ed the
Bakufu during its middle period in the capacity of ministers had been
taken almost entirely from the families of Ii, Sakai, and Hotta, but
none of them had shown any marked ability; they had allowed their
functions to be usurped by the personal attendants of the shogun.
This abuse was remedied by the appointment of the heads of the three
Tokugawa families to the post of ministers, and for a time Sadanobu
received loyal and efficient support from his colleagues.

CONFLAGRATION IN KYOTO

The series of calamities which commenced with the tempests, floods,
and famines of 1788 culminated in a fire such as never previously had
swept Kyoto. It reduced to ashes the Imperial palace, Nijo Castle,
220 Shinto shrines, 128 Buddhist temples, and 183,000 houses. The
loss of life (2600) was not by any means as severe as that in the
great fire of Yedo, but the Imperial city was practically destroyed.
Ishikawa Jinshiro, who commanded at Nijo Castle, immediately
distributed a thousand koku of rice from the Government's store to
relieve the distressed citizens. He acted in this matter without
waiting to seek sanction from the Bakufu, and his discretion was
rewarded by appointment to the high office of inspector-general of
police (o-metsuke).

The problem of restoring the palace presented much difficulty in the
impoverished state of the country, but the Bakufu did not hesitate to
take the task in hand, and to issue the necessary requisitions to the
feudatories of the home provinces. Sadanobu himself repaired to Kyoto
to superintend the work, and took the opportunity to travel
throughout a large part of the country. During his tour all that had
any grievances were invited to present petitions, and munificent
rewards were bestowed on persons who had distinguished themselves by
acts of filial piety or by lives of chastity. Such administrative
measures presented a vivid contrast with the corrupt oppression
practised by the Tanuma family, and it is recorded that men and women
kneeled on the road as Sadanobu passed and blessed him with tears.

ENGRAVING: SANNO FESTIVAL OF TOKYO IN EARLY DAYS

SUMPTUARY REGULATIONS

Convinced that the most important step towards economic improvement
was the practice of frugality, Sadanobu caused rules to be compiled
and issued which dealt with almost every form of expenditure. He
himself made a practice of attending at the castle wearing garments
of the coarsest possible materials, and the minute ch