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During the absence of Lord Iwakura on his mission to Europe and America, Soyejima, Councillor, was made Minister of Foreign Affairs. He was a great Chinese scholar, but, unlike most Chinese scholars, he had a remarkably clear judgment and knowledge of European international law which was rather rare among the leading statesmen of this time. Under him Japanese diplomacy entered into an active phase. Soyejima’s name as a diplomat was at once made prominent by the following incident:

In July, 1872, a Chinese coolie escaped from the Peruvian vessel Maria Luz, in Yokohama, and, swimming up to the British man-of-war stationed near by, prayed for rescue from the cruel treatment which was meted out to the coolies on board. Mr. R. C. Watson, British Chargé d’Affaires, notified the matter to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, and, on examination by the Governor of Kanagawa-ken, it turned out that Ricardo Herero, captain of the Maria Luz, had bought 232 Chinese coolies in Macao, and on his homeward voyage entered the port of Yokohama for repairs. The Minister of Foreign Affairs proposed to bring the case before the district court of Kanagawa-ken, and have it tried by the Japanese law, which forbade the sale and purchase of fellow-beings. Curiously enough, Eto Shimpei, Minister of Justice, opposed this, and the French and United States Ministers also sent letters to Soyejima disapproving harsh measures against the Peruvian slave-ship. But Soyejima’s argument prevailed on the Prime Minister, Lord Sanjo, who gave him full powers to treat the vessel as he thought proper. The Kanagawa district court declared the original contract for the purchase of Chinese coolies null and void, as contrary to the law of the land in whose waters she lay, and set free all of them. The Kanagawa local government supplied them with food and clothing, and protected them till aid came from China. Communication was made to the Taotai of Shanghai, and through him to the Viceroy of the Two Kiangs, who sent a special messenger to Japan to return thanks for the generous act, and receive the coolies in the name of the Chinese Government. The Chinese messenger, Chin-fuk-kin, was treated with special marks of respect in Tokyo, and when the 232 poor creatures were handed over to him they all wept with tears of gratitude. That this was a very good way in which the new Imperial Government introduced themselves to the attention of their very haughty neighbour cannot be doubted.

As to the Peruvian captain, he abandoned his vessel and