Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1852-04-17
THE EMPIRE OF JAPAN.

hundred and sixtyhve years before Christ, by Smmu.
From him to snzakn there appears have been sixty
Emperors. After this PERIOD in the year l142,
change took place. From this time double chronology
commences including the reigns Of the Dearios and,
Cubos. The Dearios we're military ofhcers and at
period completely usurped the power of the Emperors
but general by the Of Jeretimo being crowned
succeeded in depriving the Dearios Of all military power
At the present time the kingdom of Japan is governed by
Emperor with full military powers Deario with full
civil powers, and Cubo, or prime minister who has
thority over certain cities, their Parliament &c
The Kingdom Of Japan consists Of three large and thirty
forty smaller islands, situated off the coast of China
The largest of these islands is Nphon the next Jesse On
the Island Of Bungo, southwest Of Tonsa the city
Nangasch and near that city is the little artificial island
Disna, on which Dutch factory is built.
Jeddo or Yeddo, the capital Of the whole smpirsis
situated in the midst u fine plain the province Of
Musace 1t built in the form q crescent ard inter-
in almost every street by canals their banks being
planted with Of beautiful The city is not
rounded Eastern cities are by WALL but has
strong castle to defend it. The river Tongag it, and
supplies the castle ditch; and being divided into five
streams has bridge each. The public buildings
magnificent scale The imperial palace is formed
by three cinctures circular piles of buildings and
closing many Streets courts apartments pavons guard
houses, gates, drawbrdges gardens canals sc. In it
resides the Emperor and his family the royal domesics
tributary princes and their retnnes, the Ministers of
State, many other officers Of Government, and strong
garrison The walls of this magnificent palace built of
freestone, vhom cement and the stones prodigously
large. The whole pile was originally covered with gilt
tiles, which gave it very grand and beautiful appear
ance. Many Of the stately apartments are formed and
altered at pleasure, by movable screens The principal
apartments the Hall of Attendance, the Council Cham
Der, Hall of Thousand Mats sc.
The city is under the rule Of two governors who rule
year each.
The next argest city is Meaco 1t is also royal city,
and is situated lake the middle Of the Island Of
Nphon, and surrounded by mountains, which give
remarkable and delightful prospect the whole; the
country between the city and the mountains
is covered with temples, sepulchres SC. &c., and is
bellished with variety of orchards groves cascades
and purling streams Three considerable rivers water
this fertile plain and unite their in the centre ofhe
city, where magnificent stone bridge facilitates the
munication between the different parts Of the city A
strong castle defends the town siz hundred yards IN
length has tower in the centre, and is surrounded by
two dtches the dry the other full of water This
splendid city is twenty miles long and nine wide within
the suburbs, which well populated the city The
number of the inhabitants Of the city proper supposed
be $50 600. The universities colleges, temples, &C.
almost incredible in number and magnifcence 1t
twelve capital principal streets in the centre
of which the royal palaces superby built Of marble,
and adorned with gardens, orchards payons terraces
groves, &c.
The principal town is Ozeaco II is deemed the
chief seaport is very populous, and has army Of
80 600 aloys ready the disposal and command of
the Emperor 1t is fifteen miles in circumference
The city of Nangascke is the Japanese naval depot bat
|
sells are only the rough material and stored away
emergencies
I The kokansa prison is here. The means, in
the japanese hell j has ses aaadssa dungeons and
Of Che whole empire Their private. dwellings small
but neat, and ornamented with small gards4o; in this
they excel as they are the very best Of hortcu-
tursts few feet Of ground turned to the best adj
vantage the japanese understand perfectly the art Of
dwarfng plants, trees, fruits, and flowers They use
neither tables, bedsteads chairs but sit, eat and
sleep, like most Eastern nations, mats.
Almost the first accomplishment learned by them is the
and grace of suicide the child in the nursery stabs
itself with its finger stick and falls back in initiative
death the lover cuts out his nesnes before his obdu
mistress and the latter pours her hearts blood
in the face of her faithless lover the criminal
himself; and in fact the whole nation from early youth,
reves in the luxury Of suicide
Their trade is at present under great restrictions,
| they only trade with the Chinese and Dutch. The
latter have always fostered cherished and increased the
preudces Of the japanese against all other nations par
ticularly the French, English, and Portuguese.
The mechanics and manufacturers in japan excel in
their different branches and far superior to the
Chinese. Their silks and cottons excellent and their
Japan ware and porcelain unequaed Their exports are
and manufactured silks, iron, STEEL artificial metals
furs teas, finer than the Chinese Japan ware, gold
silver, copper, gums, medicinal herbs roots, diamonds
pearls coral Shells ambergris, &C. Whatever goods the
Japanese want they pay for in gold and silver.
The japanese worship the principal ogods Xaca and
Amda At Maceo there is stately temple, built to one
Of these gods it is of freestone as large as ST. Paus
with arched roof supported by heavy pillars in which
stands idol of copper, which reaches high the
roof and according to description given by Sir Thomas
Herbert his chair is seventy feet high and eighty feet
long; the head is big enough TO hold fifteen and the
thumb forty inches in circumference There is another
statue, called after the god Dabio made of copper
twenty-five feet high, in sitting posture. This shows
the Japanese understand the Of working bronze
and they far ahead Of Christian nstions in this par
ticular. They allow polygamy and they often strange
their female children but the males The nobility
extract the front teeth and supply them with two
of gold.
The principal rivers the Ujingava and Askagava;
the former rapid and wide that bridge cannot be
built it, the latter remarkable for its depth and per-
petua fluctuations The chief lake is called Ctz, is one
hundred miles long and twentyone wide large valley
exists in the interior filed with carbonic gas and called
the Valley the Upa 1t is covered with the skeletons
Of wild and tame beasts and birds, The En-
pcror is said often criminals the valley to bring
away precious gem Of inesmabe value, and the bones
Of also whiten its deadly sides. Acdulated lakes
and thermal springs common throughout several of the
islands.
Their great sources Of opulence their mines Of gold
and silver they have antimony calamine sal
mac borax cinnebar, (quicksver) These articles
are in demand and bring high price Birds and every
kind Of duck and poultry plenty; camphor trees
abundant and the cedars the finest in the world
Few countries open fair field the islands japan
for botanical and geological research 1t is
sary here enter into detailed statistical account Of
the Of Japan. direct trade to that empire
would increase the commerce Of this country about two
hundred millions Of dollars annually If not more.
1t has always been in contemplation with this country
to make effort to open direct trade with Japan Com
modore Porter as far back 1885, addressed letter to
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