JAPAN.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 557, 30 September 1863, Page 6

JAPAN.

The Straits Times of the 21st July says :— " The indemnity demanded from the Japanese officers by Colonel Neale, amounting to L 110.000,, was to be paid at short specified intervals, the first instalment to be paid on 18 th May. That day passed without any reference to the matter, but afterwards the Japanese Ministers attempted to re-open negotiations ■ without the payment of any money. 11. M."s Charge d 1 Affaires considered this as a breach of faith,' and he accordingly placed the business in Admiral Kuper's hands. The Admiral notified his intention to commence hostilities in eight days, and advised those among the foreign residents who had wives .and lamilies to have them removed. Admiral Jaurez proffered his co-operation, and undertook to defend the foreign settlement. Preparations continued until the night of the 23rd-24th ultimo, when, about midnight, the Japanese officers, not having access to Colonel Neale, went to. the French Minister's quarters, and informed him that they were ready to pay the money a3 agreed upon. He accordingly communicated the iniormation to ll.M.'s Charge d'Affairs, who replied that as the Japanese had suffered matters to go so far, the whole sum must now be paid at once, in 440,000 Mexican dollars, to be .delivered at seven in the morning. By last' advices, the money was being paid in ll.M.'s Legation. At the same time the Japanese Ministers informed the different-representatives of foreign powers that the Tycoon, then at Miako, had instructed them to obey the Mikado's orders to expel foreigners and close the ports. The Japanese also requested that foreigners would hold their settlements by their own military forces, a proposal evidently intended to shut them up effectually within certain limits, and contract to the narrowest point their intercourse with Japan. There still remains an important portion of the reparation unsatisfied, and one which the Tycoon's government have stated to be impossible for them to fulfil, namely, the trial and capital punishment of Mr Richardson's murderers, who are clossly connected with Prince Satsuma; and the payment of L 25.000 to the relatives of the murdered man and to those who. suffered from the outrage. The British Minister has accepted the Tycoon's plea of inability to coerce Satsuma, and has intimated his intention of taking that duty.upoh., himself; the Tycoon's government have therefore been advised to warn the Prince against the consequences of a failure to yield up the murderers aud pay the damages demanded. In event of this not being done, the Admiral will proceed' to some part ot Satsuma's dominions, and commence such measures of hostility as to him shall seem best. I rince Satsuma has a castle at Kagosiraa, near Cape Chikakoff, and this the Admiral may determine to.attack; or he may mean to proceed to Loq-Choo Islands and attach the reve"ues _ there-which, belong to the Prince.

Nearly 1000 nlovmon emigrants have landed at Aew Yoik en route for Utah. ' 0113 company of 800 vis made up of sey ;fcn different nations, .another of 600 was principally from N«andin'avia, vvi.ii «U tho indications of fJie honest thrift of the laborers of JNoithern Kurope.

M jor-General G. S.■■ Meade, who has been prora ted to the chief commnnd of the army of the Potomic,.was boi-n in Rp«n in 1816. entered the Military Acidemy at West Point from thfdistrict ol Co!umbi;t, md was. grad iiited there in 1889, tinco which tine lie has steadily risrfi t> bs brieradier «c era' of vulun-Up-s, 3!sfc August-, im\. Few omcew havu perf'limgd more urduous- duties or rend-red more distinguished and faithful service to tho country siuee the commencement of the war.