Despatch explaining the immediate sale of English treasure captured in the Summer Palace.

"HEADQUARTERS, PEKIN,

October 21, 1860.

"SIR,-This palace1 was full of valuable works of art, chiefly of Chinese manufacture; and although an attempt was made to effect a division of the property between the two nations, yet it became virtually a state of indiscriminate plunder. Being unwilling to expose the English army to the demoralising influence of such a state of affairs, I kept them confined to their bivouac in front of Pekin, and appointed officers to collect as far as possible what belonged to the English. The whole of the property thus collected by officers was sold at public auction by my orders, realising about £8000. In addition to this, specie to the amount of about £18,000 was discovered in the palace, and the whole amount being comparatively small, I considered it would only be a just and proper thing to divide this money on the spot amongst the army. My principal reason for this was because our men saw all the French soldiers laden with dollars

and sycee silver, and knowing that the palace had been given up to plunder, might naturally feel dissatisfied at not being allowed to participate; whereas, if they saw everything fairly divided, they would have no reason to complain. Moreover, without the prospect of such a division, it would have been difficult to have prevented any but the best men from going to the palace without leave, to plunder for themselves. I have therefore caused the money to be divided in the following manner-viz., one-third between the officers, and two-thirds between the non-commissioned officers and men; the major-generals and myself resigning all claims to share in the prize. The distribution has been restricted to those actually present with the force before Pekin. -I have the honour, &c.

"J. HOPE GRANT, Lt.-Gen., Commander of the Forces.

"The Right Hon. the SECRETARY of STATE for WAR."

228

CHAPTER VIII.

JOURNAL OF A VISIT TO JAPAN.

SIR HOPE GRANT SAILS FOR JAPAN-ARRIVES AT YOKOHAMA -PROCEEDS TO YEDO-ARREST OF THE JEW-DESCRIPTION OF MR ALCOCK'S RESIDENCE-THE FEUDAL POWER -THE DAIMIOS AND THE GOVERNMENT-MURDER OF THE TYCOON-THE ROYAL CONJUROR-PROSPERITY OF JAPAN-VISIT TO THE JAPANESE MINISTERs-dwellINGS OF THE DAIMIOS-SYSTEM OF UNIVERSAL ESPIONAGEJAPANESE DEFENCES—THEIR KNOWLEDGE OF WAR— RETURN VOYAGE TO HONG-KONG-THE GRANADA NEARLY FOUNDERS-SHIPWRECKED MALAYS-LEAVE TO RETURN TO ENGLAND-INTERVIEW WITH NAPOLEON-FUNERAL OF THE EMPEROR.

ON the 29th November I started for Shanghai, where I arrived on the 4th December, and where I and my staff were most hospitably received by Mr Webb, of Dent's House. I then sailed on a pleasure trip to Japan, where, owing to Mr Webb's kind arrangements, I spent three weeks very pleasantly, pending the arrival of orders from England relative to my own destination.

On 12th December 1860, my staff I and embarked on board the Granada for Japan. On the 17th, we entered the harbour of Kanagava, where the view was surpassingly beautiful, with the adjacent undulating ground covered with rich crops, and with a lovely background of the snowtopped peaks of Fusi-yama. The next day we landed at Yokohama, three miles distant from Kanagava, and the only place in Japan where foreign merchants are allowed to reside. The little town was neat, clean, and well built, with numerous shops containing the beautiful lacquer-ware for which the country is so celebrated. We forthwith forwarded a letter of introduction, with which we had been provided, to Mr Alcock, Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary at Yedo, the principal city in Japan, who received us with the greatest cordiality and kindness. He obtained permission for us to visit the town, and kindly offered to put us up at his house. Our journey extended over a distance of about sixteen miles, and we accomplished it with great comfort by means of some excellent ponies lent to us by Captain Vyse, and

1 Now Sir Rutherford Alcock, K.C.B. Resigned his position in Japan, July 1871.

by a "noriman," a species of silk - cushioned palanquin, carried by eight bearers, divided into two reliefs of four. The whole road from Kanagava was intensely interesting and beautiful; the villages and detached houses were neat and clean; and there was a general appearance of prosperity and comfort very unusual in these Eastern lands. The route, which was excellent, led us along the sea-shore; different sorts of wild fowl flocked around us in every direction like barn-door fowls, sometimes lighting so close that it would have been easy to have killed them with a stone. Cyruses, storks, and snipe were equally numerous. The latter, indeed, were perfectly tame, for no one in the neighbourhood of Yedo is allowed to molest them. We were met on our journey by the Dutch' Vice-Consul, who took us to a roadside tea-garden, where we were supplied with tea by some really pretty and pleasing-looking girls. As we approached the town, Mr Alcock, accompanied by some of the Legation, rode out to receive us.

While we were at Yedo, a melancholy occur

1 Until a short time previous to 1854, the Chinese and the Dutch were the only foreigners admitted, for trading purposes, within Japanese territory. The exports by the Dutch were limited to two ships' cargoes annually.