OUTBREAK OF CIVIL WAR (1868)
ON New Year's Day salutes were fired at Tempôzan, the fort at the mouth
of the Ozaka river, and at Hiôgo, in honour of the opening of the city
and the port to foreign trade. Many Japanese had been under the
impression that it had been deferred, owing to the notification about
the west coast port, _i.e._ Niigata, which they took to mean Hiôgo
because of its situation west of Kiôto. I conceived a plan for taking
the chief up to Kiôto to mediate between the contending parties, and to
prevent the Japanese from cutting each other's throats, and I proposed
to go ahead of him to Fushimi in order to make the necessary
arrangements with Saigô and Gotô. But this ambitious scheme was
frustrated by the rapidity with which events developed at Kiôto.
Rumour was very busy during the next few days. First, we heard that the
two princes of Chôshiû had been reinstated in their titles. The Tosa
_in-kio_ (Yôdô) landed on the afternoon of January 1, and went up to
Kiôto at once without stopping at Ozaka. It was said that the Tycoon's
position was weak, for he had no support except from Aidzu and one or
two of the smaller clans. Chôshiû's people had taken military possession
of Nishinomiya, and were patrolling the surrounding country, as if
afraid of being attacked. My man Noguchi told us that the Chôshiû troops
had left Nishinomiya, and marched ten miles to Koya on the road to
Kiôto. All the Aidzu men at Ozaka had gone up to Kiôto. The prince was
dissatisfied with the Tycoon's leniency in the Chôshiû business, and
intended to resign his office of guardian of the Mikado's person
(_Shugo-shoku_). On the 4th January there were symptoms of a great
disturbance at Kiôto. The ministers of the other Treaty Powers came to
visit the chief and impart their views of what had passed. For the most
part these were of very slight value, for they were very much in the
dark as to the internal condition of Japan. Von Brandt, the Chargé
d'Affaires of the North German Confederation, was so little acquainted
with the geography of the country as to confound Geishiû and Kishiû.
Endo, who had come back from Nishinomiya, told me that Môri Takumi was
already at Kiôto with part of the Chôshiû force, and that another part
had occupied Fushimi in conjunction with Satsuma troops. But more
significant than anything else was the fact that Satsuma, Geishiû and
Tosa were guarding the imperial palace in the place of Aidzu. There was
some talk of the Tycoon intending to come down to Ozaka, and boats were
said to have been embargoed at Yodo to convey his drilled soldiers down
the river. That the object of the _daimiôs_ was not to fight the Tycoon,
but only to extort concessions from him. They proposed to deprive him of
a million _koku_ of lands as a punishment for the transgressions of the
Tokugawa family. It was certain, Endo said, that the Chôshiû question
was settled, and that the guards of the palace had been changed.
Noguchi's story was that Aidzu, disgusted with the Tycoon, sent in his
written resignation, but that it was intercepted by Kuwana. The Tycoon
however had heard of Aidzu's intention, of which he informed Iga no Kami
directly after the return of the latter from Ozaka, and sent him his
dismissal. Then the three clans above-mentioned seized the environs of
the palace. The _daimiôs_ thereupon proceeded to the palace to discuss
the situation, but the Tycoon refused to attend. He would neither fight
nor take any decided action; his sole aim was to arrange matters
peaceably. Noguchi evidently was reflecting the war-like disposition of
his clan. Ishikawa Kawachi no Kami gave a somewhat different account,
but it was clear that up to that moment there had been no disturbance of
the peace. The _Kwambaku_ Nijô, a nephew of the Tycoon Iyénari, who died
in 1841 aged 52, was said to have been dismissed, and either Konoyé or
Kujô appointed in his place. Chôshiû's troops had entered Kiôto on
January 2.
Ozaka was not perturbed by the events that had passed at the capital,
and on the 5th I was able to give an entertainment to my Japanese escort
at a restaurant in the city. We had two charming _geishas_ to attend on
the party, one looking as if she had just stepped out of a picture, the
classical contour of the face, arched nose, small full underlip, narrow
eyes, and a good-hearted expression of countenance. The other personally
more attractive according to western notions of beauty, but with a
little of the devil in her eyes. Lastly, there was an old _geiko_ or
musician of six or eight and twenty, a clever woman. The streets were
still illuminated at night for the festival, and crowded with dancers.
On the 6th the mystery was cleared up by Ishikawa, who came to tell me
that on the 3rd Satsuma had proposed to abolish not only the Tycoon, but
also the _Kwambaku_, _Tensô_ and _Gisô_, the three offices intermediary
between the Mikado and the Tycoon. The new administration would consist
of _Sôsai_, which sounded like secretaries of state; _Gijô_, which he
thought meant a cabinet; and thirdly _Sanyo_, resembling our
under-secretaries of state. This looked rather like what we had
suggested to Gotô as the framework of the future executive.[5] He said
that this proposal had met with great opposition from others besides the
_fudai daimiôs_, who were afraid that the extremists might go further
and abolish the Mikado. I endeavoured to reassure him on this point. "It
is not," he continued, "a proposal which can be discussed over the
table, and fighting must decide." It seemed from his account that the
Tycoon personally did not object, but his followers objected for him,
while he seemed willing to make every possible sacrifice in order to
secure peace.
[5] But it was not quite correct. The Sôsai were to be a
sort of partners in the office of Minister-President, as
we should call it, and Gijô were to be the heads of
administrative departments.
From a letter of January 4 to my mother, I find that on the 1st Locock,
Mitford and Willis, the legation doctor, and I were to have gone over to
Hiôgo to dine with the Admiral, whose steam-launch was to come to Ozaka
to fetch us. So we went down to the foreign settlement, and, having no
other resource, got into a large Japanese boat managed by a single
little boy with a paddle. At first we proceeded very slowly, but a
sailing boat gave us a tow, after which we shoved off and had to depend
again on the small boy. It was bitterly cold, with a north-east wind. I
sat in the bows, holding up a railway rug with my teeth. Two of the
others protected themselves with umbrellas, and Mitford's Chinese
servant, the faithful Lin-fu, hoisted a mat on a pole. So we sailed down
the river to the port at its mouth. No signs were to be seen of the
launch, so we tried to hire a Japanese boat to carry us across the bay,
the distance being only eleven miles and the wind fair, but one and all
refused, on account of the gale they would have to encounter in coming
back. So we were compelled to put our luggage into a boat and return.
The distance from the fort to the Legation was about seven miles and a
half, but it took us several hours, as we had to call in at the newly
established vice-consulate in the foreign settlement. We dined all
together at the Legation, the chief being confined to his room with a
sharp attack of lumbago, which had not, however, prevented his making a
formal entry into Ozaka on horseback, accompanied by the mounted escort
and the guard of fifty infantry detached from one of the regiments
stationed at Yokohama.
By January 7 all was over with the Tycoon. That morning Moriyama, the
ancient Dutch linguist who used to interpret between the foreign
ministers and the Rôjiû, came to communicate the news of Keiki's
withdrawal from Kiôto. At first I feigned to suppose that he was coming
down to see the French Minister. "Not at all, he is coming here,
deprived of the office of _Shôgun_." He had already made up his mind to
do this four or five days before, but was persuaded to countermand the
orders given for his departure, whereat the commissioners for foreign
affairs stationed at Ozaka had rejoiced greatly. But now the orders had
been repeated, and would be carried out. We sauntered out to look at the
preparations made for his arrival. Small bodies of drilled troops were
marching about headed by drummers, and field-pieces were placed so as to
sweep the narrow streets. We saw men in all sorts of military costumes
with their heads muffled up to protect them from the cold, not
presenting a very martial appearance. We went on to the restaurant on
the river bank, where in the spring we had been often entertained _à la
Japonaise_, and found it full of Aidzu men, whose arms were piled
outside. There was a _karô_ inside, on whom I paid a call. He ascribed
the Tycoon's withdrawal to his unwillingness to fight under the walls of
the palace, and described the leading _daimiôs_ as being at loggerheads,
Satsuma desiring to carry out their plans by main force, and Tosa
preferring to rely on reason; but their objects were identical. It was
not Kaga, but Tosa, that was endeavouring to negotiate an arrangement
between Satsuma and the Tycoon. He talked a good deal about forms of
government, and thought that Gotô's plans would be delightful, if
feasible, but the nation was not yet ripe for fundamental changes. I
agreed with him that representative government would be a curious
substitute for the despotic form of authority that had existed hitherto.
Mitford and I went out again about two o'clock to have another look at
the preparations, and wandered over the Kiô-bashi bridge on to the Kiôto
road. Here it was evident that the Tycoon was expected to arrive at any
moment. There were wonderful groups of men in armour, wearing surcoats
of various gay colours, armed with spears and helmets. Here we found
Kubota Sentarô, the commander of the Tycoon's drilled troops, with a
couple of colleagues, one of whom told Mitford in bad Japanese that they
were very brave and intended to die. I whispered to Kubota that a brave
man did not retreat in this fashion. He repeated the explanation of the
Tycoon's objection to fighting at the steps of the throne, and perhaps
endangering the person of the Mikado. I replied that he should not have
given up the guard of the palace. Kubota alleged the Mikado's orders. I
suggested that if the Mikado ordered that there should be no fighting,
that order must be obeyed. The significant rejoinder was: "Yes, by the
Tycoon, but not by his retainers."
We had just got to the end of the street that ran by the castle moat
when the bugles sounded to arms, and we saw a long train of drilled
troops advancing. We stood on one side opposite to a man wearing a
gorgeous red surcoat, till the troops should pass. On they went,
followed by a herd of men in fantastic costumes (_yû-géki-tai_, "brave
fighting men"), some wearing helmets with long wigs of black or white
hair reaching half-way down their backs, others in ordinary helmets,
basin-shaped war-hats (_jin-gasa_), flat hats, armed, some with long
spears, short spears, Spencer rifles, Swiss rifles, muskets, or the
plain two swords. Then a silence came over the scene. Every Japanese
knelt down as a group of horsemen approached. It was Keiki and his
train. We took off our hats to fallen greatness. He was muffled in a
black hood, and wore an ordinary war-hat. What could be seen of his
countenance looked worn and sad. He did not seem to notice us. Iga no
Kami and Buzen no Kami, members of his council, who came next, on the
contrary nodded gaily to our salute. Aidzu and Kuwana were also there.
Then followed other _yû-géki-tai_, and the procession closed with more
drilled troops. We turned round with the last of these, and hurried on
to see the entrance into the castle. On the way we met the chief, who
had come out to have a look at the Tycoon, to whose downfall he had
contributed as far as lay in his power. The defiling across the bridge
over the moat was an effective scheme of colour, and the procession
entered by the great gate (_ôté_). Every one dismounted except the
Tycoon. Rain fell, in much accordance with the occasion.
The chief insisted, much against my own feeling, in sending to ask for
an interview on the morrow. In the letter I sent, I spoke of Keiki as
Tycoon Denka (His Highness the Tycoon). The reply which came back styled
him simply Uyésama, the title borne by the head of the Tokugawa family
before his formal recognition as Shôgun by the Mikado's Court.
Endo came back with the following information. Arisugawa and Yamashina,
both princes of the blood, Ogimachi and Iwakura, court nobles, were
appointed _Sôsai_; the princes of Owari, Echizen, Geishiû, Satsuma and
Tosa were appointed _gijô_. Ohara (a court noble) and various others
were to be _Sanyo_, besides three from each of the great clans. Satsuma
in this way was represented by Iwashita, Okubo and Saigô. Those of the
other clans were not known to him. The titles of the Prince of Chôshiû
and his son had been restored to them. The palace was guarded by Satsuma
and Geishiû, Chôshiû's troops held the city of Kiôto. A Satsuma steamer
had left for Chikuzen to bring back the five court nobles who had fled
in 1864, Sanjô (afterwards prime minister for a series of years),
Sanjô-Nishi, Mibu, Shijô and Higashi-kuzé (subsequently minister for
Foreign Affairs).
It was difficult to accuse Keiki of cowardice. No one had ever yet
expressed such an opinion of him, and the probability was that he could
not put confidence in the courage of his troops. How a new government
which did not include the Tokugawa chief could hope to succeed one did
not see. He must either join the _daimiôs_ or be destroyed. Perhaps the
latter alternative was what his adversaries designed. Keiki had declined
to see the chief on the following day, and it looked as if the audience
would have to be deferred. The policy advocated in the _Sakuron_,
translated from my articles in the "Japan Times," seemed to govern the
situation. The opening of Yedo to foreign trade must evidently be
postponed, as Locock had declined the responsibility of superintending
the execution of the arrangements.
On the morning of January 8 the chief became very impatient, and about
noon ordered me to prepare a note to the effect that Locock and I should
go to the castle and arrange for an audience. Its despatch was delayed
by a private note from Koba Dennai asking me to name an hour for an
interview with him. At three o'clock our note was to have gone in, when
in came Tsukahara and Ishikawa to inform us that the French Minister was
to see the Tycoon, as we still called him, at once, and that Keiki could
receive Sir Harry to-morrow at any hour he chose to name. On hearing
that he had been outstripped by his colleague, his wrath was unbounded;
he claimed priority on the ground of superior diplomatic rank, and
ordered out the escort. We proceeded to the castle in pouring rain. I
was a little behind the others, and entered the audience chamber just as
Roches and Sir Harry were exchanging words about what the former
stigmatized as a breach of _les convénances_ in interrupting his
interview. But he got as good as he gave, and the audience then
proceeded, after Aidzu and Kuwana had been presented and ordered to
retire. Aidzu was a dark-complexioned man with a hooked nose, about
thirty-two years old, of middle stature and thin; Kuwana an ugly young
person, apparently twenty-four years of age, pock-marked and of dwarfish
proportions. The old fox Hirayama sat behind the Uyésama and took notes.
Shiwoda Samurô, who spoke French well, interpreted for Roches and I for
Sir Harry simultaneously the words which fell from Keiki's lips. He gave
but a lame account of the events of the last few days, professing at one
moment to have withdrawn his troops from the palace in accordance with
an imperial order, while refusing to recognize another such order, which
he felt was equally dictated by Satsuma. Perhaps this was natural on his
part, for it abolished his office and forbade him access to the palace.
He had had it hinted to him that he should also resign his rank of
Naidaijin, and offer to surrender two million _koku_ of lands; but he
had resolved not to heed the suggestion, on the ground that this
property belonged to him apart from his office, just as much as the
lands of Chôshiû, Satsuma and the other _daimiôs_ belonged to them. He
appeared to feel that the _daimiôs_ had stolen a march on him by
preparing their plans beforehand, instead of proceeding with the general
congress of princes at which each should be free to speak his own mind;
in other words, he was vexed at having been taken in by a stratagem.
That the proposal of a congress was merely intended to throw dust in his
eyes was pretty evident. He explained the order for the withdrawal of
the Aidzu palace guard by saying that other _daimiôs_, amongst them
Satsuma and Geishiû, held some of the gates under Aidzu, and that they
introduced certain proscribed court nobles into the precincts after the
_Kwambaku_ and other dignitaries had retired for the day on the morning
of January 3rd., and that at noon the same day these persons issued the
proclamation setting up the new government. This he said was a
preconcocted matter; they had it all ready on paper, and took these
measures without consulting anyone. At one time he seemed to say that
the five great _daimiôs_ were divided among themselves, at another he
spoke of the decrees as having been agreed to by them all beforehand.
After finishing his account, he asked the opinion of the two ministers.
Both expressed admiration of his patriotism in surrendering power, and
the justice of his desire to settle all questions by a general congress,
Roches in very flattering terms, Sir Harry more moderately, asking also
some pertinent questions, which were answered without much frankness.
Keiki gave as his reason for coming down to Ozaka his fear lest a tumult
should arise in the vicinity of the palace, and his desire to appease
the indignation of his followers. It was his intention to remain at
Ozaka, but could not say whether the opposite party would attack him
there. To another question as to the form of government that had been
set up at Kiôto, he replied that the Mikado ruled nominally, but that
Kiôto was occupied by a set of men who did nothing but quarrel among
themselves, anything but govern. Yet he did not appear to claim that he
himself possessed any authority, and he did not know whether the other
_daimiôs_ would rally to his support. Some of those who were at Kiôto
had been disgusted at the congress not having come into existence, and
had returned to their homes; others who were confounded by the audacity
of the five still remained there. Our inference, of course, was that
they were not of his party.
The Uyésama finally said he was tired, and so put an end to the
conversation. One could not but pity him, so changed as he was from the
proud, handsome man of last May. Now he looked thin and worn, and his
voice had a sad tone. He said he would see the ministers again in order
to consult with them. The commissioners for Foreign Affairs gave us a
paper announcing Keiki's resignation of the office of Shôgun, and the
change of his title back to Uyésama.
It turned out that what Koba wanted was to ask whether I could tell him
what the Uyésama's plans were; was he returning to Yedo in order to
gather his forces together, or remaining at Ozaka with the intention of
undertaking a "ruffianly" expedition to the capital. I sent back a reply
by Itô that I knew nothing of Keiki's intended movements. To suppose
that I would supply information on such points showed great simplicity.
The diplomatic body being intent on the observation of neutrality
between the contending parties, held a meeting on the morning of January
9 at the Prussian Legation to frame a declaration, and a request to be
informed where the government was being carried on. The French Minister
did his best to make the former a declaration of non-partizanship with
the _daimiôs_. Shiwoda his interpreter and I had to translate it into
Japanese, which we did separately. His version was very literal, and he
rendered "divers partis" by a term which could only be applied to
conspirators. I also wished the translation to be in free Japanese, not
adhering slavishly to the wording of the original, and we had a quarrel
over this point. After Shiwoda left me, Ishikawa came in, to whom I
showed my version, in order that whatever were the result, no doubt
should be possible as to the attitude of the British Legation. Up to a
late hour at night nothing was settled, except that the interview with
the Uyésama, which was to have been immediate, was put off. On the
following morning, after the two translations had been compared, the
chief suggested an alteration in the French original which removed the
cause of dispute. Then Locock and I went round to the other ministers
and got them to accept my translation. While we were at the French
Legation Hirayama and Kawakatsu came in, and they took the paper away
with them to prepare the Uyésama's reply. A difference had arisen
between Roches and Sir Harry as to relative precedence. The former was
only minister plenipotentiary, while our chief was envoy extraordinary
and minister plenipotentiary. According to all rules he was senior, but
the other ministers held that Roches, having arrived first in Japan, had
precedence. This decision did away with Sir Harry's claim to be _doyen_,
and his reason for asserting a right to have audience before any of his
colleagues. The latter pretension was, of course, one that could in no
circumstances be upheld.
At three o'clock the whole diplomatic body assembled at the castle in
the _o-shiro-jô-in_, all the other apartments being occupied by Aidzu,
Kuwana and Kishiû. The same ceremony was observed as at an European
court. Behind the Uyésama stood his pages; at his left Aidzu, Kuwana,
Makino Bitchiû no Kami, Matsudaira Buzen no Kami (two councillors of
state), and a noble person whom I took to be Ogaki, then Hirayama and
Tsukahara. On his right were a number of _ô-metsukés_. In Japan, as in
China, the left was the position of honour. Close to His Highness stood
Iga no Kami, on whom devolved the task of reading the translation of the
Diplomatic Body's address. The reply was a very long one, spoken by the
Uyésama himself. He began by explaining his policy, vindicating his
retirement from Kiôto, and expressing his determination to abide by the
decisions of a general council. His reply to the particular question
asked by the ministers was that foreigners should not trouble themselves
about the internal affairs of Japan, and that until the form of
government was settled he regarded the conduct of Foreign Affairs as his
own function. The commissioners for foreign affairs, who were probably
apprehensive that they might to-day become nonentities, were obviously
relieved. They became joyful, and somewhat triumphant. The audience was
over in an hour and a half. After the delivery of his speech the Uyésama
went round the row of foreign ministers and spoke a few words to each.
To Sir Harry he said that he hoped for a continuation of his friendship,
and for his assistance in organizing the Japanese navy. The chief
replied in florid style that his heart was the same as it had ever been
towards him, and that he trusted the sun shining through the windows was
an omen of his future, a metaphor which I found some difficulty in
putting into Japanese. However, the Uyésama pretended to take it all in.
One of the private secretaries, Tsumagi Nakadzukasa, came in the evening
to assist me in translating the answer into English.
From Kuroda Shinyémon I received the correct text of the Kiôto decrees.
He told me that the _daimiôs_ were unanimously awaiting Keiki's reply to
the demand for two million _koku_ of lands and the surrender of a step
in court rank. They expected to be joined by the other western
_daimiôs_, and also by the northern ones. I advised that they should not
fight if they could help it, but if they judged it necessary, to do it
at once. He nodded assent. It was intended that in three or four days
the _daimiôs_ would declare their intentions to the foreign ministers.
It showed, I thought, a good deal of courage on the part of a Satsuma
man to come all the way past the castle sentries to our legation, and to
spare him this risky proceeding I promised to go and see him at his own
quarters.
Ishikawa brought me a document purporting to be a protest of the
retainers of Awa, Hizen, Higo, Chikuzen and other great _daimiôs_
against the violent proceedings of the Satsuma party, and insisting on
the convocation of a general council. As far as could be inferred from
their language, it did not appear that war was contemplated by either
party. We heard that in a day or two Owari, Echizen and the court noble
Iwakura would come down to receive the Tokugawa answer to the demands
already mentioned. The troops of Sakai Uta no Kami of Obama in Wakasa, a
powerful adherent of the Uyésama, had been sent to Nishinomiya, where
there were probably Satsuma and Chôshiû troops. Endo however was of
opinion that war would certainly break out. He said that a hundred of
Satsuma's people arrived from Kiôto last night to escort thither the
five court nobles who had been recalled from exile.
On the 12th I went to see Kuroda Shinyémon and Koba Dennai, and gave
them copies of the address of the foreign diplomatic representatives to
the _ci-devant_ Tycoon as well as of his reply. They acknowledged the
authenticity of the protest of Awa and the other eleven clans, and said
that there were others who had disapproved of his restoring the
sovereign power to the Mikado. From this it was evident to me that the
reason why the five clans were in such a hurry to act was that they
wanted to carry out their plans before the others arrived. Kaga was said
to have left Kiôto in order to muster his forces for the assistance of
Keiki. It now became evident that the Tokugawa party were preparing for
war. Kishiû's men were at Tennôji, Sumiyoshi, and Kidzu, close to Ozaka.
Aidzu had occupied the castle of Yodo, a few miles south of Kiôto on the
direct road, with 500 of his own troops, and 300 of the Shinsen-gumi, a
recently raised body of Tokugawa infantry, had also proceeded thither,
while all along the road small detachments were stationed. Owari,
Echizen and Iwakura were expected on the 18th January, but it was
possible that the five clans might march on Ozaka before that date.
Koba Dennai invited us to the Satsuma _yashiki_ on the 14th, so Mitford
and I went there, and there we met Terashima Tôzô (formerly known as
Matsugi Kôan), who had arrived from Kiôto that morning. He explained
that it was thought better to delay issuing the Mikado's announcement to
foreign countries of his having assumed the government until the
question of a surrender of territory by the late Tycoon, which Owari and
Echizen had undertaken to arrange, should be settled. (It must be
understood that in conversation with Japanese this title was never
employed, as it was only invented for foreign use. Either Tokugawa, or
the _Baku-fu_, was the term we employed.) It had been originally
proposed that only Aidzu and Kuwana should come down to Ozaka, in order
to return by sea to their respective countries, but as they were
unwilling to come alone, Keiki was allowed to accompany them. The
territory to be surrendered by him was to form the nucleus of a national
treasury, and it had been proposed by Tosa and some other clans that
each _daimiô_ should sacrifice a smaller proportion for the same
purpose, but Satsuma objected to this latter part of the scheme. The
Mikado's notification would be in archaic Japanese,[6] stating that he
was the head of the confederated _daimiôs_, that he alone was the
sovereign of Japan, that the office of Shôgun was abolished, that the
government was entrusted to a general council of _daimiôs_ subject to
his supervision, and lastly that the treaties were to be remodelled in
his name. We quite agreed with him that to issue the announcement in the
present undecided state of affairs would be premature. A civil governor
had been appointed for Kiôto, and a night patrol to arrest marauders and
disturbers of the public peace. Of course Keiki's plan of calling a
general council of _daimiôs_ to deliberate on the state of the country
was put forward because he was certain of securing a majority by the aid
of those of them who were his own vassals, and that he would get a vote
carried in favour of reinstating him in his previous position of
authority. This stratagem had been defeated by the bold stroke of
Satsuma getting possession of the Mikado's person.
[6] This was stated in reply to a question about the court
language. When the document eventually was delivered, it
was found, as far as my memory serves me, to be framed in
classical Chinese.
Next day Sir Harry paid a visit to the castle with the object of pumping
the Uyésama about his plans for the general council and the new form of
government, but he was anticipated by inquiries about the British
Constitution, which took up all the time available, and he was only able
to get in a question or two at the end. These the Uyésama adroitly
parried by saying that the events he narrated on the last occasion of
their meeting had upset all his arrangements. The escort was ordered,
and we were obliged to leave. As we were going, Aidzu came up and
saluted the chief with great cordiality, who replied that he was very
fond of making the acquaintance of _daimiôs_, and already knew several.
He hoped to know more of them. Could the Prince of Aidzu tell him
whether the Prince of Awa was at Kiôto or Ozaka. Aidzu replied that he
did not know. The chief rejoined that last year he had been to Awa's
place, and had been very civilly treated. This rather broad hint,
however, produced no effect.
The same day there came to see me a young Tosa man, of Kishiû origin,
named Mutsu Yônosuké, with whom I discussed the question of the
recognition of the Mikado's government by the foreign ministers. I
explained that it was not for the foreign representative to take the
first step. We had received assurances from the Tokugawa chief that he
would continue to carry on the administration, and as no communication
had yet come from the Kiôto side, we had to go on holding official
relations with him. If the Kiôto government wished to assume the
direction of affairs they should inform the _Baku-fu_ that they were
going to notify their assumption of foreign affairs to the ministers,
and then invite the latter to Kiôto. This would be to all the world a
clear proof of the position held by the Mikado.
Mutsu replied that he had not come as a messenger from Gotô, but was
merely giving his individual views. He thought a prince of the blood
should come down to Ozaka and hold an interview at the castle with the
foreign representatives, at which the Tokugawa chief should attend and
resign the conduct of foreign affairs, on which the prince of the blood
would deliver the Mikado's declaration of policy. Of course he would be
escorted by _daimiôs_ and their troops. I warmly approved his
suggestion, and at his request promised not to divulge it to anyone.
The next day Mitford and I went again to the Satsuma _yashiki_, and
found that a list of questions to be put to us had been sent down from
Kiôto. We gave one answer to everything, namely, that it was only
necessary for the Mikado to invite the ministers to Kiôto, and compel
the ex-Tycoon to abandon his claim to conduct the foreign affairs of the
country. They proposed to make Keiki withdraw his answer of the 10th. I
gave them copies of Sir Harry's Note conveying the Queen's condolences
on the death of the late Mikado, and of Itakura's reply; but they were
not able to say whether the Note had been communicated to the court. The
_daimiô_ of Higo had arrived and proceeded to Kiôto. Bizen was to
garrison Nishinomiya. The five exiled court nobles were expected to
arrive that evening, and would go up to Kiôto by the river.
Echizen and Owari came down from Kiôto and went to the castle, as had
been announced several days previously. The former sent a message
through the Japanese Foreign Department to ask when his retainers might
come to see our guard go through their drill. We replied that they did
not drill. Perhaps they had heard of the mounted escort being exhibited
to the Tycoon on some previous occasion. We should have preferred to
have this request made to us direct.
On the 23rd Ishikawa came to tell us that our Japanese guard was to be
increased by one hundred men in consequence of disturbances that had
occurred at Yedo. On the night of the 16th, he said, some Satsuma men
had attacked the Shiba barracks of Sakai Saemon no jô, _daimiô_ of
Shônai in the north, but were beaten off. On the next day but one
Sakai's people went together with some troops which they had borrowed
from the government, intending to demand the surrender of the men
concerned in the violence of the 16th, but before they reached the
Satsuma _yashiki_ fire was opened on them with field pieces and small
arms, to which they replied. In the end the _yashiki_ was burnt to the
ground. Some of the defenders were killed, others captured, and some
escaped to a Satsuma war vessel that was lying in the bay. This at once
attacked a government ship, but the result of the fight was unknown. At
any rate, the other _yashikis_ of Satsuma and of Shimadzu Awaji no Kami
had also been burnt. It was possible that the Satsuma people who had
escaped might try to revenge themselves by creating disturbances at
Ozaka. Though it was not likely that they would attack the castle, it
was thought desirable as a measure of precaution to station some troops
where we were. The chief's answer was that they must first write all
this officially to him and await his reply before sending a single man
to the Legation. To alarm us still further Ishikawa told us a story of
boatmen having reported that the student interpreters we had left at
Yedo had been fired at from the Satsuma _yashiki_ in the street called
Tamachi, the date of the letter which brought this news being January
14th. As this was two days before the Satsuma attack on the Sakai
_yashiki_, we did not give credit to his tale. What we thought was that
Keiki had returned a refusal to the ultimatum of the _daimiôs_, and
feared they would attack him at Ozaka. Echizen and Owari returned to
Kiôto that day, but we did not hear what had been the result of their
mission. On the 24th the Admiral arrived with news from Yedo confirming
all that Ishikawa had reported. His account of it was that on the night
of the 17th the Satsuma people had contrived to set a part of the castle
on fire, and carried off Tenshô-In Sama, a princess of theirs who had
married the last Tycoon but one. Thereupon the government people
attacked all the Satsuma _yashikis_ in Yedo and burnt them, and the
occupants getting on board their steamer put to sea. In the meanwhile,
the "Eagle" and other government vessels received orders to get up steam
and attack her. A sea fight ensued, which ended by the "Eagle" and the
Satsuma steamer disappearing in the offing. The former was met by H.M.S.
"Rodney," the Admiral's flagship, returning next day with her fore-yard
gone, and the latter was seen off Cape Oshima, south of the province of
Kishiû, on the 23rd. The story that our student interpreters Quin and
Hodges had been fired at about the 12th as they were passing in front of
the Satsuma battery in a Japanese boat was true, but no harm was done.