New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1847-02-08
The American Expedition to Japan.
Correspondence Of The sun.
q. :. SUR CoLrNsrs

q. :. SHP CoLUMsUs
HONOLULU, sept %. 1916
Knowing the interest our visit % Japan has ex-
cited among civilized nations, dispatch the fol
lowing particulars by an opportunity now Offering
for Boston We sailed from Macao on the Goth Of
May ostensiby Tor the Sandwich Islands, but with
secret instructions 10 touch at the pors Of Annoy and
Chusan on our way Japan and lar possible pro
mote friendly intercourse between the Americans Ia
those cities and the Chinese inhabitants In this the gallant
Commodore Bddle was altogether successful ana alter
run of fifteen days we hove In sight OF Japan and In
company with the Vincennes anchored below ledo or
Jeddo the CONNIE rcial metropolis. Having no charts
OF the hsrboT and the natives refusing to pilot us up we
remained in the bay. The authorities came OF and re-
Quested not to come near the shore. They would
supply with everything we required and deliver any
co municstion we ght have for their grand Cubog or
Emperor who resides at yeddo. some miles inland
Commodore Bddle forwarded his letter Of Introduction
to the Emperor, from the President OF the United
States which explained the objects Of our visit Inc
Cr5oy syled the HlusIieus Monarch under Hcdrca
or The sor0sigH Of The abode Of nc gods under sun
rising" His Majesty rules thirty millions Of PEG
pie he has two hundred and nifty thousand square
miles Of territory an army OF three hundred tho1sshd
infantry and ten thousand cavalry Next TO the C4ooy
is the Daiyo spiritual head OF the empire These ere
sovereign in their respective sovernun s ana eacn IN
turn is compelled TO obey the ether. The Cpboy has
petty princes under him who rule the provinces into
which the empire ia divided. The D1ir0 has twelve
wives and the Cub0y unlimited number. Polygamy
is universal The religion Ia like that Of China In ART
science snd literature the japanese are superior 10 the
Chinese from whom they descended. They have con
vered their barren Islands into beautiful gardens which
rise in terraces the mountains They have copper
iron steel aud silver, and IN working these metals ney
are not surpassed by Europeans Coal also abounds IN
the islands The manufacture of porcelain and glass
lacquered silk and cotton goods has been carried
on by them for centuries. Their trade IL confined 70
the Dutch the Chinese and the COresns and the only
port open to these is Nangassk Their dread OF Tor
egners caused by attempt OF the Portuguese 10
establish the Roman Catholic religion over them IN the
beginning OF the seventeenth century, when Dutch mer
chants disclosed the plot the Japanese priests. The
Cuboy himself had embraced the Catholic religion with
third of his people and all these with the Catholic Mission
aries were slain by the D1iro and his religious followers
Ever since the Dutch merchants have enjoyed eSclu
Give privileges and all the great men OF the empire
speak low Dutch with great huency. BY this means
they obtain from Dutch newspapers an accurate KNOW
edge Of occurrences throughout the world. AS an eyi
dence of this astonshed 10 learn that they had
heard OF our intended visit The Presidents letter in
formed the Emperor that the people OF the United
States DESTROYS OF cultiyatDg friendly relations
with the Japanese which the Emperor replied that he
had heard of the greatness Of the United states he
hoped they would continue to be prosperous and happy
but the policy of his country would not permit him to
open his ports to any but the Chinese and Dutch lie
begged the Commodore TO supply himself with what ne
wanted that the people would furnish him all that the
country Afforded and having obtained his supplies ne
hoped he would retire from the bay rapidly ~ posi-
bic and never return. They brought everything we
wanted--as fuel water and provisions, &c. but
would take nothing in return. Accompanying the En-
perors reply bundle of worthless rinkots' as
present from his majesty 10 Com Bddle, which he
fused accept This puzzled the japanese Ambsssa-
dor He dare not return with his presents so he lol
tered around the deck until nghtla and then throwing
the bundle into the ships boat dsrted OIL TO the shore
Commodore Bdsls distributed the trnkets among the
officers. We not permitted 10 land, and the Man
darns told gs that If attempted TO land by force,
they would all commit suicide by ripping out their IN
testines, that being the custom OF their country some
accepted presents but returned them all before we
left They would take nothing from us. Most OF the
officers and people who came on board brought their
own provisions with them. Some wanted 10 sleep
board, but not permitted We could see none oil
their who said 10 excel In beauty and virtue
and resent ndgnites to their honor by committing SUI
eide at Their men are extremely beautiful and
even al middle age preseT the full development oil attn
lec power with the freshness aud ygor OF youth lhey
attain great age. Animal fool is not in general use
We could obtain neither beef pork, but received
poultry game eggs snd vegetables in abundance Their
officers dress Ia gowns, much like ouf female attire
Each had two swords small one and a large one
equal IN temper and finish TO our best American SWORDS
The soldiers dress in flexible metallic srmOr which 10
beautifully jspanned, and covers the body and limbs
Each wears ON bis back the srmorial insignia OF
his regiment and In some instances cross was
worked in their coat at arms, probably IN com
memoration of the massacre OF the Christians -
Their boats had similar devices on their mage
and each different In religious opinions they are greatly
divided Yet the Budhists. the followers OF snto and
the disciples of Confucus all agree in the following
which constitute the moral philosophy oil the Empire
l..
killed . commit ornication nor adultery; j. not
TO steal T. not 70 lie and ). TO abstain from VINE and
all Intoxicating drinks They are friendly and polite IN
their intercourse with each other and with suhngers-
Education is universal scmnaries OF learning are
established in all the towns and each OF the converts
contain thousand or more learned men VINO adopt
the principles OF celbacy and devote themselves To
religion and education. They have lair knowledge OF
our arts and they have books and newspapers
and the art of printing was known among tnem -ome
hundred years before its invention IN Europe lhey
IL La. ICf Ia III
tnustion Their notion OF suicide is most extraordinary
1t is considered mortorious to commit suicide TO avoid
disgrace or the CHb0y the Doiro In cases OF
earthquakes storms from which the Islands suner
every few months the authorities order numbers OF the
people commit suicide 10 sppesse the offended defy
and the order is at obeyed These sell sacrifices
are generally made 10 the devil, or the spirit Of
evil, from fear of his power Their worship OF the
Good Spirit is carried on by sacrifices OF fruits and
sacred offerings in the temples before the idols
One of the idols at the Island Of Meaco OF which Man
DARN gave me some account il eighty feet broad and
seventy feet high and Is made Of solid copper from the
mines Ecclesiastical affairs occupy much time. The
Clergy rich and well provided Tor In bringing the
to the ships the natives used pals and buckets
In propelipg the boats they used SOULS Their largest
from fifty TO seventy tons having one mast
and one sail Taken altogether the japanese are plain
simple unostentstous people and whether the other ms
tons will succeed in opening intercourse with them,
mains to be French feet was 10 visit Jeddo
after US 10 be followed by an English heet which latter
will probably batter down their walls
We remained ten days in the harbor OF Jeddo, An
chored opposite battery at the OF the river
or harbor on which the city Is built since leaving me
United States about twenty men have died on board our
ship and she has large number on the sick lisi
mostly Of scurvy diarrhoea and dysen,ery. We are al
very feeble having been ninety days on salt provisions
The Vncennes parted from soon after leaving leddo
proceeding TO the Lsdone Islands thence to China and
home via the Cape Of Good Hope. We viii sail IN aiew
dave for Caao whence | will write to you by the
Overland mail We hope to arrive at home sometime
during the summer OF lsi1 Il D.
our POSTMASTER GENERAL.-We are told that
one of our merchants who has long been IN the
hsbi, of sending newspapers to his customers alter
having drawn pen around his advertisement continued
to do so notwithstanding the order OF the postmaster
General 10 tear on wrappers and prosecute every one
who should make any mark on newspaper sent oy
mail A few days ago the merchant received note
from the District Attorney. inviting him to call The
invitation was complied with, when the District Attor,
ney produced several Of these newspapers winch nae
been wrongiuly distracted from the mails by order OF
the Postmaster Gene raj and inquired whether the mer
chant had made these marks caused them 10 DC made
The merchant said yes, and the Attorney informed
him that he had been ordered to commence prosecu
ton for this violation OF Post Office orders The ner