has been quietly at work for some years. Every foreigner who goes to Japan is on the look-out for old lacquer and curios which antedate the European demand for them. Whatever of the real thing comes up is eagerly snatched at. But Japanese modern art is equal to the emergency, and makes many things that are beautiful if not old. I met in a remote country district an enterprising Semitic from London who had spent two months in Japan and had bought up enough odds and ends to freight a brig. He would buy old lamps if he could get them. If not, new ones would do; but he must have them as like the old ones as possible, and would then take them by the dozen and the score. This is a clearing-out process from a strictly trading point of view, which I believe is not uncommon, and which must at no distant date empty Japan of whatever makes her dear to the curiosity hunter.

One other little difficulty the foreigner meets with in Japan surrounds the question of money. Japanese currency is chiefly in paper money, in convenient denominations down to ten yen, which should be of the value of fivepence. But for a long period terminating with last year, the paper currency was grievously depreciated. What was nominally worth four

shillings, could with difficulty be exchanged for three, and it reached levels lower than that. The Government, and above all their new policy, was upon trial. They might break down any day, and who could say that their successors would, even if they could, meet the promise to pay which the notes bore? Gradually confidence in the Government and in the future of Japan has grown, and with it paper money has very nearly touched par. At the present moment a paper yen is worth only fivepence less than the silver dollar, which is a recuperation as remarkable and even more rapid than that of greenbacks or Italian notes.

This sure sign of the growing prosperity and stability of the new empire is not viewed with very great approval by all who live within its borders. It is said, and with unquestionable truth, that it has sent up the prices of everything and made living appreciably dearer. Once a yen always a yen, is a golden rule among the shopkeepers and tradespeople of Japan. What they charged a yen for when the note was worth only three shillings, they still charge a yen for now the little bit of paper is worth three and sevenpence, and seems bent on reaching par.

That, however, is not the grievance of the foreign visitor. He would certainly bear to

have currency worth twenty-five per cent. less than its nominal value, since that would mean that for his English sovereign he would get twenty-five shillings. But he thinks he has a reasonable right to demand that he shall know a yen note when he sees it, and shall not confound a fifty-yen note with one valued at twenty. Formerly yen notes were recognizable at sight, having the figure "one" printed on them in numerals. Now there are yen notes of various colours, sizes, and designs, with no figure of denomination printed on them. The fifties are the same size as the twenties, and are exactly the same pattern save for cabalistic signs in the corners-of course plain enough to the Japanese, but worse than Greek to the foreigner. It is true that if you know where to look for it, and have a microscope handy, you can discover the figure "twenty" printed on the tenpenny note, and "fifty" on the twoshilling one. But these are not conditions always realizable, especially at night.

I heard of a recent visitor to Japan who had only a month to see the country in. Like John Gilpin, "tho' on pleasure bent he had a frugal mind," and a dear friend estimated that he spent one week of the four in studying his notes before he made payments, and went away saddened by the conviction that he

had three times paid away fifty-yen notes for twenty. This is not likely to be strictly true, but it indicates a matter of considerable embarrassment to visitors to Japan, and might be commended to the attention of the Government among their other reforms.

The explanation of this shower of diverse designs in copper plate is the establishment of national banks, of which there are no less than 152, each authorized to issue its own notes. The necessity for diversity of designs is obvious; but there is the more reason why the denomination should be made clear. The silver yen, a strikingly handsome coin, is now at par with the Mexican dollar. It is, indeed, preferred by tradespeople and banks, since Chinese industry has found a new and wide field in dealing with the Mexican coin. By the exercise of dexterity and industry the artisan removes the face from one side of the coin, cuts out the silver, fills up the cavity with baser metal, and resets the face in a way that makes it difficult for any but trained eyes to detect the fraud. So So widely has this practice obtained, that when payment is made in Mexican dollars the recipient rings every coin. It is of no consequence when the transaction does not exceed three or four dollars, but when it comes to thirty, forty, or over, it

is rather a bore to have to stand by and watch each coin tested. This is necessary, since the industry branches out in another direction, and the guileless-looking Chinese, who is judicially testing your money, may have ready at hand a few of these manipulated coins ready for opportunities. These somehow get mixed up with yours, and he, with a pitying smile for your earlier misfortune, will invite you to replace them with sterling silver.

Between luncheon and dinner was a convenient time for witnessing a cremation. In Tokio, the principal place of cremation is situated at Shen-jo, a suburb reached through long lines of busy streets. It was fête day in the neighbourhood, and we approached it through a dense crowd of holiday makers. The shops were brightly lit. Jinrikshas abounded, most of them holding two, and one at least four, persons, two being babies. On these occasions the Japan infant obtains a change of view and position. For the most part it peers out upon the world round the side of its mother's or sister's head. But it being physically impossible for a woman to sit in a jinriksha with the everlasting baby at her back, it is, on this occasion only, slewed round to the front.