:

The principal European ladies in the colony were invited. Some of these ladies had lived in Tientsin for years, and had never seen the wife of the Viceroy-had never seen him except through the blinds of the window of his chair. The announcement that the Viceroy had really invited Mrs. Grant to meet his wife, and European ladies to be in the company, was even a more transcendent event than the presence of General Grant. Society rang with a discussion of the question which, since Mother Eve introduced it to the attention of her husband, has been the absorbing theme of civilization - what shall we wear? The question was finally decided in favor of the resources of civilization. The ladies went in all the glory of French fashion and taste. They came back from the viceregal dinner at about eleven at night, and General Grant and party went immediately on board the Ashuelot. Here the farewells to kind friends were spoken, and it was with sincere regret that they said farewell. The Viceroy had sent word that he would not take his leave of General Grant until he was on the border of his dominions and out at sea. He had gone on ahead in his yacht, and, with a fleet of gunboats, would await the General at the mouth of the river, and accompany him on board the Richmond. Orders had been given that the forts should fire salutes, and that the troops should parade, and the vessels dress with flags. About eleven o'clock in the morning the Ashuelot came up with the viceregal fleet, at anchor under the guns of the Waku forts. As they passed, every vessel manned yards, and all their guns and the guns of the fort thundered a farewell. Three miles out the Richmond was sighted, and the Ashuelot steamed direct toward her, and in a short time the Ashuelot swung around amid the thunder of the guns of the Richmond. At noon the General passed over the sides of the Richmond, and was received by another

salute. After the General had been received, the ship's barge was sent to the Viceroy's boat, and in a few minutes returned with Li-Hung Chang. General Grant received the Viceroy, and again the yards were manned, and a salute of nineteen guns was fired.

The Viceroy and his suite were shown into the cabin. Tea was served, and, Li-Hung Chang having expressed a desire to see the vessel, he was taken into every part, gave its whole arrangement, and especially the guns, a minute inspection. This lasted for an hour, and the Viceroy returned to the cabin to take his leave. He seemed loath to go, and remained in conversation for some time. General Grant expressed his deep sense of the honor which had been done him, his pleasure at having met the Viceroy. He urged the Viceroy to make a visit to the United States, and in a few earnest phrases repeated his hope that the statesmen of China would persevere in a policy which brought them nearer to our civilization. The Viceroy was friendly, almost affectionate. He hoped that General Grant would not forget nim; that he would like to meet the General now and then, and if China needed the General's counsel he would send it. He feared he could not visit foreign lands, and regretted that he had not done so in earlier years. He spoke of the friendship of the United States as dear to China, and again commended to the General and the American people the Chinese who had gone to America. It made his heart sore to hear of their ill usage, and he depended upon the justice and honor of our government for their protection. He again alluded to the Loochoo question with Japan, and begged General Grant would speak to the Japanese Emperor, and in securing justice remove a cloud from Asia which threw an ominous shadow over the East. The General bade the Viceroy farewell, and said he would not forget what had been said, and

that he would always think of the Viceroy with friendship and esteem. So they parted, Li-Hung Chang departing amid the roar of our cannon and the manning of the yards, while the Richmond slowly pushed her prow into the rippling waves and steamed along to Japan

CHAPTER XXXV.

GENERAL GRANT IN JAPAN.

General Grant and party arrived at Nagasaki on June 21, on the United States steamer Richmond, accompanied by the Ashuelot, the latter bringing Judge Denny, Consul at Tientsin, and other friends from China. There was no formal demonstration by foreign residents, further than an address of welcome by the committee of thirteen, chosen to represent all alien nationalities. Frequent entertainments were given by the Japanese.

The Governor of the province gave a state dinner on the evening of the 23d of June, served in French fashion; one that in its details would have done no discredit to the restaurants in Paris. To this dinner the Governor asked Captain Benham, of the Richmond; Commander Johnson, of the Ashuelot, and Lieutenant-Commander Clarke. At the close, His Excellency Utsumi Tadakatsu arose and

said:

"GENERAL GRANT AND GENTLEMEN: After a two years' tour through many lands, Nagasaki has been honored by a visit from the ex-President of the United States. Nagasaki is situated on the western shore of this Empire, and how fortunate it is that I, in my official capacity as Governor of Nagasaki, can greet and welcome you, sir, as you land for the first time on the soil of Japan. Many years ago, honored sir, I learned to appreciate your great services, and during a visit to the United States I was filled with an ardent desire to learn more of your illustrious deeds.