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Daimios, who are almost absolute rulers in their own districts, and number their armed retainers by thousands and their incomes by millions of dollars, were bitterly opposed to the foreign policy of the Tycoon’s government, and the numerous murders and assassinations of Europeans were attributed to them. The law requiring all the Daimios to reside with their families half the time at Yeddo gave frequent opportunities for foreign residents to meet these bitterly hostile soldiers while travelling back and forth on the Imperial road, or Tocaido, which passes through Kanagara, and was one reason why the Tycoon’s government removed the foreign settlement to Yokohama two miles away, and built upon the causeway connecting the two places a strong gateway for their protection. Although it was doubted at the time, it is now well understood, that the Tycoon’s government was sincere in their professions of inability otherwise to protect foreigners from assassination.
The hostility between the North and South, the latter supporting the Mikado and the former rallying around the Tycoon, at last culminated in a civil war two years ago. An immense quantity of military supplies had been sold[errata 1] by foreigners, Enfield and Springfield rifles, breech loaders, revolvers, rifled cannon, shells and solid shot. Both sides had s navy composed of English and American built ships of war commanded and manned entirely by Japanese. Just at this crisis the ex-rebel ram Stonewall, sold by us to the Tycoon, arrived at Yokohama. She came into port with the Tycoon’s flag flying, but Sir Harry Parks, the British Minister, who favored the Mikado and the Southern side in the quarrel—not the first time England has favored the South—persuaded our Minister, Geo. E. Van Volkenburgh, not to deliver her up to the Tycoon. This was a great mistake, and probably turned the scale in favor of the rebels, for the Stonewall with her powerful batteries and formidable ram could have run down and destroyed the whole Southern fleet.
The struggle wax short and decisive. The Tycoon’s army was beaten in several bloody battles, he gave up the game as lost, abdicated his office which was then abolished, and was allowed to retire to his estates where he now lives a quasi-prisoner of war. The Mikado is now the sole ruler, temporal and spiritual of Japan. He is a young man
- ↑ Correction: sold should be amended to sold to them
