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letter which he wrote to his Government on this subject deserves to be printed in gold. A copy of it was brought to this country by the Embassy, and delivered to Mr. Mori. After commenting upon the importance of colonizing the wilder parts of Japan, the writer goes on to speak of the importance of education. To send ignorant men into the new regions would be quite useless, and, therefore, the first thing to be done was to educate the women of the Empire, so that the coming generation might be enlightened. While children under ten years of age were wholly under the influence of their mothers, it was, of course, of the utmost importance that they should be educated. As a little leaven leavens the whole lump, so would the education of women elevate the people of Japan. The Government had sent its young men to America and Europe to be educated, and was already reaping a valuable return; and now was the time for Japan to begin to educate its women; and hence he would have a delegation of girls sent to America without delay, and he knew that a great many others would follow in this pathway of enlightenment. What was new with Mr. Kuroda, however, was an old story with Mr. Mori, who, if a little less enthusiastic, was quite as deeply interested as the commissioner. On his return to Japan, he broached the idea to his Government of sending a number of young girls to America to be educated; reported the fact that he was fully indorsed by Mr. Mori, and, having obtained the hearty co-operation of Tomomi Iwakura, the Junior Prime Minister of Japan, an arrangement was made by which five Japanese girls were permitted to accompany the great Embassy to Washington. As the American Minister, Mr. Charles E. DeLong, was

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about to visit the United States on private business, he joined the Embassy; and, as he was accompanied by his wife, she took charge of the Japanese girls during their long journey from Yeddo to Washington; and treated them with great kindness and attention, and received their gratitude in return. Before leaving home they were summoned to Yeddo, and in testimony of the good-will of the Mikado, and according to an ancient custom, they were each presented, by the attendants of the Court, with beautiful specimens of crimson crape, and an order was issued that their expenses while in America should be paid by the Government.

The names of this delegation of Japanese girls are as follows: Lio Yoshimas, aged 15; Tei Wooyeda, aged about 15; Stematz Yamagawa, aged 12; Shinge Nagai, aged 10, and Ume Tsuda, aged 8 years. They represent in their persons five distinct families, and while they are not immediately connected with the imperial family of Japan, they do belong to that particular class, which would, in this country, be called the aristocracy of intellect and wealth combined. How these particular girls happened to be selected is not important; and, although their fathers or friends were abundantly able to send them abroad, they have in reality come to this country as the wards of the Japanese Government. Their fathers are all connected with the present Government, and rank as follows: Yoshimas, retainer of a prince of Tokzyawa; Wooyeda, Second Secretary of the Department of State; Yamagawa, First Chamberlain to the Prince of Adzu; Nagai was formerly a retainer of the Tycoon, but now holds allegiance to the ruling power, and has a public position; Tsuda is one of

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