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SLACK CLOUDS. 331
to Holland to build a man-of-war, while Enomoto,
Akamatsu, Uchida, and others, then promising men,
whose names are now renowned in Japanese naval
annals, were sent to Holland to study western civil-
ization and the art of naval warfare, and after five
years' study to bring out the ship to Japan. As for
Sakuma Ei, he had long before been released from
prison, and was pronounced in his opinion that the
country should be opened to foreign intercourse and
adopt western civilization. He always rode a horse
equipped with an English saddle and bridle, and, by
his strong opinions, irritated the fanatical foreigner-
haters.
In addition to naval reorganization the foun-
dations of a national army were laid in a daring
social innovation. Three battalions were organized
in European style, to be drilled according to modern
infantry tactics. The cavalry and artillery arms
were formed of the class of samurai known as hata-
moto, or the Tycoon's flag-supporters ; but the infan-
try were recruited from the trading and farming
classes. This was the sign of a new day for Japan,
that the common people were admitted to military
honors. One could easily see Koba's hand in this
move.
It was difficult, and in some cases impossible, to
restrain the violence and fanaticism of clansmen who
were so anxious to hasten the fall of the Tokugawas
that they were constantly playing the assassin and
incendiary, knowing no other means of bringing
things to a crisis than the use of the sword and the