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Upon the receipt of each of these telegrams I have transmitted to the minister for foreign affairs, to be conveyed to the Japanese Red Cross Association, subject to the conditions governing the previous similar remittances, checks for 10,050.25 yen, 100,502.51 yen, 20,100.50 yen, 10,050.25 yen, 10,050.25 yen, and 50,251.26 yen, being the proceeds, respectively, of my successive drafts, excepting that made on March 23 in consequence of the telegram of that date, which produced 40,201.01 yen. This was divided, according to your instruction, between the minister for foreign affairs and the treasurer of the foreign committee of relief at Sendai, the Rev. C. S. Davison. The report on the actual conditions prevailing in the famine district asked for in the telegram conveying this remittance is made the subject of a separate dispatch, No. 428 of to-day's date.

I have received brief acknowledgments of all these contributions, the Japanese Government reserving for a later date a fuller acknowledgment and recognition of the generosity of the American people displayed in these gifts, and of the important part played by the Christian Herald in this work of charity.

There has been no loss by exchange on any of the drafts; the exact rates will be set forth in the final accounting.

I have the honor to inclose herewith a copy of a notice which I sent to various newspapers on March 19 in pursuance of the instruction to give general publicity to the fact that the contribution came from the Christian Herald, contained in the department's telegram above referred to, received on March 17. Items in this sense have appeared in all of the leading English and vernacular newspapers of Japan.

I have, etc.,

HUNTINGTON WILSON.

No. 428.]

Chargé Wilson to the Secretary of State.

AMERICAN LEGATION, Tokyo, April 5, 1906. SIR: In compliance with the department's telegraphic instruction received the 23d ultimo, wherein I am directed to make, at the request of the Christian Herald, a brief report upon the actual conditions of the famine, I have the honor to forward herewith a short statement which contains my conclusions based upon the statements of the Government and of residents of Sendai.

It is extremely difficult to secure accurate information; but apparently the famine has passed its worst stage and the Government is now fully able with the means at its disposal to meet all the needs of the situation.

Trusting that the inclosure will meet your requirements,

I have, etc.,

HUNTINGTON WILSON.

a Not printed.

[Inclosure.]

THE FAMINE IN NORTHEASTERN JAPAN.

The following brief sketch of the actual conditions of the famine in the northeastern part of the main island of Japan is made after obtaining statements from the authorities of the central Government as well as from reliable eye witnesses within the famine district.

The Government states that deaths from actual starvation have not occurred. The death rate in the afflicted region has not been abnormal, except among the aged or infirm. Among these the hardship and exposure due to extreme poverty and the scant and bad food that the people in this normally poor district have had to resort to to keep body and soul together have, of course, caused the death of many. On the other hand, the hardihood and endurance of the average Japanese agricultural population is so great that the rank and file could sustain life even under the adverse conditions that have existed. There has been much suffering, but very slight mortality.

The government estimated the number of people in need at the end of March to be some 700,000. A gentleman who had been investigating the situation on the spot estimated, at the same date, that some 900,000 were in more or less distress, and that of these about 500,000 were really suffering, and some 250,000 in vital need and now receiving assistance.

The famine has now reached and probably passed its worst stage. The means of relief are improved. The severe winter is now breaking up, which will, with the melting of the snow, improve the means of communication and make more out-of-door work possible. As the spring and summer advance there will be work in planting for landowners, tending silkworms, picking mulberry leaves, etc. For these reasons the suffering should now steadily decrease. The need of assistance should also decline, as with the end of winter the ways in which the people can help themselves will increase. A measure of relief will be needed, however, until the autumn, when the local rice crop is harvested. Perhaps by the middle of June the number of those who must be given food will be reduced by about one-half, and so gradually fall off. The hope has been expressed that by July the prefectural governments will be able to leave the responsibility for local conditions to the city, town, and village government offices.

The following are the measures taken by the Japanese Government for the relief of the three afflicted prefectures-Miyagi, Fukushima, and Iwate: Exemption from the land tax; the sale of surplus military supplies at a fraction of their cost; arrangements for the reduction of freight charges for the carrying of commodities to the famine-stricken district; the sale of products of government forests; the advancing of money for developing farms and opening up uncultivated lands (thus giving work); the encouragement of emigration for Hokkaido (the northeastern and sparsely-populated island of Japan); government purchase of firewood and charcoal produced in that region; supplying seed rice for planting the fields; the employment of sufferers for the opening and repairing of roads and for other public works. The local governments are disbursing between one and two million in providing the destitute with work in improving the laying out of rice fields, making and repairing roads, planting trees, etc. The Government provides work as far as possible to avoid the pauperizing influence of giving outright. Every precaution is being taken to guard against the possible occurrence of epidemics.

Their Majesties the Emperor and Empress and the members of the imperial family have made donations, also the members of the cabinet.

Contributions by nonofficial Japanese subjects are said to have amounted to half a million yen or more. Several orphanages, especially that conducted by Mr. and Mrs. Ishii at Takenogawa, Oji, Tokyo, which is entirely dependent upon private support, have rendered valuable assistance in caring for destitute children. The Salvation Army is also doing good work in taking in young girls. Americans may well feel pride in the splendid work done by the foreign committee at Sendai, of which the great majority, Doctor de Forest, Mr. W. E. Lampe, the Rev. C. S. Davison, Mr. M. B. Madden, and Mr. William Axling, are citizens of the United States. The work of these men, and the donations from the United States collected by the Christian Herald and through the Red Cross Society, are, like the President's humanitarian appeal, highly appreciated in Japan.

While the prompt assistance rendered has doubtless been of great value in alleviating suffering and as a fine example of humanitarianism, there is no doubt that the Japanese Government and people can now themselves readily cope with the needs of the final months of the famine.

APRIL 5, 1906.

HUNTINGTON WILSON.

No. 456.]

Chargé Wilson to the Secretary of State.

AMERICAN LEGATION,
Tokyo, May 17, 1906.

SIR: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of the department's two telegrams received the 10th and 11th instants, conveying further remittances for famine relief of $5,000 and $25,000, respectively, confirmations of the readings of which are appended on the overleaf.

Following your instructions, in the case of the former telegram I have transmitted to the acting minister for foreign affairs a check for 10,050.25 yen, being the proceeds of my draft for $5,000 of the 10th instant, and in the case of the latter I forwarded to Count Matsukata, the president of the Japanese Red Cross Society, for transfer to the foreign committee of relief at Sendai, a check for 50,251.25 yen, being the proceeds of my draft for $25,000 of the 12th instant.

I have, etc.,

No. 16.]

HUNTINGTON WILSON.

Ambassador Wright to the Secretary of State.

AMERICAN EMBASSY, Tokyo, June 16, 1906. SIR: I have the honor to transmit herewith inclosed a copy of a letter signed by Mr. Masataka Sakuma, head official of the town of Miharu, Fukushima Prefecture, and by the head officials of the number of neighboring villages, by which I am requested to convey to the President the grateful thanks of the people of that district, represented by their headmen, for the generous contributions for famine relief received from the people of the United States.

I have, etc.,

LUKE E. WRIGHT.

[Inclosure.]

Head officials of the towns and villages to Ambassador Wright.

MAY 11, 1906.

SIR: The famine which we had in this region last year was the greatest of its kind in recent years, and the terrible conditions which prevailed are beyond description. We, the humble head officials of the respective towns and villages, have been greatly concerned with the relief of the sufferers. Your country was quick to extend its profound sympathy to us on the occasion of the famine in the northeastern provinces. Our country has shared in the large contributions sent to this country from America, and with a profound sense of gratitude we wish to tell your excellency that the money given us has been profitably used in relieving the sufferers. We respectfully request that your

excellency kindly take the trouble to convey our gratitude to the President of the United States.

We avail ourselves of this opportunity respectfully to express our gratitude and to pay our respects to your excellency.

We have, etc.,

(Signed by thirty officials.)

The Emperor of Japan to the President of the United States.

[Translation.]

GREAT AND GOOD FRIEND: When I learned that you had, in great sympathy and good will, invited the American public to come to the aid and succor of the famine-stricken people of my northeastern provinces, I hastened to express to you, through my representative at Washington my deep sense of gratitude.

The very generous and substantial contributions subscribed and collected by different American individuals and organizations and especially by the American National Red Cross and the Christian Herald, were received by the local authorities concerned through the kindness of the State Department, and were, with great care, distributed among the distressed in such a manner as to faithfully carry out the noble intentions of those who so liberally responded to your appeal. I need hardly assure you that by this means the most serious effects of the calamity were greatly mitigated.

Now that the immediate danger has been removed, I wish to assure you that I have been very deeply touched and gratified by the high example of international good will and friendship displayed by the people of the United States and that the memory of it will always be warmly cherished by me.

I remain, Mr. President, with the best wishes for your continued well-being,

Your sincere friend,

MUTSUHITO.

IMPERIAL PALACE, TOKYO, the fourth day of the seventh month of the thirty-ninth year of Meiji.

MUTUAL RAISING OF THE LEGATIONS OF THE UNITED STATES AND JAPAN TO EMBASSIES.

No. 369.]

Chargé Wilson to the Secretary of State.

AMERICAN LEGATION, Tokyo, January 9, 1906. SIR: I have the honor to inform you that the appointment of Viscount Aoki as His Imperial Japanese Majesty's ambassador to the United States was made on the 7th instant and gazetted to-day.

The Viscount Aoki's official career was begun by his appointment as secretary of legation at Berlin in 1873. The following year he was accredited as envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary at that capital, in which capacity he continued about eleven years. His next appointments were as vice minister for foreign affairs, and then

as minister for foreign affairs (1889-1891). From 1892 to 1895 he was again minister to Germany. Returning to Japan he became once more minister for foreign affairs, from 1898 to 1900. Upon retirement from the foreign office he was made a privy councillor. In the course of his missions to Germany he was accredited also, at different times, to Austria-Hungary, to Holland, to Belgium, and to Great Britain, and many of Japan's treaties now in force bear his signature. Viscount Aoki is 62 years old. He speaks German perfectly and English pretty well. His wife is a German lady.

I have, etc.,

HUNTINGTON WILSON.

No. 24.]

The Japanese Chargé to the Secretary of State.

JAPANESE LEGATION, Washington, April 25, 1906. SIR: I have the honor to inform you that Viscount Siuzo Aoki, who has been appointed by His Majesty the Emperor of Japan to be his ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary near the Government of the United States, has arrived in Washington yesterday.

I beg leave to request that you will be so good as to appoint a time when he may call at the Department of State to pay his respects to you and to make arrangements with you for the presentation of his credentials to the President.

Accept, etc.,

EKI HIOKI.

The Acting Secretary of State to the Japanese Chargé.

DEPARTMENT OF STATE,
Washington, May 1, 1906.

DEAR MR. HIOKI: I have just received word from the White House that the President will be pleased to receive Viscount Aoki for the purpose of presenting his letter of credence as ambassador of Japan, on Thursday afternoon, the 3d instant, at 2.30 o'clock.

Colonel Bromwell will call for the ambassador in the President's landau and escort him to the White House

I am, etc.,

ROBERT BACON.

REMARKS OF VISCOUNT AOKI, JAPANESE AMBASSADOR, ON THE OCCASION OF THE PRESENTATION OF HIS LETTER OF CREDENCE.

WASHINGTON, May 3, 1906.

MR. PRESIDENT: Moved by the desire to give to the diplomatic relation so happily existing between Japan and the United States a more intimate character and to consecrate its growing importance, His Majesty the Emperor of Japan, my august sovereign, has resolved to raise the rank of his diplomatic mission at Washington to that of

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