Chapter XIII: The Anglo-Japanese Alliance and America1

AN INTERVIEW

'Our people,' said Baron Suyematsu, 'like the British people, favour the renewal of the Anglo-Japanese alliance. They also favour its extension. The nature of such extension demands careful thought, of course. I will not go into details, but I will say that a more effectual alliance is desirable from the standpoints of both England and Japan, and I also think from the standpoint of America. Japan's interest is too obvious to require mention; but England's interest, in my opinion, is equally real. Russia and England are in contact throughout Asia and friction is constant. England needs strengthening against Russia and also against other powers active in the Orient.

MONROE DOCTRINE OF THE PAST

'America's relation to this problem is more difficult. Monroeism is thought to stand in the way. I appreciate the delicacy of venturing to discuss the policy of a nation other than my own, but I feel that Americans are too sensible to resent an honest expression of opinion. Monroeism is not part of the constitution, but the dictum of a statesman. This dictum was made when our planet was very large, before the development of steam and electricity. The nations were isolated and insulated by distance and non-communication.

'At that time American theory and practice relative to foreign affairs were in harmony. America was actually self-contained, but to-day the world is a tiny ball and America's flag and America's interests are on every sea. America is sovereign in Hawaii and the Philippines, and yet the American people cling to the idea of leaving distant matters alone. Nevertheless the state department is widely and intelligently active.

AMERICAN INTEREST WORLD-WIDE

'Theoretically you do not participate, actually your participation bears upon international events everywhere. Witness Secretary Hay's initiative respecting the Jews, as well as despatch after despatch aimed at Russian aggression in Manchuria. The world's interests are becoming woven into a solid fabric. Great nations cannot escape the responsibility this involves. American theory and practice, in my judgment, will go on diverging until the notion of non-participation will be merely an antiquated abstraction.

'Therefore I refuse to regard as hopeless the idea of an American-Anglo-Japanese alliance, guaranteeing the peaceful development of the vast resources of the Far East. Such an alliance exists essentially now--an alliance springing from cognate ideas, wishes, purposes and principles. This is the best possible foundation for that formal compact which the evolution of industry and commerce seems to me unmistakably to foreshadow.'

[1] An extract from the _Chicago Daily News_.

NOTE TO DIALOGUE V.

Since the bulk of the present work went to press, I came across the following communication printed in the _Outlook_. I take the liberty of subjoining it herewith, without any vain intention of flaunting the virtues of my countrymen.--K.S.

JAPANESE CHARACTER

_To the Editor of the_ OUTLOOK

SIR,--I have received during the last few weeks letters bearing such eloquent testimony to the nobility of Japanese character that I am sending you some extracts in the hope of your publishing them. The letters are from a friend of mine, who with her husband has lived in Yokohama for many years, and can therefore speak with considerable authority. The first extract is about the soldiers themselves--

Mine you know is a busy life, and I found work among the military
hospitals and also among the brave wives of the soldiers so
fascinating that from the New Year till early June I let all social
duties slip, so much so that I had a nervous breakdown in June, and
since then have had to go very slow.

We had a splendid time at our seaside cottage at Negishi this
afternoon, any amount of our dear brown soldiers round us. There
are five hundred quartered in that fishing village just now; they
were resting, bathing, boating, washing their clothes or cooking
their chow, but never a rude word or an uncouth action; no
rowdyism, but all as civil, quiet, good-tempered, and alert as
possible; they are a marvel; and my children go in and out among
them and love them, like I do! I could _kill_ white idiots when I
hear them speak of those fine fellows as 'an inferior race.' Ye
gods! 'inferior' with never a camp follower to their name, and
rapine unknown even after the fiercest fight! What European race
can show a record like that? I wish I could be home for six months
and tell what the soldiers and their wives are--what miracles of
cheerful patience and manly dignity the wounded men are as they lie
hacked and maimed, sometimes till almost all semblance of manhood
is gone, yet never a murmur does any one hear from their lips--no,
not if they are armless, legless, and even _blind_. And you would
not dare condole with them! They say and believe they 'are greatly
honoured.' When they embrace Christianity, they shame the brightest
Christian among us, and I come away from visiting the hospitals
feeling so small, so humble, yet at peace with all the world. We
have very, very much to learn from this great people.

This second extract, about a soldier's wife, may come home to your readers even more:--

I allow two families a small sum of money every week. One case is
that of a young woman, under twenty years of age, who has a child
and an aged parent to keep, and her husband went to the war a few
weeks ago, leaving her penniless and on the verge of having another
baby. A few days ago, when I went to take her weekly money, she
refused to take it, saying she had got a little work to do and
could now manage without any help, as there were so many in much
greater need of help than herself; and she would not take the
money, though she was earning even less than I was allowing her.
_That_ is what I call a real heroine.

How many at work amongst our poor last winter could give such
evidence to character as that?--I am, sir, yours, etc.

ENGLISHWOMAN.

NOTE TO DIALOGUE VIII.

Before the preceding pages had been printed two events worth mentioning here took place. One is the lamented death of Sir Henry Irving. The other is the public discussion which took place under the auspices of the London Shakespeare League, on the best method of presenting Shakespeare's plays on the modern stage. On the latter subject perhaps I may add a word. While in Japan the tendency is to introduce women-players into the company of male players, and improvement of scenery is much sought after on European lines, both of which are due to the occidental influence, it is curious to notice that exactly reverse movements, namely the dispensing with the female players and the returning back to the primitive simplicity of stage properties, are advocated in England by competent persons with regard to the representation of Shakespeare. I extract below among others a passage of the speech of Mr. Bernard Shaw on the occasion of the discussion referred to above:--

When Mr. Gilbert said that he would like to see the women's parts
played by boys, he was not uttering a jest. In some of the
performances at Westminster School, he had seen boys in women's
parts much more effective than any professional actress. If women
players had been proposed to Shakespeare, he would not only have
been scandalised, but he would have pointed out that it was
impossible to get the force from women that was obtained from boy
actors.

NOTE TO THE ARTICLE ON 'COMMERCIAL MORALITY'

In the October number of the _Anglo-Japanese Gazette_ (London) is published a criticism by Mr. Curtis, editor and proprietor of the _Kobe Herald_, on 'the ridiculously sweeping assertions,' as he calls it, made by Mr. Longford in his article. I subjoin herewith a passage which relates to Mr. Longford's assertion that a 'cordon' is drawn by the Japanese round the trading centres of Yokohama and Kobe, and that foreign merchants are suffering under the 'thraldom':--

Well, let me say that no sane, fair-minded man who knows anything
whatever of his subject would ever dream of accusing the whole
Japanese people of a lack of commercial morality. All this talk
about a cordon being drawn round the treaty ports is rubbish. No
such barrier exists, save perhaps in the imagination of a few who
cannot shake off the prejudices and disabilities of the past. The
idea sounds absurd to me, knowing, as I do know, that all the
go-ahead firms have been doing their utmost for some time past to
open up connections in the principal cities. Mr. Longford seems to
think that business is conducted in Japan to-day just as it was
twenty years ago. He apparently does not know that some foreign
houses have trusted clerks or travellers all over the country; that
some foreign business men run up to Osaka and Tokio daily; and that
business journeys to Maidzuru--the great, fortified naval base on
the Sea of Japan--Nagoya Sasebo, Hiroshima, and other important
centres, are matters of everyday experience now.

In the same number of the same journal is also published an important article from the pen of Sir Tollemache Sinclair, Bart., concerning Bishop Awdry's letter published in the _Times_. Sir Tollemache strongly repudiates the accuracy of the bishop's charge of dishonesty and immorality against the Japanese, which Sir Tollemache calls the bishop's 'utterly erroneous accusations,' basing his contention upon an elaborate comparison of the statistical facts of Japan and many other nations relating to several important subjects having bearing on the question. Among other things, he writes:--

This clerical censor, who endeavours to find a mote in his Japanese
brother's eye, but does not see the beam in his English brother's
eye, cut the ground from under his own feet on the subject of the
imaginary dishonesty of Japanese traders, for he tells us that a
house was built for him by Japanese tradesmen admirably without any
contract, and at a moderate expense; and I should like to know, if
any Englishman did the same thing in England, whether he would not
be unmercifully fleeced. Bishop Awdry says he is a friend of the
Japanese, but they will probably say to him, after reading his
letter, 'Save us from our friends, as to our enemies we will take
care of them ourselves.'

And he winds up the article with these words:--

What excuse has he to offer for the gross and discreditable and
unfounded insults which he has heaped on the heads of those under
whose protection, and in the enjoyment of whose hospitality, he
resides.... In short, it may justly be said of the letter written
by this superfluous bishop, 'what is true is not new, and what is
new is not true.'

INDEX

Adoption, the custom of
_Advance Japan_, Morris's
Age, ways of counting
_Aïda_, the opera
Ainslie, Dr. Daniel, his mission to Nagasaki
Aizu, Lord of
America's sympathy for Japan
American Press, views of war with Russia given to the
Anglo-French, Russo-Japanese _entente_
Anglo-Franco Diplomacy in Japan
Anglo-Japanese Alliance and America, an interview
Army, the Japanese
-- state of, after fighting
Army and Navy, organisation of
Arisugawa, Prince
Art, Japanese
Ashikaga
Aston, Dr.
Australian Question, the

Bank of Japan.
'Black Room President,'
Books on Japan
Bracken, a talk about
British East India Company
Buddhist Sects
Budha, Amida
_Bukum_
Bushido
-- discourse on
-- history of the term
-- its literature
_Bushiku_
Bushi-Zoku

Calendar, the Japanese
Calumnies on Japan
Card-playing
Cards, description of
Character of the Japanese
Chastity
Chauvinism, fear of
Chess-playing in China
-- in Japan
_Chiku-ba-sho_
China, the difficulty of reform in
-- the future of
-- and Russia, secret treaty between
Chinese jurisprudence
-- banking system
Chivalry, Japanese
_Chokai_, Gunboat
Chosiu
-- troops
Christianity and Japan
Chrysanthemums, the culture of
Climate in Japan
Code of honour, the Japanese
Commerce and industry of Japan described
Commercial morality of the Japanese described
Communication, means of, in Japan
Corea
Currency, Japanese

Daidoji Yiuzan
Daimio explained
-- and Samurai, difference between
Danjiuro
Deaf and dumb, the treatment of
Death, the Japanese conception of
_Deutsche Revue_
Diet, the
Difficulty of distinguishing _R_ and _L_
Duels
Dwellings, details of

Earrings, remarks on
Eating fruit without peeling
Education in Japan
-- the system of
-- common and military
_Elementary Lessons on Budo_
England, her political attitude.
England and America, relations between, with regard to Japan
English Press views on Japanese character
-- sympathy for Japan

Feeling and sentiment in Japan
Feudal system in Japan
Fiction, Japanese
Fighting, modes of
Finance of the Imperial Government at the beginning of the
Great Change
_Financial and Economical Annual_
Financial system, progress of
Firearms, the first use of, in Japan
Flowers, art of arrangement of
-- sale of
Food, Japanese
Forecast on the issue of the war
France and her women
-- relations with England
French Nationalists and Socialists with regard to Japan
Fushimi, battle of

Garden, a Japanese, described
Geishas, their life
German policy
'Go,' the game of
Government, the Japanese
-- described
'Great Change,' the
Greek and Roman comedies
-- customs
Greek inspiration
Griffis, the Rev. W.E.

Hakodate
Hana-karuta
Hanawa
Hearn, Lafcadio
-- life of
-- remarks on
Hetaira
Hideyoshi
Hirosé, Commandant
-- Mrs., her letter to an English Admiral
Hizen
_Hogen Monogatari_
House of Representatives

Imperial Army Department
-- Government and military reform
_Imperial Japan_
Imperial succession
-- Troops
_Independent Review_
Indo-China Question
Inouyé, Count
-- a sketch of his life
Intermarriages, Japanese
International Conventions and Japan
Irving, Sir Henry, and the Japanese stage
Ito, Marquis
-- an old speech by
-- a sketch of his life
Izawa Hanrioshi

_Jane Eyre_ and Japan
Japan after the war
-- Emperor of, his powers
-- and America, relations between
-- and Europe, relations between
-- and foreign capital
-- and Russia, a priest's views on
_Japan Times_
Japanese, the age of
-- as correspondents
-- love tale, a
-- reform, how brought about
-- tariff
-- Vendetta
Jiujitsu, discourse on
-- and wrestling, a comparison of
-- the Willow Mind style

Kagoshima
-- bombardment of
Kaibara Yekken
Kataki-uchi
Katsura, Count
Kawakami
Kawasé,
Kido
Kikugoro
Kiusiu
Kioto
Kite flying
Kites
Koizumi Yakumo
_Kokkwa_, a monthly on Art
Komura, Baron
Kumazawa Banzan
Kuroda
Kuropatkin, General
Kwanto, plain of

Lady's opinion on Japanese women, A
Languages, remarks on
Languages of China and Japan
_Lays of Ancient Rome_
_Le Matin_, 35.
_Lectures by Yamaga Soko_
Legislation, evolution of
Lines on hailstones
Little, Archibald
Local administration
Loti, Pierre

Macaulay
_Maritana_, the opera
Marriage ceremonies, description of
Massage
Matoni, Monsieur
Matrimony, preliminary inquiries in respect to
Matsukata, career of
_Mikado's Empire_
Military organisation
-- training
-- for boys
-- service, hereditary, abolished
Mongolian troops
Moon scenes
Morality of Japan, compared with other nations
Mothers and wives, Japanese
Music, Japanese

Nagasaki
Nakaodo, a
Nakaye-toju
Names, Japanese
Napoleon
National banks
Nationality, abuse of Japanese
Navigation in the Japan Sea
Navy, the Japanese
-- its history
Nelson
Neutrality question, the
'New Commoners,' and the history of their emancipation
Night fêtes in Japan
Nobility, the Japanese
-- methods of addressing
Nogi, General, and religion's meaning
Notions of pardon and forgiving
Nozu, General

Occidental Civilisation
-- vulgarity
Okubo
Okuma, Count
-- a sketch of the life of
Osaka
Oyama Marshal

Paris
-- a motor ride round
-- by night
Peace prospects, observations of
Physique, the Japanese
Political attitude of England
Political organism of Japan
Port Arthur
Press, the, and the war
Printing, the art of
Pronunciation of Japanese
Public baths

_Questions and Answers on Bun and Bu_

Raffles, Sir Stamford, his appreciation of Japan
Railways, construction of
Red Cross Society
Religion in Japan
-- discussions on
Religion, Japanese meaning of
Restoration, the Japanese
Revenge, Japanese
Revolution, discussion on the Japanese
_Risen Sun_, the
Rodjestvensky, Admiral
Romance, Japanese
'Ronin,'
Roosevelt, President
-- and jiujitsu
-- his partiality towards Japan
Russia, Emperor of
-- and Japan, a priest's views on
Russian defeat, the cause of
Russian views of the Japanese
Russo-Japanese War, outbreak of
Russophile papers

Sada-Yakko
Sadanji
Saga, prince of
Saigo
Saionji, a sketch of the life of
Samurai
-- and Daimio, difference between
-- and fighting
-- explained
-- discipline of the
-- the soul of
-- mother illustrated by a drama
Satcho
Satow, Sir E.
Satsuma
-- formation of the
-- war
-- the cause of
Scenery of Japan
Sekigahara, battle of
_Self-Help_, Smiles's
Semitic sympathy
Shido,
Shikwan
Shimadai
Shimazu Saburo
Shintoism, its sensitiveness to pollution
Shipbuilding yards, origin of
Shiwa Yoshimasa
Shizoku, the title
Shogun
Shogunate
-- financial system of
-- troops
Simonoseki, treaty of
Singing insects
Sino-Japanese war
Sketches of some chief figures of actual Japan
Snow scenes
Social morality, discussion on
Social condition of Japan
Socialism and Japan, discussion on
Sotsuibushi, or Police-master-general
Sports, Japanese
Stage, the Japanese
'Standard of Living,' an essay
Stoessel, General
Summer resorts of foreigners
Sumoo
Superstition, Japanese.
Swords

Taira
Takasago
Takasugi
Takeda Shingen
Telegraphs in Japan
Telephones in Japan
_Things Japanese_ (1898)
Togo, Admiral
Tokio
-- the history of
-- the patois of
Tokugawa
-- régime
-- Feudatories under
Tolstoy, Count Leo
Trans-Siberian Railway
Trip to Japan, details concerning
Tsu-shima, battle of

Uta-Karuta
Utamaro

Washington, George
Weapons, Japanese

End of Project Gutenberg's A Fantasy of Far Japan, by Baron Kencho Suyematsu

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