“The Sairan Igen of Arai Haku Seki (B. 1657, D. 1725) says: In the 15th year of Keycho (1600) a merchant vessel belonging to New Spain was driven by a storm on the east coast of Japan and considerably damaged. The government ordered that it should be repaired, and provisions having been supplied it was started to depart. In the summer of the 17th year (1612), an ambassador came from that country on a complimentary mission, to return thanks. Amongst the presents was a self-sounding bell (clock), and our manufacture of this article commenced from this date.”[2] FOOTNOTE: [2] This clock is still preserved in the temple of Kino-San, near Shizouka, Province of Suraga. An inscription records its history, and a small metal plate, fastened to it, records that it was made in Madrid. The same annals preserve the following report, made to their government by the Japanese merchants on their return from New Spain:-- “Some of our sailing merchants departed in company with this embassy. They (the merchants) returned in the following year, and stated that the country visited was populous and productive. They also reported that the foreigners had thanked them, saying: ‘Our countries are far apart and navigation is difficult. Pray do not come again.’” It is, of course, evident that this blunt intimation that their presence was not desired in New Spain emanated from the same monopolists who had caused the rupture of negotiations in 1602, and who, later on, obtained a royal decree, limiting the traffic between Mexico and Japan to one galleon a year, and putting restrictions upon the value of the cargo it carried.