General Grant found himself burdened with unexpected questions in relation to Eastern policy. During his visit to North China both Prince Kung and the Viceroy, L. Hung Chang, laid before him their side of the Loochoo controversy, asking him to use his influence with Japan to prevent a serious misunderstanding between the two Empires. The General is believed to have replied that the other side would doubtless express themselves as strongly from their standpoint when heard, and though a rupture would be lamented by all observers, he did not see that he had any right to interfere. The Japanese authorities, on hearing this, took great pains to prepare a documentary vindication of their claims, which was submitted for the ex-President's inspection by the Cabinet. This appearance of over-anxiety does not commend itself strongly to spectators generally, Japan's supremacy over the Loochoo Islands being so plainly defined and thoroughly established as to need no superfluous demonstration. But the circumstances are interesting as showing the weight attached to General Grant's influence and the favorable view taken of that gentleman by both governments. General Grant had now reached the end of his journey and stay in Japan. He had been nearly two months. within her Empire; had witnessed the most enthusiastic and the most spontaneous demonstrations of his trip, from first to last; he had been accorded privileges such as no other ruler or potentate had ever enjoyed. After exchanging a series of formal visits, and a delightful round of dinners, receptions and entertainments, the General and party embarked from Yokohama on board the steamer Tokio, September 3, for the United States. There were men-of-war of various nations in the harbor, each of which manned their yards and fired salutes of farewell. For half an hour the bay rang with the roar of cannon and was clouded with smoke. The scene was wonderfully grand-the roar of cannon, the clouds of smoke wandering off over the waters, the stately, noble vessels streaming with flags, the yards manned with sea. men, the guards on deck, the officers in full uniform gathered on the quarter-deck to salute the General as he passed, the music and the cheers which came from the ships, the crowds that clustered upon the wharfs, all formed a sight that once seen can never be forgotten. To the General and party this enthusiastic demonstration will ever be recalled with grateful remembrance, and was a fitting climax of his now historical "tour around the world." CHAPTER XXXVI. GENERAL GRANT'S RETURN. After an absence of over two years, General Grant is on his way back to the United States, having sailed from Tokio on September 3, 1879, and will reach San Francisco about the 21st. During this period he has visited almost every European capital, and has seen with his own eyes the people of every nation. Everywhere in England, Ireland. and Scotland, in France and Germany, Italy and Austria, in Switzerland, as in Sweden and Denmark, Russia and Egypt, as in India and Siam, China and Japan-he has been welcomed by rulers and people alike, in a manner and with a splendor and fervor of hospitality which have rightly been felt, by the mass of the American people, as not merely a compliment to the General and ex-President, but as a gratifying evidence of good will toward us as a people. It is not pleasant to reflect that, while he was thus received and honored abroad, here at home there have not been wanting carping critics who indulged in petty fault. inding with his conduct, as though they were jealous of the honors paid him — fortunately for our credit as Americans, however, this carping spirit has not been general. The public sense of propriety has frowned it down. It would have been more gracious and more creditable to our people had there been no such criticism and fault finding. While General Grant was President, he was, as every man in public office is, the subject of comment; his acts were the proper objects of criticism. But when he laid down the |