THE BIZEN AFFAIR
ON February 4, Bizen troops were passing through Kôbé from the early
morning, and about two o'clock in the afternoon the retinue of one of
their _karô_ shot an American sailor who had crossed the street just in
front, which according to Japanese ideas was an insult that deserved
mortal chastisement. After that they attempted the life of every
foreigner whom they met, but fortunately without any serious results.
What at a later time became the foreign settlement was then an open
plain; at the upper edge of it ran the high road, and as the Bizen
people passed along they suddenly opened fire, apparently from
breech-loaders. Then every foreigner was seen scurrying across the plain
for safety. The American marines immediately started in pursuit, our
guard of 2/ix was called out, and some French sailors were landed. Half
of our guard under Bruce were despatched to occupy the entrance from
Kôbé into the foreign quarter, and the other half followed in pursuit.
On reaching the Ikuta-gawa stream-bed, at the eastern extremity of the
plain, we perceived the Bizen men marching in close column about 600 or
700 yards ahead, so we passed through the gap in the river bank and
opened fire. There were at least half-a-dozen civilians with us, all
armed with rifles, who likewise fired. Willis, Mitford and I had only
our revolvers. At the first volley from our side, the enemy turned into
a field by the side of the road, and fired at us from below a bank. On
our returning their fire, they all took to flight. We pursued them,
every now and then firing at one or other who had failed to get under
cover, but finally they took to the hills and disappeared completely.
Sir Harry, followed by his mounted escort of ex-policemen, galloped some
distance down the road in the direction of Nishinomiya, but was unable
to catch sight of the foe. If any of them had suffered from our fire, he
must have been carried off by his comrades. Willis found an old peasant
woman lying by a bank with a bullet wound through both ankles, whom he
brought back and cured of her hurt. Then we took prisoner a wretched
porter, who escaped with his life by a mere miracle, for at least
fifteen revolver shots were fired at him at close quarters as he rose
from his place of concealment, without his receiving a single wound. We
opened the baggage which had been dropped by the fugitives, but found
nothing of value, only three small weapons, representing a cross between
a matchlock and a howitzer, and a few carpenters' tools. From the
porter, whom we led home as our prisoner, we ascertained that the
detachment consisted of two Bizen _karô_, Ikéda Isé and Hiki Tatéwaki,
who were on their way with about 400 men to reinforce the garrison of
Nishinomiya, and that some of them had remained behind at Hiôgo. On
returning to the settlement we found a quantity more baggage which had
been dropped in Kôbé by the men whom Bruce had intercepted. Sentries
were then posted along the main street of Kôbé as far as the first
barrier gate, where a strong guard was stationed with a howitzer. A line
of sentries was also drawn round the north and east sides of the plain.
From some of these, who were Americans, sailors or marines, an alarm was
raised about ten o'clock. Great alacrity was displayed by the naval
people; field pieces were landed and numbers of small-arms men. After
all, no enemy made his appearance to justify so great a stir being made.
I proposed to Sir Harry that we should issue a manifesto declaring that
if Bizen's people did not satisfactorily explain their behaviour, the
foreign powers would make it a quarrel with Japan as a whole. He induced
his colleagues to agree to this, and I started our prisoner back to his
people with a copy, though I did not feel much confidence in its
reaching its destination. About half-past one, a hundred Chôshiû men
sent down for the protection of Kôbé and Hiôgo against Tokugawa troops
arrived just outside our post in the middle of the village, and were
within an ace of being fired on by our guard. Luckily I came up at the
moment, and went to an inn at which they had billeted their rank and
file, to arrange that they should withdraw, which they did very readily.
During the afternoon, four steamers belonging to Chikuzen, Kurumé,
Uwajima, and one it was thought to the Tokugawa, were seized at Kiôgo
and Kôbé, to hold as a "material guarantee."
The morning of February 5 brought me again an invitation from Yoshii to
visit him at Ozaka and talk over affairs, but it was impossible, for I
had too much on my hands. The "Whampoa," a steamer belonging to Glover &
Co., of Nagasaki, had arrived, and a rumour was invented and spread that
she was conveying 800 Satsuma troops, so I was sent off in a boat to
stop their landing. There was not a single Satsuma man on board. Some
men of Awa in Shikoku had decamped in boats from Hiôgo, and our people
pursued them, but as they were only a few in number and very miserable
in appearance, they were not molested. We then issued proclamations,
with the wording of which I was entrusted, explaining why we had seized
the steamers, a second exhorting the people to go quietly about their
business, and a third announcing that all unarmed persons would be
allowed to pass our posts. About one o'clock a Dutchman (appropriately
enough in accordance with popular notions) raised an alarm that the
Japanese were advancing to the attack. The report spread as far as the
quarters of the Foreign Representatives at the custom-house, where von
Brandt was making a great fuss about a body of at least three hundred
armed men that he asserted were menacing Kôbé from the hills close by on
the north side. I had a look at them through his glass, and certainly
saw men, but if they were armed, I was sure they were friendly Chôshiû
men. So I got leave to take Lieutenant Gurdon of H.M.S. "Ocean" with ten
men, and we started out to explore, and to paste up our proclamations
wherever we found one of Chôshiû's. The only people on the hills turned
out to be peasants. The Chôshiû troops were billeted at Shôfukuji, a
large temple, or Buddhist monastery, about two miles away among the
hills, so it was manifest that they were keeping their engagement to us.
We marched through Hiôgo, and pasted a copy of our first notification on
the door of the Bizen official hotel (_honjin_), and the whole series of
four on the house where their troops had passed the night of the 4th.
Having accomplished all this, we returned to relieve the anxiety of our
fellow foreigners.
Just as I got back I met Yoshii and Terashima, who had come down to have
a talk. The chief gave them a short interview, at which he advised them
to send off at once and get the Mikado's messengers to come down with
their notification to the Foreign Representatives. They wanted him to
let 300 Satsuma troops pass through our lines, but he refused, on the
ground that as we did not know anything officially from the Mikado, we
could not recognize Satsuma as acting under His Majesty's orders. So
they agreed to bring their men into Hiôgo by another route. Then I went
off with them to their _honjin_ at Hiôgo, and they told me a good deal
about the course of recent events. Theirs had been a continuous course
of victory from the very first, for being like "rats in a bag," they had
to fight hard for their lives, and were compelled to be victorious. At
Fushimi they had had a desperate fight, but after that they pressed on
and drove the Tokugawa forces into Yodo. This place, as well as the long
bridge over the river, was fired by the retreating troops. Aidzu's men
fought very bravely. The plan of the _Baku-fu_ was to get the Satsuma
and Chôshiû soldiers engaged with Aidzu and the _Shin-sen-gumi_ (a body
of armed _samurai_ recently raised), and then to creep round to the
imperialist right with the drilled infantry and seize Kiôto. Higo too
was only waiting for signs that Satsuma was getting the worst of it, in
order to seize the palace, but now he was very humble. The number of
Satsuma and Chôshiû men actually engaged was about 1500, the remainder
being employed in the defence of the city. Anyhow, as the roads to be
held were very narrow, large bodies could not have been employed to any
advantage. They loaded their field-pieces with bags of bullets, which
did great execution on the enemy. About twenty Satsuma men were killed,
and the entire list of casualties did not exceed 150. They took a good
many prisoners, and captured numbers of guns and small arms, etc. Tôdô's
defection was a great help to the imperialists. His men had been
fighting against them, but when the Mikado's standards, the sun in gold
on a red ground and the moon in silver, were displayed, they lost heart
and changed sides. Another of their advantages was their good
skirmishing. Ninnaji no Miya, a prince of the blood, also known as Omura
no gosho, was the commander-in-chief. They anticipated that all the
clans as far as Hakoné would submit, and that Sendai would join them.
Kishiû already showed signs of a desire to come to terms, and Ogaki had
submitted, as indeed had nearly all the other clans who had fought, with
the exception of Aidzu. They said that Iwashita, Gotô and Higashi-Kuzé,
the latter one of the five runaway court nobles, were to come down to
Kôbé to communicate the Mikado's proclamation to the foreign
representatives. It would be the desire of the new government to show
perfect impartiality in its relations with foreign states, but as the
English had been the good friends of the Kiôto party, they would always
be regarded with particularly grateful and amicable feelings. I remained
with Yoshii and Terashima till half-past ten in the evening. They seemed
to admit that we had acted within our rights in seizing the steamers,
and while I was with them they wrote and despatched long letters to
their own people at Ozaka, explaining the affair and enclosing our
notification. They also wrote up to Kiôto urging that no time should be
lost in despatching the Mikado's messengers with the announcement to the
foreign ministers.
Early on the morning of the 6th Satsuma troops came over from
Nishinomiya in large boats, and were landed at Hiôgo, in accordance with
our agreement of the previous day.
Some retainers of Omura in Hizen, Watanabé Noboru and Fukuzaka Kôzô,
came to inquire about our intentions with regard to their steamer which
had been seized, and was now held by the French. The steamer belonged to
Uwajima, and was only borrowed by Omura for this trip. So I gave them
copies of our manifesto against Bizen, and another one explaining why
the steamers were seized, and they declared themselves quite convinced
that we had acted rightly. Our bluejackets however and the Americans and
French also, were getting us a bad name by committing all sorts of petty
pilfering.
I went to call on Katano, commander of the Chôshiû troops, who said that
the two Bizen _karô_ had gone to Ozaka or Kiôto, he did not know which,
after the affray on the 4th, the rank and file remaining behind.
It was on February 7th that the Mikado's messenger, Higashi-Kuzé,
accompanied by Iwashita, Terashima and Itô, with a small retinue,
arrived at Hiôgo in a little steamer belonging to Geishiû. As soon as I
received the note informing me of this, I went over to the chief, on
whom devolved the task of seeing his colleagues, and arranging with them
the place and hour of meeting. Apparently they were greatly annoyed,
especially the French Minister, at finding themselves as it were
ignored, and that their English colleague had thus become the channel of
communication between the Mikado and themselves. They tried to pump him
about the contents of the imperial message, but he did not tell them
even the little he knew. It having been decided that the interview
should take place at the custom-house at noon on the following day, I
went over to Hiôgo and informed Iwashita. There had been a report that
300 Bizen men had entered the town, but I could not find a trace of
them. All our marines had been withdrawn on account of the difficulty
experienced in forming mixed posts, and the Americans now had charge of
the gate in the middle of the town, so that they would henceforth be
responsible for all the petty pilfering that went on. I found them most
unpleasantly strict, and because I had no pass they obliged me to go a
long way round in order to reach my destination and get back again.
So on the 8th of February the fateful communication was made by
Higashi-Kuzé at the place and hour previously fixed. Higashi-Kuzé was a
small man even for a Japanese, with sparkling eyes, irregular teeth,
which were not yet completely freed from the black dye (_o-haguro_) worn
by court nobles, and with a stutter in his speech. The document was
drawn up in classical Chinese, and might be thus translated:--
The Emperor of Japan announces to the sovereigns of all foreign
countries and to their subjects that permission has been granted
to the Shôgun Tokugawa Yoshinobu[7] to return the governing
power in accordance with his own request. We shall henceforward
exercise supreme authority in all the internal and external
affairs of the country. Consequently the title of Emperor must
be substituted for that of Tycoon, in which the treaties have
been made. Officers are being appointed by us to the conduct of
foreign affairs. It is desirable that the representatives of the
treaty powers recognize this announcement.
February 3, 1868. MUTSUSHITO (L.S.).
[7] Keiki, by which he was usually spoken of, is the
pronunciation of the two Chinese characters with
which his name Yoshinobu was written.
This document was very ingeniously framed. It assumed as a matter of
course that the treaties were binding on the Mikado, and therefore only
mentioned them incidentally, in saying that the Mikado's title must be
substituted for that of Tycoon. After the translation had been made and
shown to all the ministers, a fire of questions was directed against the
envoy, who answered them well. Roches asked whether the Mikado's
authority extended throughout the whole of Japan, to which he replied
coolly that the rebellion of Tokugawa prevented that from being the case
at present; but it would gradually extend all over the empire. Roches'
interpreter (who was a Tokugawa man) then made a wilful mistake by
representing the envoy to say that "if all the people submitted to the
Mikado, he would be able to govern the country," whereas he really said,
"the people will all submit to the Mikado as a natural consequence of
his taking the reins," as we ascertained on repeating the question. With
regard to the Bizen affray, the Mikado's government undertook to protect
the lives and property of foreigners at Kôbé for the future, and to
satisfy the demands of the Foreign Representatives for the punishment of
Bizen. On these conditions, it was agreed that the marines and
bluejackets should be withdrawn to the ships, and the steamers released.
Ozaka was not as yet perfectly quiet, but normal conditions would soon
be restored, and foreigners would be formally invited to return there.
On the part of the Mikado's government the envoy desired to know whether
the Foreign Representatives would report the announcement to their
governments and proclaim it to their people. This was tantamount to
asking for "recognition." Roches became very angry, and said: "We must
not throw ourselves upon the necks of these people," whereupon the
Italian Comte de la Tour and the German von Brandt raised their voices
against him, and replied that so far from doing anything of the sort we
had waited till they came to seek us (not knowing, of course, of our
secret negotiations at the Satsuma _yashiki_ in Ozaka). On this,
everyone said he would report to his government, and that satisfied the
envoy. A great deal of desultory conversation went on while he was
waiting for the gunboat to convey him back to Hiôgo, but on no
particularly important topic. Itô said to me that it was all right about
our going to Kiôto, that there would be no difficulty. I pretended to be
indifferent, though in truth I was very eager to get a view of the city
and its famous buildings, from which foreigners had been so jealously
excluded for over two centuries.
Next day Higashi-Kuzé, at his own request, went to visit H.M.S. "Ocean."
A joint note was sent in to him demanding reparation for the Bizen
offence, namely a full and ample apology and the capital punishment of
the officer who gave the order to fire. The ministers, and especially M.
Roches, insisted that the fact that they were under fire increased the
gravity of the offence--as if their presence there could have been known
to the Bizen troops passing through on the march. Itô seemed to think
that the government would agree to make the Bizen _karô_ perform
_harakiri_. He said that Chôshiû had relinquished to the Mikado the
territories he had conquered in Kokura (on the south side of the strait
of Shimonoséki) and in the province of Iwami. Katsura (_i.e._ Kido) and
Itô wanted him to go much farther, and resign to the Mikado all his
lands, retainers and other possessions, except so much as might be
required for the support of his household. If all the _daimiôs_ would do
this, a powerful central government might be formed, which was
impossible with the existing system. Japan could not be strong as long
as it was open to every _daimiô_ to withdraw his assistance at his own
pleasure, and each prince to drill his troops after a different fashion.
It was the story of the North German Confederation over again; the petty
sovereigns must be swallowed up by some bigger one. The _daimiôs_ of
Matsuyama and Takamatsu in Shikoku, who were partizans of the Tokugawa,
would be destroyed, and their territories imperialized. Tosa was charged
with the execution of this measure, having offered to undertake the
duty. It was probable that Himéji, a few miles west of Hiôgo, would also
be attacked by the imperialists.
A notification, signed by Iwashita, Itô and Terashima, as officers of
the Foreign Department, was placarded about the town, informing the
people that the Mikado would observe the treaties, and enjoining on them
proper behaviour towards foreigners. It was given out that Roches, with
his interpreter Shiwoda, would leave that evening for Europe, Baron
Brin, the secretary, remaining in charge. The official declaration made
the day before by the Kiôto envoy had quite thrown him on his beam-ends,
and he could not bear to stand by and see his policy turn out a complete
failure. His intention was to proceed first to Yokohama, where I
suspected that he would try to rehabilitate his reputation as a
diplomatist by some of his artful tricks. However, he thought better of
this idea, and remained in Japan until matters shaped themselves so that
he could accept the Mikado's invitation to Kiôto, and so decently
recognize the new political arrangements. The other ministers behaved
very correctly, having very little to do but to follow Parkes' lead.
The foreign ministers had another interview on February 10 with
Higashi-Kuzé, who was accompanied by Iwashita and Gotô. They told us
that Itô was to act temporarily as superintendent of customs and
governor of the town of Kôbé. It seemed curious, we thought, that a man
of certainly not very high rank should be thought fit for this double
post, and that the common people should be ready to obey him, but the
Japanese lower classes, as I noted in my diary, had a great appetite for
being governed, and were ready to submit to any one who claimed
authority over them, especially if there appeared to be a military force
in the background. Itô had the great recommendation in his favour that
he spoke English, a very uncommon Japanese accomplishment in those days,
especially in the case of men concerned in the political movement. It
would not be difficult, owing to the submissive habits of the people,
for foreigners to govern Japan, if they could get rid of the two-sworded
class, but the foreigners who were to do the governing should all of
them speak, read and write the Japanese language, otherwise they would
make a complete failure of their undertaking. But as the _samurai_ were
existent in large numbers, the idea was incapable of realization.
Looking back now in 1919, it seems perfectly ludicrous that such a
notion should have been entertained, even as a joke, for a single
moment, by any one who understood the Japanese spirit.
Gotô was to proceed to Kiôto with the joint note about the Bizen
business, and there was every reason to expect that the court would
agree to the infliction of the capital sentence, but they would probably
desire to let the _karô_ Hiki Tatéwaki perform _harakiri_ instead of
having him decapitated. At least that was what I heard privately from my
Japanese friends, who also asked that, until the question was finally
disposed of, foreigners should abstain from visiting Nishinomiya, where
Bizen men were stationed. Everything was now reported to be quiet at
Ozaka, and we looked forward to returning there in a few days.
Gotô Kiûjirô, as he had called himself previously, now resumed his real
name of Nakai, and was attached to the Foreign Department. He was a very
cheery and gay personality, always ready for any kind of fun and
jollity, and when an entertainment had to be got up, it was to him that
its organization and conduct were entrusted. In this way he earned the
nickname of _Gaimushô no taikomochi_, "jester of the Foreign
Department."
On the 11th, Higashi-Kuzé with his staff came to the consulate to talk
business with Sir Harry and von Brandt, a talk which lasted three hours.
We exhibited to them all the Treaties, Conventions and Agreements
respecting the opening of the ports, all of which had to be confirmed by
the chief minister for Foreign Affairs, Ninnaji no Miya, a prince of the
blood, in the name of the Mikado. There was much said by way of question
and answer about the recent transactions at Kiôto, which ended in their
promising to furnish a detailed narrative, rebutting the statements made
by Ogasawara Iki no Kami and other supporters of the former _régime_.
The general council, which Keiki complained had been violently
anticipated by Satsuma, ought to have met on December 15. The western
_daimiôs_ waited a considerable time after this date, but none of the
others arrived, so they were compelled to take action. The demands made
on the _Baku-fu_ were that, together with the governing power, they
should surrender as much territory as would suffice to maintain that
power. They estimated that 2,500,000 _koku_ of lands would then be left
to the Tokugawa family, besides the territories of the _fudai daimiôs_
and most of the _hatamoto_. Tokugawa had declined, but offered to
surrender 800,000 _koku_ of lands, and to continue his subsidy for the
support of the imperial establishment. When leaving Kiôto however he had
agreed to make the surrender demanded of him, though this was
strenuously opposed by Aidzu and Kuwana. Then when Echizen and Owari
came down to Ozaka, they invited him back to Kiôto to conclude these
arrangements, but it was never intended that Aidzu and Kuwana should
form the van of his retinue, and that was how it happened that fighting
ensued. At the date of this conversation nearly all the _daimiôs_ west
of Hakoné had been reduced, or had given in their adhesion, or would
soon be compelled by force to submit to the Mikado, and thus about seven
out of the eight million _koku_ of lands possessed by Tokugawa would be
actually in the hands of the Mikado. If Tokugawa then submitted, he
would be left peaceably with the remainder of his possessions. It was to
be feared however that he would endeavour to regain what he had lost,
and in that case the Mikado's party would destroy him. It was intended
to despatch forces against him by the north-eastern road (which passes
through the provinces of Echizen and Kaga), by the central road through
Shinshiû, and by the Tôkaidô. Ii Kamon no Kami of Hikoné and later
adherents to the Kiôto party would be placed in the van of the imperial
forces, in order that their fidelity might be tested. The _daimiôs_ of
the north had nothing to thank Tokugawa for, and there was no reason why
they should support him. Awa had submitted, and was assisting in
garrisoning Hiôgo. Prisoners taken in Kiôto during the recent fighting
would be returned to their homes on the restoration of peace, instead of
being put to death according to the ancient Japanese custom in civil
war.
We understood that the Mikado's party intended to call upon the Foreign
Powers to observe strict neutrality.
A report went about that Nambu Yahachirô and Shibayama Riôsuké, old
friends of mine in the Satsuma _yashiki_ at Yedo, had been put to death,
the one by crucifixion the other by simple decapitation, and I felt that
I should like to do something to avenge them, for to western minds the
idea of taking the lives of prisoners was revolting.
We heard that old Matsudaira Kansô, the retired _daimiô_ of Hizen, Mr.
Facing-both-ways as he was universally regarded, was expected to make
his appearance shortly at Kiôto. Also that the governors of Nagasaki had
departed, and that the town was occupied by Satsuma, Geishiû and Tosa,
Hizen holding the batteries.
The mail which reached us on February 13 brought a letter from Iki no
Kami to Sir Harry very diplomatically framed, in which Keiki's failure
to reach Kiôto was attributed entirely to the machinations of Satsuma,
and a hope was expressed that a momentary success on the part of the
latter would not cause the violation of engagements of long standing. He
entirely burked the question put to him by Locock, as to the course the
chief should take in case the Mikado sent an envoy to the Foreign
Representatives. The news came from home that Mukôyama,[8] had
complained at the Foreign Office of Sir Harry having applied the title
of "Highness" to the Tycoon instead of "Majesty"; to this Lord Stanley
replied that he understood there was a higher title than that of _Denka_
in use in Japan, and that consequently _Denka_ could not mean "Majesty,"
which was the highest designation applicable to any potentate. It was
also a noteworthy fact that in this letter of Iki no Kami _Heika_ (which
is synonymous with "Majesty") was reserved for the Queen, _Denka_ being
used of the Tycoon. As modern slang would have it, this was giving away
the whole show.
[8] Hayato no Shô, who went to Europe for the French Exhibition
of 1867.
Godai and Terashima came to see me, after which they had a long talk
with the chief on political matters. They told him that in three weeks
or a month's time affairs would have made sufficient progress at Kiôto
to enable the government to invite the Foreign Representatives thither
in order to enter on friendly relations. They also asked for the loan of
a surgeon to attend to their wounded at Kiôto. The chief replied that
the alleviation of suffering in the case of any human being was always a
pleasure, and that as the Legation doctor had looked after the wounds of
Aidzu men, no objection could exist to his treating the hurts of others;
but his consent would depend upon the nature of the reply the ministers
received about the Bizen affair. The question of the Legation returning
to Ozaka was mooted, and Buddhist temples were offered for our
accommodation as the buildings which we had occupied behind the castle
had been too much knocked about to be fit for a residence; but this
would not matter much, as they would be occupied only temporarily. Godai
and Terashima were very anxious that I, and I alone, should visit Ozaka
at once. (In fact I believed I could have gone anywhere that I liked,
for instance to Kiôto the next day, by only expressing a wish.) Godai
wanted to buy an English man-of-war with which to attack Yedo; it was a
curious notion that we had H.M. ships for sale. I advised them to get
their Note demanding neutrality on the part of all Foreign Powers sent
in at once, because then they could request the American Minister to
prevent the "Stonewall Jackson" being delivered to the Tokugawa people,
as well as the two iron-clads from France which were expected. Godai
said further that Uyésugi and Sataké, two _daimiôs_ of Déwa province,
had asked to have the duty of chastising Aidzu entrusted to them, and
their request had been granted.
Next day they brought Notes from Higashi-Kuzé enclosing copy of the
instructions he had received from Daté Iyo no Kami (Uwajima) and Sanjô
Sanéyoshi (one of the fugitive court nobles) accepting on behalf of the
Mikado's government the terms of settlement of the Bizen affair laid
down by the Foreign Representatives, namely the capital punishment of
the officer who had given the order to fire on foreigners and the
apology. The ministers expressed themselves gratified with the
promptness of the reply, which was received twenty-four hours before the
expiration of the delay accorded. They said they would wait three or
four days for the letters of apology and for the announcement of
detailed arrangements for carrying out the execution. Godai and
Terashima stated that if Bizen were to refuse to surrender the officer,
the Mikado's troops would compel obedience. They also brought a Note
from Ninnaji no Miya, ratifying the Treaties and all subsequent
engagements in the name of the Mikado, and notifying his own appointment
as Chief Administrator of Foreign Affairs, with Daté, Sanjô and
Higashi-Kuzé as his assistants. There was also a Note demanding strict
neutrality on the part of the British Government and its subjects, and a
like Note to each of the other Representatives. Facsimiles of the
Mikado's notification to the Treaty Powers were also handed to those of
the ministers who had not yet received it. The request for Willis to go
to Kiôto to treat the wounded was repeated and granted, and a proposal
made by myself to accompany him was accepted with alacrity.
News was received that day from Nagasaki that the withdrawal of the
governor Kawadzu Idzu no Kami had been quietly effected on the night of
the 7th, and a provisional government formed on the following day of all
the _daimiôs_' agents in the port, thirteen clans in all. The direction
of local affairs had been offered by the governor to Hizen and Chikuzen,
but they declined undertaking such a responsibility without the
co-operation of the other clans. All the subordinate custom-house
officials and interpreters, as well as 500 troops raised at Nagasaki for
defensive purposes, were taken over by the provisional government, so
that the business of the port had not been interrupted for a single day.
A few fires broke out, but were soon extinguished.