the ceremonies usual in European courts, he making the three customary bows on appearing in the imperial presence. He describes his uniform as follows: "My dress was a coat embroidered with gold after the pattern furnished by the state department, blue pantaloons with a broad gold band running down each leg, cocked hat with gold tassels, and a pearl-handled dress-sword." In contrast with the attitude of the American representative, all the officials present at the audience including the chief minister of state, the princes, and even the three brothers of the Shogun, prostrated themselves in his presence and only moved by crawling on their hands

and knees.

Mr. Harris records that the prince, who had been assigned to accompany him during the audience, afterwards told him "that all who were present were amazed at my 'greatness of soul,' at my bearing in presence of the mighty ruler of Japan; they had looked to see me tremble and quake,' and to speak in a faltering voice." While Mr. Harris enters this in his journal, he says he is inclined to think there is an admixture of "soft-sawder" in it. The audience was followed by a dinner sent by the Shogun to the diplomat's apartments, and later by an exchange of presents, among those of the American prominently appearing champagne and liquors.1

The great work which Harris had in hand still remained to be accomplished — the granting of residence to diplomatic ministers at the capital and the opening

1 For journey and audience, Harris's Journal, Griffis, chaps. xi. and xii. For Harris's letter, July 3, 1858, Littell's Living Age, 1859, p. 567.

of Japan to commerce and Christianity. It was a labor which required great patience and toil, and continued through several months. Commissioners of high rank were delegated to conduct the negotiations with him; and although men of the first intelligence in the empire, they acted with the simplicity of children in their conferences with the American negotiator. Twenty years after the event the papers of the Shogun were made accessible to the American legation at Tokio, and a translation of the accounts of some of these conferences as recorded by the imperial commissioners was transmitted to the Department of State, which shows a curious state of mind on the part of the commissioners.1

Mr. Harris was invited by them to state what he desired to accomplish in the negotiations, and to give them an account of the condition of political and commercial affairs in the outer world. He discoursed to them for more than two hours, and this was followed by a series of questions and answers. In his journal he records that as the shades of evening began to gather he ordered in the lamps, "but the commissioners told me I had fairly beaten them in my powers of endurance, and they must beg to be excused." The Japanese record shows that in the course of the conferences the commissioners asked, among other things, if it was necessary after establishing treaty relations to admit ministers, and when the American "ambassador" had replied in the affirmative, they asked

Question. What is the duty of a minister?

1 D. W. Stevens to Secretary of State, Foreign Relations, 1879, p. 621.

Answer.

Question. What is the rank of a minister?

Question. What kind of a thing is the law of nations?

Answer.

Question. Let us now hear what is meant by opening ports like other nations.

Answer.

Question. Is there anything more we ought to know?

Answer.

In his record of these conferences Mr. Harris says: "I may be said to be engaged in teaching the elements of political economy to the Japanese.. They said they were in the dark on all these points, and were like children; therefore I must have patience with them. They added that they placed the fullest confidence in all my statements. I then gave them champagne, which they appeared to understand and to like." Champagne seems to have been an important factor in the diplomacy of the Orient.

By his forbearance and painstaking method of explanation and instruction, Harris won the confidence of the imperial negotiators, and by yielding on non-essential points and demands which the Japanese could not well concede, he succeeded in obtaining a treaty which completely satisfied his own government and was accepted as a model by all the European nations. Much delay in its signature was occasioned by the opposition of the daimios and other influential dignitaries. A

copy of the treaty was carried to the sacred city of Nikko and laid upon the tomb of the founder of the Shogunate, in the hope that some revelation might come from the spirit-land. It was likewise submitted to the Mikado's court without avail. After all his labors, Harris began to fear that his work would come to naught, and in his intense anxiety he fell ill, which enabled the court of Yedo to show its tender regard for him in the healing services of its physician.

Two concurrent events at last led to the consummation of his ardent hopes. Prince li-Kamon, a man of resolute character and one who foresaw the future, became chief minister of state. The war which England and France were waging against China seemed to be nearing its close, and the great armaments employed in Chinese waters would be free to come to Japan with their ambassadors to dictate treaties. Mr. Harris made the most of the situation, and urged the Japanese to act promptly and thereby "save the point of honor that might arise from their apparently yielding to the force that backs the plenipotentiary, and not to the justice of his demands." Prince Ii put aside all opposition and directed the Harris treaty to be signed. The American, without the aid of ships of war, had fought his diplomatic battle single-handed, and had won. When the experienced British, French, and Russian ambassadors sailed into the Bay of Yedo, escorted by mighty fleets, they found the arduous part of their task already accomplished.

The treaty, signed July 29, 1858, provided for diplomatic agents to reside at the capital, and consuls at all

the open ports. Commerce was authorized, additional ports were opened, and a tariff and trade regulations were agreed upon. Americans were permitted to reside at the capital and at all the open ports, jurisdiction over them was given to their consuls, and the free exercise of their religion was guaranteed. Other provisions were made, and the treaty was so broad as to remain practically the basis of Japan's relations with all the Western countries for a period of forty years, or until the empire was finally released from its pupilage in 1899, and admitted freely into the family of nations.

Lord Elgin, governor-general of India, and British ambassador accompanying the forces in China, reached the Bay of Yedo the month following the signature of the Harris treaty, having stopped on the way at Shimoda to confer with the American diplomat, from whom he obtained a copy of his treaty, and secured the aid of his secretary, Mr. Heusken, as interpreter. He remained in the bay nine days, in which time he signed a treaty modeled after that of the United States, and delivered to the Japanese government a yacht as a present from the queen of Great Britain. The French and Russian fleets were in the harbor during the same month, and following the example of the British, their representatives negotiated similar treaties.1

Happy auspices attended the sequel to the signature

1 For Harris negotiations, Harris Journal, Griffis, chaps. xiii. to xvi. ; Harris Letter, July 6, 1858, Littell's Liv. Age, 1859, p. 571; Nitobe, 113; 1 Japan, by Sir E. J. Reed, London, 1880, p. 252; Narrative of Lord Elgin's visit, etc., Lawrence Oliphant, New York, 1860; London Examiner, Nov. 6, 1858, in Littell's Liv. Age, 1858, p. 893; 1 The Capital of the Tycoon, by Sir R. Alcock, London, 1863, pp. 208-222.