The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1852-05-11

In the National Infelligencer of recent date
we find communication from w. ID. Porter,
ESQ.,, relative to Japan and its principal cities
and towns. From this communication we have
condensed the annexed account of nation
whose habits and condition are at all times mat
tiers of interest in this quarter of the globe, but
are at this time more than usually attractive:
Jeddo, or Yeddo, the capital, is situated in the
midst of fine plain, in the province of Musca-
ca. It is built in the form of screscent, and
intersected in almost every street by canals,
their banks being planted with rows of beauti-
full trees. The city is surrounded, as most
eastern cities are, by a wall, but has a strong
castle to defend it. The river Tongag waters
it, and supplies the castle ditch; and, being di
yded into five streams, has bridge over each
The public buildings are on magnificent
scale. The imperial palace is formed by three
cinctures, or circular piles of buildings, and en-.
closing many streets, courts, apartments, paw
lions, gates, guard. houses, draw-brdges, gar
dens. canals, &c. In it resides the emperor and
his family, the royal domestcs, tributary princes
and their retinues, the ministers of state, many
other officers of government, and strong gar
rison, The walls of this magnificent palace are
built of freestone, without cement, and the
Stones are prodigiousy large. The whole pile
was originally covered with gilt tiles, which
gave il a very grand and beautiful appearance.
Many of the stately apartments are formed and
altered at pleasure, by movable screens. The
principal apartments are the hall OF attendance,
the council chamber hall of a Thousand mats,
&c. The city is under the rule of two COVER
nors, who rule year each
The next largest city is Meaco. 1t is also a
royal city, and is situated on lake near the
middle of the island Of Nippon, and surround.
ed bv mountains, which give a remarkable and
delightful prospect to the whole. The circum
iacent country between the city and the noun
tains is covered with temples, sepulchres, &c,
and is embellished with variety of orchards,
groves, cascades, and pulling streams. Three
considerable rivers water this fertile plain, and
unite their streams in the centre of the city,
where a magnificent stone bridge facilitates the
communication between the different parts Of
the city. A atrong castle defends the town. 1t
is 600 Yards in length, has tower in the centre,
and ia surrounded by two bitches, the one dry,
the other full of water. This SPLENDID city is
twenty miles long and nine wide within the
suburbs, which are as well populated as the city.
The number of the inhabitants of the city pro-
per il supposed to be 529 900. The universe
ties, colleges, temples. &c, are almost incredible
in number and magnifcence. 1t contains twelve
caDlLUl OF pTIUCIpdi oIitSto, III tIo SOue'V VI
which are the royal palaces, superbly built of
marble, adorned with gardens, orchards, pavil-
ions, terraces, groves, &c.
The next principal town is Ozeaco. 1t is
deemed the chief seaport, is very populous, and
has an army of 10000 men always ready at the
disposal and command of the emperor. 1t is
near fifteen miles in circumference
Almost the first accomplishment learned BY
the japanese is the art and grace of suicide.
The child in the nursery stabs itself with its
finger or a stick, and falls back in initiative
death: the lover cuts out his intestnes before
his obdurate mistress, and the latter pours out
her hearts blood in the face of her faithless
lover: the criminal executes himself; and, in
fact the whole nation, from early youth, reves
in the luxury of snicide.
The mechanics and manufacturers in Japan
excel in their different branches and are even far
superior to the Chinese Their silks and cot
tons are excellent, and their Japan ware and
porcelain unequalled. Their exports are raw
and manufactured silks, iron, steel, artificial
metals, furs, tens, 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 principally two code,
Xacn and Amida At Meaco there is stately
temple built to one of these gods. It is of free
stone. as large as ST. Paul's, 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 a description given by
Sir Thomas Herbert, 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 cop
per, twenty two feet high, in sitting posture.
This shows that the Japanese understand the art
of working in bronze, and they are far ahead of
Christian nations in this particular. They allow
polygamy, and they often stranele their female
children, but never the males. The nobility ex-
tract the two front teeth, and supply them with
two of gold.