for the year was 3,704,383.78 yen. In the post-office savings-banks there was an increase of deposits over the preceding year of 172,000 yen, in round numbers. The total number of these banks was 507, and the whole amount of deposits for the year 393,000 yen, in round numbers. The reports are in all respects creditable to this government. I have, &c., JNO. A. BINGHAM. No. 1077.] No. 432. Mr. Bingham to Mr. Evarts. UNITED STATES LEGATION, Tokei, March 1, 1880. (Received April 2.) SIR: On the 22d ultimo, near 1 o'clock a. m., this city and vicinity were visited by an earthquake, which, it is said, was the most severe of the many shocks annually felt here since that of 1854-55, when it is estimated that from 30,000 to 100,000 people were in this city alone destroyed by the earthquake. It is gratifying to know that no lives were lost by the visitation of the 22d ultimo, although many houses were greatly injured in the neighboring city of Yokohama, as were also some houses here. I inclose herewith a notice of the occurrence as published in the Japan Daily Herald of the 23d ultimo. I have, &c., JNO. A. BINGHAM. [Inclosure in No. 1077.-Extract from the Japan Daily Herald, February 23, 1880.] THE EARTHQUAKE. We announced in one of our recent numbers that the volcano of Asama Yama was showing signs of activity, and that the inhabitants in its vicinity were in dread of an eruption. This fear has not, at least up to the present time, been realized; but in its place the inhabitants of this neighborhood have been subjected to the most severe earthquake which has occurred in Japan since the memorable one of 1855, which forms a landmark in the modern history of this country, from the wide amount of damage done and the great loss of life which resulted. There is but little doubt that during the last few years the symptoms of volcanic activity have increased in importance in this neighborhood, as witnessed in the threatenings of Vries and Asama; still, no actual eruption of any magnitude has taken place; but, on the other hand, earthquakes have been unpleasantly frequent in number and of more than ordinary severity. The chemical and mechanical forces which are working in the earth must, in one way or another, find a vent, and we are almost tempted to wish that one of the adjacent volcanoes would break out into activity, and thus form a safety-valve for the locally pent-up forces of nature. The destruction in the immediate neighborhood might be great, but it is questionable whether it would equal the wide-spread and rain which would be caused by another earthquake of equal severity to that of 1855. Fortunately in that of last night, although the shock was heavy enough to do great damage and to cause excited people to objurgate "the land we live in," and to express an intention of leaving for Europe by the next mail steamer, we have not to chronicle, so far as is as yet known, any loss of life, the destruction being confined to property only. At a few minutes before one o'clock yesterday morning slumberers were aroused by a premonitory but comparatively a mild shock. Then came another, but a very heavy one, in the middle of which was heard the crash of falling chimneys, walls, articles of furniture, &c. The panic-for the alarm reached that stage-was intense, and people might have been seen flying to the doors of their respective habitations and into the streets in the airiest of drapery. An interval of about thirty seconds elapsed, and then another but less violent shock occurred, after which mother earth again sank to repose and left the bewildered inhabitants to inspect damages to household goods, and too seek such repose as their fears permitted them to obtain. The Japanese Government established some years ago the necessary apparatus at Tokio for registering the duration, force, &c., of these very unpleasant phenomena. From the native papers of to-day we learn the exact details. The first shock took place at 0h 49m 228, and lasted fourteen seconds; the second one was at 0h 50m 19a, and lasted for one minute twenty-six seconds; whilst the third was at 0h 52m 15s, and lasted only six seconds. Of these, the second one was, as already stated, by far the heaviest. The index of the seismograph showed that the shock was in a north-northwest and south-southeast direction. The force of the shock was registered at 79°. The scene of the greatest damage is the bluff; but a narrow strip, the eastern end of the settlement, bordering the creek, has also suffered severely. On the bluff it is difficult to discover a house which has not suffered to some extent, although there are a few such. A walk around the road shows a melancholy panorama of fallen and twisted chimneys, tiles which have slid into the road from unroofed houses, walls cracked, and in many cases partly fallen, exposing the wooden frame-work of the houses, &c. Nor does the external view alone show the real extent of the damage. In many cases houses which have apparently suffered but little, upon a more particular examination show a large amount of internal injury, caused by falling chimneys and plaster, by which furniture has been irretrievably ruined, and valuable china and curios broken or injured. In several cases cracks are plainly visible in the ground in different portions of the bluff. In the settlement, the Grand Hotel has lost five stacks of chimneys, and a portion of the stone facing of the inner wall of the building has fallen. The side of a small house on No. 130 has also been leveled, and No. 123 has suffered very considerably. It must be considered a very fortunate occurrence that in the midst of all this destruction no injury to life or limb has occurred, and this is the more remarkable, inasmuch as on the bluff many of the chimneys crashed through the roofs into rooms in which persons were sleeping; in one case, a portion of the débris actually falling on the bed in which a gentleman was reposing without injuring him. Another danger was also added by the overturning of kerosene lamps, which were in most cases, extinguished without further injury. One fire, however, occurred from this cause, but it was extinguished without doing much damage. Probably it is rather under than over the mark if we place the losses in Yokohama alone, incurred in the few moments of Sunday morning, at $50,000. No. 433. No. 1078.] Mr. Bingham to Mr. Evarts. UNITED STATES LEGATION, Tokei, March 1, 1880. (Received April 2.) SIR: I have the honor to inclose for your information copies in duplicate of a memorial to his excellency Mr. Sanjo, prime minister of His Imperial Majesty, as published on the 29th ultimo in the Japan Weekly Mail, on behalf of the local assembly of the ken of Miyagi in this empire. I beg leave to note that this memorial sets forth that the people of Japan appreciate thoroughly the respective rights of the monarch and the people, and therefore demand the establishment of a national constituent assembly and the full recognition that all legislative power is vested in and to be exercised by the people through the representatives of their choice. The memorial very significantly declares that this movement will never cease until the required object is attained; that is to say, "a constitutional government," the advantages of which, the memorial asserts, "every nation in Europe enjoys." Soon after this memorial was received, viz, the 28th ultimo, there was a very marked change made in the organization of the imperial government. The following ministers, heads of departments, resigned, viz: Okuma, minister of finance; Ito, minister of the interior; Terashima, minister of education; Oki, minister of justice; Saigo, minister of war; Kawamura, minister of marine; and Yamada, minister of public works, each of whom is now a sangi or imperial councilor, and, in conjunction with Sanjo, prime minister, Iwakura and Prince Arisugawa, junior prime ministers, Inouye, minister for foreign affairs, and Kuroda, chief of the kaitakushi or colonization bureau, form the imperial council (Daijo-kuan), and, under the Emperor's approval, enact general laws for the empire, and also special laws for the government of all the several departments of state. |