The Express.
London, England, 1862-06-07 00:00:00

HOLLAND.

(nom as ores:noes'. ocaararognm.)
THE HAGUE, Joie 4.
Preparations are being made on a grand scale
for the reception of the Japanese ambassadors, who
on leaving England purpose paying a visit of a few
weeks in the Netherlands. On terms which shocked
the dignity of all other European nations, Holland
was permitted, two hundred years ago, to keep up
a mercantile intercourse with Japan, and that pri-
vilege, such as it was, was enjoyed by the Dutch
exclusively until Commodore Perry obtained
from Japan a footing in that country for his
pushing countrymen. In the insignificant island of
Decima, separated from the main land by • pores-
lain bridge, according to fable—by a few plank;
according to fact—the Dutch, during two centuries,
have bad a factory—that is, a few warehouses and
offices, in which they have carried on business ;
purchasing in the Batavian markets European pro-
duce and manufactures for the Japanese markets,
and exporting thence to Holland five cargoes
annually (according to treaty) of tea-trays and tea-
caddies, of idols and monsters, silk dressing-
gowns and counterpanes, work-boxes and un-
goable clocks, and • host of other useless articles,
which found in Holland a ready sale, however,
on account of their scarcity. Such was their in-
tercourse with Japan that the Japanese officials
were supposed to have acquired the Dutch lan-
guage—which was the only means they possessed of
communicating with the Dutch nation. Relying
on this fiction Lord Malmesbury actually required
all interpreters in British service in Japan to be
well up in the Dutch language—a language of
which they are wholly ignorant. It seems, how-
ever, that the Japanese always had two or three
native surveyors in Decima, to report to the govern-
ment the doings of the Dutch, as well as to send
up to headquarters translated precis of European
news with which the Dutch residents in Decima
were bound to supply them. It is certainly •
curious thing that, after all this exclusive inter-
course for centuries, the Dutch have not been
able to obtain a commercial treaty with
the Japanese on such favourable terms as
those nations whom they had hitherto re-
palled. Presents of great value have been ex-
changed between the Emperor of Japan and the
King of Holland, and Dutch shipbuilders and
engineers have been appointed to lucrative posts
tuider the Japanese government ; and now an
effort will be made by the Dutch government to
obtain from the Japanese ambassadors a treaty
of a more liberal character than that of Prance or
England. On arriving at Hellevoet a royal steam
yacht will conduct them to Rotterdam, where
they will be received by ministers and burgomas-
ters, and be escorted by the national and civic
guard to the Hague. There they will be received
by the King in full ceremony, attended b,y his
ministers and officers ; royal carriages will be
placed at their disposal ; military music will rouse
them from their slumbers and lull them to rest ;
sentinels will guard their persons, and their excel-
lencies will be made to believe that the Dutch are
the greatest people under the sua.

Preparations are making at Fontainebleau for
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the imperial feasily. all the valuable plate mid
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The Emperor is to era the ow ammo, at Featshm-
Mesa es the Uri of Jas..