The Daily News WEDNESDAY, DEC. 21, 1904. NOTE AND COMMENT.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVI, Issue 298, 21 December 1904, Page 2

The Daily News WEDNESDAY, DEC. 21, 1904. NOTE AND COMMENT.

It is not a matter of common knowledge that ! the first FIRST European to find hie ENGLISHMAN way to the heart of IN JAPAN. Japan was one William Adams, a 17tn century man of Kent, whose Moi y ia (briefly told in Blackwood Uetweea tlie journey of Marco 1 010 and Lord Elgin's mission J apun was sealed against all the wjiid. lhn one link which connected her with Europe wad the Dutch factory, whtch was permitted to conduct a lucrative trade upon arduous and imsulting conditions. But omi Marco Polo s day the Japanese were already civilised and ■ courageous. As he tells us, tihey successfully withstood the invasion of : so l stout a l"°e as Xvulblai Kihon's own Tartars. Their wealth, moreover, was enormous, and they took caro that their hoard of gold should not decrease, Iby foi'blidding its exportation, a polioy which they pursued for many centuries. Unhappily, Marco Polo "toils us little of Japan, and after him there is silence uinbil William Adams, the first Englishman who entered Japan, sent has letters home. And in the history of adventure a more amazing cvreer cannot be found that that of this old Kentish pilot. He set sail from tihe Texel 'in 1579 on the ship Erasmus, and after hunger, sickness, and mutiny bravely endured lie , and his friends resolved to go for Japan ; ' for, by the report of Berwick Gerritson, who had been there with the Portuigals, woollen cloth was in great estimation in that island.' So they went for Japan, and on April 12 'we came hard to Dungio '—to iquot< the pilot's own woiidi*—' where many country barks came aboard us, the pbople whereof we willingly let come, having no force to resist them, and iat this place We came to an anchor.' So Will Adams was brought before the Taii-coon, and his mother-,wit not only savod him from tho cruoific but marvellously advanceH him. He told the Emperor the name of his country, and declared that his land had been sought out the East Indies. And when the Tycoon asked him whether his country bad wars he replied : ' Yea ; with the Spaniards and Portugals, being at peace with all other nations.' Now the Japanese hated- the Portugal with a fierce hatred-—they were presently to send Iback to British Emiassy on the ground that Charles 11. had married a Portuguese wife—and Adams' answer -instantly procared him the Emperor's favour. He was commanded henceforth to remain in Japan, was advanced to u high place in the Court, and lived the easy, affluent life of a grandee. He built the Empenor ships, and taught- him such ' points of geometry and mathematics' as he had mastered himself. And in return he was given am estate ' like übto a lordship in England, with' eightly or ninety husbandmen, who are as my servants and slaves:.' But Adams desired nothing more than that his countrymen should share his prosperity, and, as we have said, he sent home flourishing accounts of Japan and its frade. In answer thi East India Company appointed Captain Sarisi to the command of the Clove, who, under Adams' auspieces. prospered for a while, sold his ' Ban-tam-pepper ungaribled,' and did his best to establish an English factory at Hirajdo. But it was not long before a coldness showed' itsolf between Saris and Adams. The pilot, or Anjin, ' considerer 0 f the lieedlo,' as the Emperor called him, presently refused to see his countrymen, and when at last ho consented to dine with them lie rose directly after dinner, and declined their company when he took his leavo, as though he thought them not good enough to i walk with him.' Dou|btlosi; u pride | m his lordShip and Ms eigl.ty slaves persuaded him to look dot/n upon the simple captain, -and if is certain that a lack oi amitdbility on one s j de or the other hindered the ostaibl'rfmient a trade between England and Japan. And, though a anTft, w £ s . raadc 'Hftwoen James I. and the Hai-coon, Saris returned t,, S acc °niplishcd nothing, while Adams continued so orosI erous m the Emperor's favour that n^e y 1 f rCOt in Yvdflo baars ovel "y year his memory is