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immovable property. The tariff was autonomous, but not to exceed or to be different from those levied on the imports of other nations. The extraterritorial jurisdiction found no trace in it. The most favoured nation treatment was, of course, reciprocal, and at the same time conditional—i.e., the right or benefit granted to A was to be granted to B, C, D, etc., without recompense if the original grant was made without recompense, but with the same or equivalent recompense if the original grant was made in exchange for some other right or benefit.

At the same time negotiations were carried on with the United States, whose Minister in Tokyo asked instructions of the home Government by telegram towards the close of the year 1888, and obtained an answer within forty-eight hours that he was to accept the treaty as proposed by Japan. England, France, Germany, Russia, Italy, and Austro-Hungary were also invited to consider revision.

In the meanwhile an event of the greatest moment occurred in Japan, which gave to the affair of treaty revision quite a new aspect. Previous to this, on the 30th of April, 1888, Marquis Ito resigned his premiership in favour of Count Kuroda, and himself becoming the President of the newly-created Privy Council, submitted the draft of the constitutional laws compiled under his direction to the deliberation of that august body, consisting of all the male members of the Imperial Family, the acting Ministers of State, and special Councillors, among whom figured all the greatest personages of the new epoch, like Prince Sanjo, Counts Higashikujé, Soyejima, Terajima, Ōki, Sano, Katsu, Torio, Toshu, Viscounts Enomoto, Nomura, Hijikata. The Emperor attended in person almost all the sittings of the Council, and the Imperial Constitution and its accompanying laws and ordinances being now complete, they were promulgated on the 11th of February, 1889. Japan was henceforth to be a constitutional State, and as becomes a constitutional State, she was to enjoy the unrestricted right of independence in her foreign relations, so that the treaty revision now acquired a new meaning and a new urgency.

In Germany negotiations were carried on between our Minister, Marquis Saionji, and Count Herbert Bismarck, and the telegram received by our Government on the 11th of June, 1889, announced that the treaty was signed. This was considered a great success on the part of Count Okuma. Russia also consented to the revision. The Ministers of Spain, Portugal, Holland, and other minor Powers were now invited to obtain full powers from their Governments concerning treaty revision.