翻刻
御懸申渡薪代米之儀 是迄（従前）一季
送にて取立候に付当年伐立之薪
代米は来ル酉年に至漸皆済
相成申候《見せ消ち：従前より｜是迄》前件之《見せ消ち：通》御規則にて
押来候処近年不作打続候に付
伐子并川下ヶ日雇賃沸騰仕候間会計局より
仮受金莫太に相嵩《見せ消ち：来候処｜当職に於テ》
心配罷在候処
即今右同局金穀出入御勘定
両月限に相成甚差支之趣に付
不得止事去ル巳年ヨリ今年迄
追々先役ゟ之仮請《見せ消ち：之内》金弐千両余
本請仕候然ル処此節下河原へは
渡場着相成上河原も不遠
着可相成左候得は伐子并日雇之
者も寒気之時分数々苦心
川下ヶ候に付猶又請負ヲ以
拝借願可申出候得共最早
仮受金之儀も多分は難果
候之間到着にて積立撿知相済候上は
士卒之差別を不論軒別
【下段】
望次第拾間《見せ消ち：つゝ｜迄は》現金にて《見せ消ち：売払｜相渡》
《見せ消ち：其余》残木《見せ消ち：は｜有之候ハヽ》市中望之者へ
売払《見せ消ち：会計》請負之者へ勘定相立
其上先官之者と《見せ消ち：打寄｜申合》惣
御勘定仕立従前《見せ消ち：ゟ之》之拝借上納相済候様
仕度奉存候間向後御薪方
之儀断然被《見せ消ち：為》廃止候様仕度
此旨奉伺候也
辛未
十一月 岩崎湊
現代語訳
御県中への薪代米の件について申し上げます。これまで（従前より）一季ごとの分割払いで取り立てておりましたため、当年に伐採した薪の代金米は来年の酉年になってようやく全額支払いが完了する予定でございます。前述の通りの規則で進めてまいりましたが、近年不作が続いているため、伐採人夫および川下げの日雇い賃金が高騰しており、会計局からの仮受金が莫大に嵩んで心配しております。
現在、同局の金穀出入の勘定が両月限りとなり、甚だしく差し支えている状況のため、やむを得ず去る己年より今年まで、順次先役からの仮請金二千両余りを本請けいたしました。しかしながら、この度下河原には渡場が開通し、上河原も間もなく開通予定です。そうなれば伐採人夫および日雇いの者も、寒い時期に何度も苦労して川下げをする必要がなくなるため、さらに請負による拝借を願い出ることも可能ですが、もはや仮受金も大部分は困難な状況です。
薪が到着して積み立ての検査が済みましたら、武士・卒の区別なく、各戸の希望に応じて十間分を現金で提供し、残りの木材は市中の希望者へ売り払い、請負の者へ勘定を立て、その上で先の役人と総勘定を作成し、従前からの拝借金の上納を済ませたいと存じます。今後、御薪方の件については断然廃止していただきたく、この旨をお伺い申し上げます。
辛未年
十一月 岩崎湊
英語訳
Regarding the matter of firewood payment rice for the prefectural administration: Up until now, we have been collecting payments in seasonal installments, so the payment for firewood cut this year will only be fully settled by next year (the Year of the Rooster). We have been proceeding according to the aforementioned regulations, but due to consecutive poor harvests in recent years, wages for woodcutters and daily laborers for river transport have soared, and the advance payments from the accounting bureau have accumulated to an enormous amount, causing great concern.
Currently, the accounting of monetary and grain transactions at the bureau has been limited to two months, creating severe difficulties. Therefore, we had no choice but to convert over 2,000 ryō in advance payments from previous officials to formal contracts from the Year of the Snake until this year. However, a ferry crossing has now opened at Shimokawara, and one at Kamikawara is expected to open soon. When this happens, woodcutters and day laborers will no longer need to struggle repeatedly with river transport during the cold season, making it possible to request further loans through contracts. However, most of the advance payments are now difficult to manage.
Once the firewood arrives and the stockpiling inspection is completed, we would like to provide ten ken worth to each household as desired, regardless of whether they are samurai or foot soldiers, for cash payment. The remaining timber would be sold to interested parties in town, accounts settled with contractors, and then a general accounting prepared with former officials to complete the repayment of previous loans. Going forward, we would like the firewood administration to be definitively abolished. We humbly submit this matter for your consideration.
Kanoto-Hitsuji Year (1871)
November Iwasaki Minato