Semi-weekly North-Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1852-1853, 1852-06-02

! THE city Of Nangasck is the japanese naval de-
pot ;; but as they have not yetfound any use for a
navy, their vessels are only IN the rough material,
and stored away for emergencies.
| The kokansa or prison is here. The name means,
in the Japanese, he'll it has one hundred dungeons
and cages. The histories of these few cities gives
a fair outline of the whole empire. Their private
dwellings are small but neat, and ornamented with
small gardens in this they excel as they are the
very best of horticuturists. A few feet Of ground
are turned to the best advantage, as 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, on mats.
Almost the first accomplishment learned by them
is the and grace of suicide; the child in the nur
sery stalls itself with its finger STICK and falls
back in initiative death the lover cuts out his in
testines before his obdurate mistress and the latter
pours out her hearts blood in the face of her faith
less lover; the criminal executes himself; and, in
fact, tho whole nation, from early youth, reyes in
the luxury of suicide. ... .u....... .-,..-..5
Their trade is; at present, under great restrlc-
tons, as they only trade with the Chinese and
Dutch The latter have always fostered, cherished,
and increased the prejudices of the Japanese against
all other nations, particularly the French, English
and Portuguese.
The mechanics and manufacturers in Japan excel
in their different branches and even far superb
or to the Chinese. Their silks and cottons arezex-
eellent and their Japan ware and porcelain une-
qualled. Their exports are raw and manufactured
silks, iron STEEL artificial metals furs, teas finer
than the Chinese, Japan ware gold, silver, copper,
gums medicinal herbs, roots, diamonds pearl, coral
shells, ambegris, &c Whatever goods the ia
panese want they pay for in gold and silver.
The Japanese worship the principal two gods
Xaca and Amida At Maceo there is a stately
temple, built to one of these gods it is of free
stone. as large as st. Paurs, with an arched roof
supported by heavy pillars, in which stands an idol
of "copper" which reaches as high as the roof; and
according to description given by 81: Thomas Herb
ert his chair is seventy feet high and eighty feet
long the head is big enough to hold fifteen men,
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 pos
ture This shows that the japanese understand
the art of working in bronze and they far ahead
of Christian nations in this particular. They allow
polygamy, and they often strangle their female
Children but never the males. The nobility extract
the two front teeth, and supply them with two Of
gold. ..
The principal rivers are the Ujngava and Aska-
gava; the former so rapid and wide that bridge
cannot be built it, the latter remarkable for its
depth and perpetual fluctuations. The chief lake
is called Citz is one hundred miles long and TWEEN
ty-one wide. A large valley exists in the interior,
filled with carbonic gas and called the Valley of
the Upas. 1t is covered with the skeletons of
merous wild and tame beasts and birds. The En-
peror it said, often sent criminals to the valley
to bring away precious gem of inestimable value,
and the bones of men also whiten its deadly sides.
Acidulated lakes and thermal springs common
throughout several of the islands. -
Their great sources of opulence are their mines
of gold and silver but they have anthony, Gala
mine sal amoniac borax, cinnebar, (quicksilver)
These articles are in demand, and bring high
price. Birds and every kind of duck and poultry
are plenty; camphor trees abundant, and the
cedars are the finest in the world. Few countries
open fair field the islands of Japan for Boz
tancal and geological research. 1t is not necessary
here to enter into detailed statistical account of
the commerce of Japan. A direct trade to that
empire would increase the of this country
about two hundred millions of dollars annually, if
not more.
1t has always been in contemplation with this
country to make an effort to open a direct trade
with Japan. Commodore Porter, far back as
1915, addressed letter to MIR. Monroe on the sub
ect This letter has been published in the lntelli
gencer. 1t was intended to fit out frigate and
two soops-ofwar and place them under his COM
mand, but subsequent events prevented the consum-
nation of this design but it has been revived from
time to time, without being carried out; but few
years ago the undersigned drew the attention of
the Hon. J. Y. Mason to the subject by the re-
of steam line to China, with a view
of incidental commercial intercourse, and finally
direct trade with Japan. 1t would require but
small efforts to accomplish commercial intercourse
with so shrewd people as the japanese, who are
alive to commercial feelings. A steam line direct
from New York to the Isthmus being already in
existenc is easy matter t. continue it to the
Galapagos, which islands abound in coal thence
to the Marquesas, and on to Shanghai or Jeddo.'
LAUGHTER. Laughter very often shows the
briUht side of man 1t brings out his happier