THE HISTORY OF COMMERCE
inces and forty-two post towns through which the ambassador passed en route for Yedo should organise independent demonstrations in his honour, although the official reception given to a Japanese envoy visiting Korea was limited to the port of arrival, and organised on lines of simplicity rather than ostentation. The scholar and statesman Arai Hakuseki protested against the excessive costliness and courtesy of Japan's hospitality, but although his protest obtained approval, a hundred years elapsed before (1811) practical effect was given to it. Thenceforth officials despatched from Yedo received the Korean envoy at his landing-place in the island of Tsushima, and the further prosecution of his journey was dispensed with.
Naturally commerce so burdened by restrictions and monopolies as was that with the Dutch and the Koreans, offered a tempting field for clandestine operations. These were frequent. Invariably the Dutch ships were escorted into and out of harbours, and were watched while at anchor by guard-boats. The smuggler's only resource, therefore, was to meet a foreign vessel at some rendez-vous beyond the range of official observation, receive her goods there, and furnish return cargo. In Korea's case transactions of this kind were comparatively easy, since the smugglers from each side could be sure of reaching the place of assignation at the appointed time. But the length of the voyage from Europe and its incidental vicissitudes, made smuggling a troublesome
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