Commencement of another year. My flag at the fore, flying on board _Rodney_ in Corvé Bay, near Hiogo. _Rodney_ nearly twelve months in commission, while I have been nine within the limits of the station, having assumed the Command-in-Chief at Singapore in March 1867. Thanks to the speed of the _Salamis_ I have been enabled to visit all the important points of the China and Japan part of this extensive station, besides paying an agreeable month’s visit to Peking and its neighbourhood. And I hope before leaving this part of the world to have a second peep at Nankin: four and twenty years since I was there in _Dido_. The event for which we have been preparing since my arrival has been the opening of Osaka, Hiogo, and other ports for commercial purposes. The necessity or advantage of opening these ports seems doubtful, but they were mentioned in the former treaty, and all the foreign ministers, however they may disagree on other points, seem united in the necessity of teaching the Japanese that treaties must be respected, and not lightly set aside. Owing to the political state of affairs in Japan, the weakness of the Tycoon power, and strength of the Independent Feudal Chiefs, as well as the uncertainty of the strength of two parties styled among themselves the “Admission” and “Expulsion” parties, it was deemed advisable to appear before Osaka and Hiogo with an imposing force. Our Minister, Sir Harry Parkes, had come from Yokohama in the _Adventure_ troopship, Captain Hickley, with a guard of fifty of the 9th Regiment, besides his twelve mounted policemen in Lancer costume, and a large staff with the Legation of Consuls and interpreters in addition to the Attaché. The Americans made a good display of pennants, but France, afloat, was represented by one man-of-war, while their Minister, M. Roches, tried to emulate our Minister by a guard of marines at Osaka. The Tycoon was at Miako endeavouring to carry on the government, opposed by Prince Satsumali Li Tosa and other powerful Daimios who had collected a sufficient number of retainers to threaten the power of the Tycoon. What their object is has not been ascertained. Most parties appear to agree as to the necessity of doing away with one of the two heads. The Tycoon invites a council of Daimios and expresses himself willing to be guided by their decision. The majority of Daimios decline attending this council and shut themselves up in their castles. The 1st of January arrives, and the ports of Osaka and Hiogo are open to foreign trade. Salutes are fired from the ships-of-war off both ports, and no demonstration or disturbance takes place. [Sidenote: Jan. 6.] On the 6th _Basilisk_ sails with mails for Hong Kong; _Salamis_ for Chusan, to wait me there. [Sidenote: Jan. 7.]