The Sun.
London, England, 1847-01-05 00:00:00

FLANDERS MAIL

BRUSSELS, JAN. I.—Yesterday the Senate adopted all
the projects of law under discussion, and then adjourned
sine die.

The following circular has been issued to the Provin-
cial Governors :

" Sir,—A measure by which every effectual relief can
be given to the poor, and which therefore it seems very
useful to adopt at present, wherever it may be possible,
would be the establishment of public soup houses, where
soup might be distributed to all the indigent who may
apply.

'‘l. request you, sir, to be so good as immediately to
call the attention of the magistrate of your province to
this subject, which is the more urgent, as the season is
now extri melt' severe.

" I desire to be informed as soon as possible, of the re-
solutions which may have been taken in this respect.
(Signed) "THE MINISTER OF INTERIOR."
BRUSSELS, JAN. 2.—Yesterday being New Years'-
day their Majesties the King and Queen, surrounded by
the Ministers and officers of the household ; received in
succession the Foreign Ministers, the deputation of the
Senate, and of the Chamber of Representatives, the
Court of Cassation, and numerous other public bodies.
The year 1847 will open with an important political
fact, announced, it is true, beforehand, but respecting
which we should be glad still to retain some doubts.
Poland will be incorporated with Russia, as a Russian
province, it will de divided into two governments, those
of Warsaw and Lublin, public education will be chiefly
conveyed in the Itussian language. Prince Paskewitsch
will be succeeded by Prince Gortschakoff. It remains to
be seen ; whether this court will lead to an
approximation is still uncertain. If it is com-
manded by the interests of the two Govern-
ments, and of the two nations, it is opposed, we
must add, by some personal passions. The Journal des
Debsts, which we must consider, on the occasion, more
than ever as the direct organ of M. Guizot, does not
hesitate to declare plainly its desire in favour of an ap-
proximation. We need not add that the most powerful
influence does not cease to act in the same spirit. The
approximation is, therefore probable at no distant pe-
riod. The consequence will be a little more tranquil-
lity in the political situation of Europe- The opinion
of the two Parliaments of England and France, which is
near at hand, will doubtless commence with clearing up
some obscure circumstances. Will it also clear away all
prepossession ?
The trains on the northern line (from Paris to Brus-
sels) have all been delayed ; that which ought to have
arrived at Brussels at nine o'clock yesterday evening,
did not arrive till half-past eleven ; that which should
have arrived this morning at nine did not reach Brussels
till three in the afternoon.—Brussels Papers, Jan. 2.

- - - - -
A VISIT TO JAPAI`•
Captain 11. Cooper, the commander of an American
vessel, has communicated the following to the Say Har-
bour Corrector :
" April 18th, 1844.—Lat. 5 20 S , long. 12G 40 E.,
picked up a man (a Malay) in a boat about 10 feet long.
He had been r 0 days out of sight of land. Ile had on
board part of a cocoa-nut and a few ears of corn. April
20.—We stopped at the island of Boron, and put him on
shore to get back to his island. July 18,-3 P.m., the
fog clearing off, we discovered an island, not laid down
in any chart we have seen. We judged ourselves from
10 to 15 miles distant, near lat. 48 30, long. 157 50 E.
It is of moderate height, and uneven. The wind was
light, and, before we could get near it the fog set in, and
we had to haul off from it. Since then it has been seen
by other ships.
" March 15th, 1845.—We went ashore on the island
of St. Peter's lat. 30 30 N., long. 140 10 E. There we
found 11 Japanese that had been cast away. They had
been 70 days on the island, and all the water they got
was rain that fell in the hollow places in the rocks. We
took them on board.
" March 16th.—Fell in with a Japanese junk, lat. 31
50 N., long. 141 5 E., with its stern stove in and dis-
masted. They had got up a jury mast. They were out
of water. We took the men out of her, and proceeded
to the coast of Japan to land them. Experienced very
bad weather. Got blown off the coast, and some time-
before we could get in. April 17th—Came to anchor
at the entrance of the bay of Jeddo. The next morning
word came from the Emperor to come up to Jeddo.
we-rje,
got part of the way up, when, the wind dying awn.:
their boats took us in tow and towed us up. There
from 300 to 400 boats to tow us up.

"After we came to anchor there a hawser anchored
around us at such a distance that we could swing to our
anchor. To this hawser there were boats made fast as
thick as they could lie. Outside of them there Is as
another hawser with boats ;and outside of that still
another, so that we were surrounded with boats three
deep, to guard us. The boats contained from 15 to 30
men each. We lay there four days, during which time
they furnished us with everything We stood in need
of, such as wood, water, rice, barley, fowls, vegetab!es,
and spars. They were all sent by the Emperor as a
present, for which they could take nothing in return.
" While we lay at anchor a great many of their officers
came on board of us; the Governor came on board seve-
ral times. They were very friendly; tried to get all the
information they could; and had their painters on board,
sketching everything they could see. They were very
particular in taking the dimensions of the ship and spars,
and everything they could get sight of.
" They told us not to come again, for they would not
allow us, even if we picked up more of their men, to fetch
them there. They wanted us to tell all we fell in with
not to come there.
" When we were ready to go, it being calm, they took
us in tow with nearly 400 boats, with about 20 men in
each boat. They towed us to sea, a distance of over 30
miles."

Translation of the order of proclamation delivered to
Captain Cooper, from the Emperor, by his messenger:—
" It came to the ears by the mouths of the shipwrecked
that the shipwrecked of our country were by this brought
in, and have been treated friendly on board the ship. It
is our law that they are not received from hands of fo-
reign countries, except China and Holland; but by this
only they are received, because the bringing in of these