The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1846-10-15

devolves, in consequence, on the Grand Council Of
State, composed OF five princes of the imperial
blood, and eight others of the highest rank. The
President oil this Council is styled Governor of the
Empire and exercises the functions OF Minister OF
Foreign Affairs, OF the Home Department, and OF
Commerce.
The present Ziogoon, ATeenpaou, is said to be a
very enlightened prince. The government take
great interest in scientific matters, andthey MAIN
tain board of linguiss at Nangasaki, to translate
and publish in the Japanese language, the latest
discoveries and Improvements in arts and
sciences. Among their translations are several
French scientific works-among others, those of
La Place and La Laude.
The Japanese language is pollysyllabic, with
an alphabet of fortyeight letters. 1t is the most
p olished and perfect Of any of the languages Of
Eastern Asia, having no affinity to any Of the
Eastern dialects except the Corean. There are
four different sets of Characteristic Katakana,
used by men; the Hirakama, used By women; the
Manyokana and the Yematokana-the difference
between which is not explained. The language
is written in columns, from topic bottom, like the
Hebrew. One Of the encyclopedias consists Of
six hundred and thirty Volumes. Every branch
of knowledge and polite literature is cultivated
with assiduity among them. The Imperial Lii
Drarys at tne caPltdl, CONTAINS upWaus oi loo,VVo
volumes.
Mr.. S Welles Williams, printer to the Ameri-
can board of foreign missions in China, where he
has resided for upwards OF twelve years, and ac-
uured a practical knowledge of the Chinese Ian
guage well as considerable proficiency in ia
pa under the instructions OF natives OF Japan
in Can .0, has prepared an alphabet of the Kata-
canu aran.er, font of which is now being cast
atayPe dry in this city, for printing the New
Testament and other such works, in the Japanese
tongue
The Dutch have always found the trade with
Japan very profitable, and have been, hitherto,
successful in frustrating the attempts of other
tons to open intercourse with that country. They
have factory a, the island of Dezima, in the har-
Dor of Nangasiki Gan artificial island, somewhat
similar to, and about the size of our Castle Gar
deny for which they have secured q monopoly of
the trade. The people of Japan, however, evince
an increasing desire for intercourse with foreign
ers, and the government seem willing to relax
the restrictions that have hitherto prohibited trade
and commerce with all foreign nations, except
the Dutch. We learn that Mr.. Palmer has for
number of years past disseminated pamphlets,
periodicals, and newspapers, in that country, all
tending to enlighten the natives in relation to
this country, and showing the advantages Of
commercial intercourse with the United States.
The produce of Japan embraces all the pro-
ducts of the tropics and temperate zones The
tea plant and mulberry (for silk worms,) are ex-
considerable. At Ginagawa, the port of Jeddo,
a thousand vessels are sometimes collected The
great mart for foreign goods brought by Dutch
and Chinese vessels to Nangasaki, is Ohosaka, a
populous city at the mouth of the river Todogawa,
in the island of Niphen distinguished for the
wealth, industry and enterprise of its inhabi.
tants.
The population Of the empire is estimated at
about fifty millions, exclusive of its dependen-
ces, the islands of Masmai, Sighaien, kures,
Loo Choo, SC, and the annual revenues are esti-
mated at about Sl25, 100000.
1t would be very desirable, as Mr. Palmer sug.
gests, that our whale ships and other vessels EN-.
pioyed in traffic off the coasts of Japan, should
have the privilege, in addition to the advantages
of commercial intercourse to be secured by treaty,
of entering any of the ports and harbors of the
Japanese archipelago for refreshment or repairs
The aggregate population of the countries men,
toned by Mr. Palmer as affording openings for
commercial intercourse, exclusive of the Comoro
Islands and Madagascar, amounts in round num-
bers to 40 900
The Royal Economical Society of the Philip
pine Islands," was established at Manila, in
1780, with a view to the promotion of science,
arts, agriculture and commerce in those islands.
1t is literally endowed by the government. The
society numbers among its officers the Intendant
General, the Archbishop, and other high tunc-
and planters. 1t publishes annually the
Ahnamaq,s Eippina, a statistical almanac of the
colony; 1t is preparing to publish the tran sac
tons Of the society The islands, which form an
extensive archipelago, are very fertile, yielding all
the products of the tropics in abundance. Ma
nilla the principal port, has an extensive and IN
creasing commerce with China, British India,
the Indian Archipelago, Australia, Europe, and
theuUnited Sta'es In lS43 Mr.. Palmer sent out
by order of the society, several specimens of Anne
rican cotton and tobacco seed
The Philippines, with their dependencies are
divided into thirty two provinces, under the local
administration of Governors and Deputy Co.
vernors. The Catholic missionaries have made
great number Of conversions to that faith-
Manila is the see Of an Archbishop, and there
are three suffrage bishops in the PROVINCES
The Bishop of New Segovia, in the island of
Lu-on, wrote in 1887 that his diocese con-
sisted Of 100000 Christian souls. The colony
is in very fourishing condition. The entire po-
pulation amounts to about 100000
Ii will be seen from these facts how very i'm
portant to American interests it is to have COM
mercial relations opened with those countries. 1t
is not alone in commercial point os view that
we would be benefited by an intercourse with
Japan and the Philippine Islands. The interests
of science would also be advanced 1t is impos-
sible TO calculate the number OF discoveries in
botany, mineralogy, and natural history, that an
intercourse with the japanese archipelago and
the Philippines would give rise to. We trust that
our government, taking all these things into con-
sideTation, will take the earliest opportunity to
open relations with these countries
SuDerf0r C0urt.