The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1852-04-23

them, rs among all nations, idle people, who ram,
BILE about tho streets and public houses, and seek
Their living Gua xt;sh tricks ana begging Tho
women, gain money, deserves particular mention.
They catch number Of snakes, of different sizes
and colors, from which they extract the sting so
skilfuily that they cannot do any mischief Then |
they strip themselves quite Naked cover merely the
rars which decency teaches savages 20 conceal
and wind snakes round their arms, legs, and their
whole body. In this manner they make themselves
heads; and in this dreadful and brilliant costume,
they ramble about the streets, sing, dance, and
play all manner Of antics, to obtain reward, or
rather charity.
state, il an extensive national trade alone gives
claim to this title. All the principalities and pro-
vinccs of this populous empire have commercial
intercourse with each other. The extraordinary
diversity of climate produces, in the different pro-
vinees, q great variety of articles which all mu-
tually want. Necessity, the industry and activity
of the people give them means to make use OF the
productions Of nature and art SO that the inhabt-
ants of the whole empire carry on commercial IN
tcrcourse with each other, both by land and water
The latter is the most common. The sen along the
coasts, and the navigablc rivers, are covered with
thousands Of vessels which convey goods to all parts
Of the empire.
Though their navigation is wholly confined to the
coasts, and their vessels quite UNIT for long voyages,
particularly in great seas, they, however, are well
adapted to their purposes Many OF them are apove
japanese ships can carry burthen OF from I6,Ooo
to 70, 600 pools.
The Japanese have many useful regulations and
institutions for the safety of navigation; such as
pilots in every port, to conduct the ships in and out,
and to foretel the weather, according to certain
signs, in order to advise the captains either to SAIL
or to wait. In dangerous places, people are en-
ployed to keep up fires. Upon eminences, marks
are set up for the direction Of mariners, Sc. For
the conveyance of goods, by land, where it cannot
be made by water, good roads and bridges are
constructed. Matsmai is merely Japanese colony;
yet, notwithstanding the high mountains and pre-
cipices the rapid torrents and the rudeness of the
climate the roads are in admirably good condition
In the open country, far from the towns, we saw
bridges, such rs / did not meet with in many Eu-
ropean states, and in provincial towns.
The commercial spirit of the Japanese is visible
in all the towns and villages. In almost every
house there is a shop for moro or less important
goods; and, us we sec in England the magnificent
ma gazne of jewcller next door to oyster shop,
SO we see here rich silk merchant and member of
shoes live and carry their business close to
each other In their regard to order, the Japanese
very much resemble the English; they love clean!i-
ness and the greatest accuracy. All goods have in
Japan, in England, little printed bills, on which
arc noted the price, the use, and the name OF the
article the name of the maker, mandatory, and
often something in their praise Even tobacco, pc,
matum, tooth POWDER and other trines, wrapped
up in papers, which notice of the quality and the
price is printed. In packing up goods, they observe
the same order as in Europe. Rice and other grain
they pack in sacks made of straw. They, have no
casks for liquids, but keep them as sotschio. sag,
soa &c., in tubs which hold three four pailfulls
These tubs have only wooden hoops, and are
broader above than below; in the top board there
is a small hole generally square. The best kind Of
sagi is kept in large carthern jars. Stuas of all
kinds, tea, &c., are packed up in chests Silk goods
are laid in pieces, in separate chests. which are
made of very thin boards, and have an inscription,
indicating the article, the name Of the maker, the
measure and the quality.
In every port there is a bureau, or custom house,
which has the superintendent of the loading and
unloading of goods takes care that nothing is pri-
vatey imported or exported, levies the duty, and
has also other functions. The duty for almost oil
goods imported is paid by the merchants into the
Golfer of the Emperor, or of the Princess according
as the port is in the dominions Of the Emperor or of
ships in the port is confded to an officer, whose
functions nearly correspond with those of our harbor
masters. In Japan, they are also superintendent
Of the pilots. Before we were released from Japan,
we lived at Chakodade, in the house of harbor
master, and saw that great many seamen and other
persons came to him every morning, whence we
could conclude that his post not nconsiderable.
For the advantage Of the merchants. and to ia
cilitate trade, the government publishes kind of
commercial gazette, which contains an account Of
the prices goods in the different parts of the en-
pire. In the same manner, the public is informed
by little bets, of the good crop of rice, and other
productions, in all the provinces; nay, from the
time that the begins to shoot till the harvest,
the people informed from time to time, Of its
condition: This attention of the Japanese govern
mcnt to the general and individual interests of its
subjects, is highly laudable, and may serve as one
reason for Europeans no longer to look upon the
japanese as barbarans
In order to extend trade over the whole empire,
and give the merchants more resources and facili
ties the Japanese have introduced bills Of exchange
and promissory notes, such as are met with in the
European states, under the protection Of the laws
In Of the southern prncpalities OF Japan there
are bank notes, which circulate as money. There
are three kinds of coin in Japan-gold, silver, and
copper. The latter are round, with holes in the
middle, by which they are put upon string, and
carried, as in purse This money is called by the
japanese mon. When they saw our copecs they
compared them with this coin, and found that four
japanese mon made one corec. The gold and silver
coins are longish, four cornered and thicker than
an imperial. The name, value, date of the year,
and name Of the maker are stamped on each. As
HAD no opportunity of learning either the standard
of the metal or the weight, cannot compare them
with our coin.
The greatest trade by land is carried on in the
city of Kio the residence of the spiritual Emperor
This city does not lie on the sea, but is very popu-
lous, and has manufactures of all kinds; it is,
therefore, visited by merchants from all parts Of
the empire, who cannot convey their own goods
bv nnd If he maritime ses Ysdd hs
residerce Of the temporal Emperor, and the Osaga,
the most beautiful Of all tho Cities 120 japanese ri.
Cor 500 wersts,) southwest of Yeddo, carry on the
greatest trade. There are besides, in almost every
principai;t; that borders on the sea, considerable
commercial cities.
1t is well known in Europe, how restricted the
trade with foreigners is in Japan. The cause Of it
probably the distrust of the japanese government
Of the Europeans, and their bad opinion Of them,
for which it must be owned that the Europeans
alone are to blame Whether the japanese govern
ment judges rightly not. leave others to decide,
and will merely observe that the people of Japan,
in general, wish to trade with foreigners, particu
larry Europeans; The enlightened Japanese reason
as follows -" The people are blind, as far as re-
CARDS the government Of this kingdom, and only
know specifically what most nearly concerns them.
fore, might easily fall down precipcc, unless they
were guided by persons who can see. Thus, the ia
Tancsc, without considering the bad consequences
which might result from intercourse with foreign
era, see OILY the personal advantage which they
might derive from trading with them"
Till the attempt of the Europeans to introduce
the Christian religion into Japan, that empire
ried on an extensive commerce with all the East.
japanese ships sailed not only to China and the