American Minister to Japan, and his family, and W. S. Rice, Esq., Interpreter of the United States Legation in Japan. The official list of officers composing the Embassy is as follows:

Ambassador Extraordinary.

NAMES AND RANK.

Sionii TOMOMI IWAKURA.

OFFICIAL POSITION IN JAPAN.

.Junior Prime Minister.

Vice-Ambassadors Extraordinary.

Jussammi TAKAYOSSI KIDO....................

Jussammi TOSSIMITSI OKUBO..

Jushie HIROBUMI ITO...

Jushie MASSOUKA YAMAGUTSI.

YASKAZOU TANABÉ..

Council of State.
.Minister of Finance.

.Acting Minister of Public

Works.

...Assistant Minister of the Foreign Affairs.

First Secretaries.

NORIUKI GAH..
ATSNOBOU SHIODA..
GHEN-ITSIRO FOUKOUTSI..

.Foreign Department.

..Foreign Department.

..Foreign Department.

...Treasury Department.

The formal reception of the Embassy took place on the day following their arrival at San Francisco, and the kind wishes of the citizens and the hospitalities of the city were tendered to the distinguished strangers by the Mayor, the Hon. William Alvord. By special request of the Board of Supervisors, the Mayor was also requested to address a letter of welcome to the Embassy, which was accordingly done on the 18th, and in which he remarked as follows: "As the nearest neighbor, on this continent, of the Empire of Japan, the people of San Francisco feel a special pride in welcoming you to our city, the landing-place, in America, of an Embassy whose labors are doubtless destined to be followed by results in the highest degree interesting and important in their bearings upon the progress and enlightenment of all nations, and especially to the commercial prosperity of Japan and the United States. The Board take pleasure in extending to your Excellencies every facility for visiting and examining our public institutions, and cheerfully place at your disposal all means of information, trusting that your stay here will be agreeable, and that the great objects of the Embassy will be achieved by bringing into nearer intimacy the ancient and modern civilizations, cementing still closer our mutual relations of trade and commerce, and strengthening the ties of international friendship." The Press of San Francisco, in a body, paid their respects to the members of the Embassy, and were treated with attention. A committee of citizens also waited upon the dignitaries, and, in reply to an address of welcome from R. B. Swain, President of the Board of Commerce, the Chief Ambassador replied, through an interpreter, as follows:

"GENTLEMEN, Being commissioned by His Imperial Majesty, the Tenno of Japan, to visit all the Treaty Powers, we have reached your city on our way, and have been greatly pleased at receiving so warm a welcome upon the threshold of your Continent. We receive it thankfully, as a distinguished honor paid to our sovereign and our country.

'Commerce, following in the path of our first friendly relation, has been an active agent in drawing our respective countries nearer together, in the strongest bonds of friendship. Our people have, by its means, become acquainted with the civilization of more enlightened nations, and they now seek to advance themselves in a knowledge of the arts, sciences, products, and mechanisms of western nations.

"The true spirit of our mission is to establish peaceful relations more firmly, and to see how greater privileges may be granted in the true interests of a righteous government and a free people.

"Our mission being one of investigation, we shall inspect with pleasure your manufactures and machinery, your colleges and schools, and your system of justice; and as these are to become the guide of our nation in the future, this study will be one tending to promote our national welfare, and, as commerce is reciprocal, may be of future direct interest to your city.

"Your kind offer to share with us your acquired knowledge, and exhibit to us your various industries, we gladly accept, and shall not fail to note them carefully, and aim in the future to establish with you active intercourse and practical results.

"We assure you, that as soon as His Imperial Majesty, the Tenno of Japan, is informed, from our letter, of your generous hospitality, he will undoubtedly testify his eminent satisfaction, and the hearts of the whole people of Japan will feel deeply grateful."

In the evening of the same day, the citizens of San Francisco gathered around the Grand Hotel and gave an admirable serenade, and, on being called out on the balcony, the Chief Ambassador, as before, delivered the following address:

"CITIZENS OF SAN FRANCISCO: It is now a recognized fact in Japan, since the conclusion of the treaty between the United States and our country, that our true prosperity has greatly increased with our new commercial intercourse. Our advancement in the arts and sciences of western nations we now consider a substantial benefit to our nation, and desire that with every increase of national intercourse there shall be an increase of international friendship. (Cheers.)

"With a view of hastening these results, and further facilitating the instruction of our people in the civilization of western nations, His Imperial Majesty, the Tenno, has commissioned us to visit all those countries having treaties with Japan, in the capacity of Ambassadors Plenipotentiary, first visiting your country. The warmth of our reception is unquestionable proof to us of the friendship of Americans, and I assure you it is more than echoed in the hearts of our people. (Cheers.)

"Your expression of feeling, when announced to His Imperial Majesty, will be made known throughout Japan, and assist in cementing a mutual friendship between our countries, which it is the wish of the Japanese people should constantly increase, as by intercourse we get to know each other better." (Cheers.)

On the same day the Chief Ambassador, on behalf of the Embassy, sent a telegram through to Nagasaki, Japan, announcing to his Government their safe arrival in this city, and the cordial reception they had met with. This dispatch went direct to Hongkong, whence it was transmitted by cable to Nagasaki.

He also sent word across the continent to his three sons, who are students in Rutgers College, Brunswick, New Jersey. An answer was received just as he had concluded his first address to the American people. It announced the good health of his sons, and their joy at his safe arrival in this country. The contents and the occasion combined to render him exceedingly happy.

During the whole of their stay in San Francisco the members of the Embassy were treated with marked kindness and cordiality; but the great event of their visit was a superb banquet, which was given to them by the leading citizens, at the Grand Hotel, on the 23d of January. After the preliminary toasts had been disposed of, that of "Our Distinguished Guests" was proposed, when the Chief Ambassador rose, and was greeted with prolonged ap