Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1852-11-13

We attracted to the Of Japan chiefly on ac-
of the commercial interests involved in the propos
ed American expedition TO these islands proposed we
say for we have not heard much of it lately.
But, having reached Japan may well survey the
mysterious region to which isolated circumstance has
some share of public curiosity The islands
forming tho combined Japanese and Kurile archipelago
of considerable length and very scanty width Adopt
ing Humbodts parallel view Of the original conformation
of the Atlantic islands the SUBMITS of submerged
chain Of mountains, it seems not improbable that SINH
lar origin nay be given to the Japanese group which is
only single member of prolonged chain Of volcanic
peaks ranging from Khamtschatka through the Aeutan
Japanese, ad Philippine Islands, down to the southern
tropc. They all volcanic; indeed, some active
volcanoes and they present axis or less parallel
with that OF the coast This gives great diversity of
climate; and, as is well known, by the variation in the
isotherma lines, the cold region down very far
the eastern coast of Asia. The Japanese possessions
therefore, range from semi-tropcal climate APP
preaching to that of Katschatka We read of the bam
boo as Indigenous to Japan and most extensively used
the camphortree and grown the south
ern islands, but the Kure islands, to which the empire
extends have better climate than that of Norway.
This accounts for the very different in which
yeers describe Japanat time the chosen seat Of
fog and frost and Storm another equal the gar
den of the Hesperides.
Mr.. MacFarane, in what he says Of the physical geo
graphy Of Japan is neither scientific consecutive
Indeed in the absence of any detailed account
left to pick up such information from the most scany and
scattered ntimations of various writer's At Nagasaki,
the southern port the thermometer is said range be-
tween 35o and $50 Fahrenheit At Jeddo the capital
falls every year. The population of this place was
reckoned at 900 900. tits doubtless large place.
and larger because it is built after the old Oriental type
in which as in the interior cities Of China, learn
rom MI Fortune vast open spaces are enclosed within
the walls
There is largeness and roundness in the older
tai descriptions which certainly satisfies the mind and
fills 1t with composing of breadth and magnitude
Japan described, is exception. Every thing
be the most imposing scale Maco, the eccesias-
teal capital contains precisely assured six thou
sand temples Marco Polo, speaking of Japan which he
dgnhes with the sonorous name Of Zpangu assures
that the great palace rooted with gold considerably
thickeovered with it churches with lead"
The palace Of the Kobo with its garden is assured
eight miles in circumference this palace must be Of the
same aspect as that which
In Xanadu did Kubla Khan
stately pleasure house decree,
Where Aph the sacred river,
But there rivers Of any size in Japan the
of the islands and the general bearing of the eleya
ton preventing it, The Funsi Jamma, compared the
Pco in Tenere, is the highest volcanic peak and is said
to be twelve thousand feet high; the height indeed of
the Picowhch only three thousand feet short Of that
of Mount Blanc 1t cannot be so high as this for the
Dutch speak of the seldom melting it." We
conceive that in such climate that of Jeddo,
which the mountain is laid down in the maps the line of
perpetual snow must be below twelve thousand feet The
largest island Niphon is in length nine hundred miles
the greatest width of any of the group about hum
dred miles
The government Of Japan is remarkable it recalls the
double Spartadare OF Brenttordg There
is Secular Emperor, the Kobo and an Ecclesiastical
Emperor, the Mikado Dairi who reign co-ordinaely
Such at least is the account but which
cannot assent TO put in this vague way The government
sort Of theocracy because especial sancty
attached the person who reigned In all early states
of society the sacerdota and kngy Offices consider
ed identical The Emperor ruled by divine right and by
inheritance and was the representative descendant Of the
gods; do not fnd as in the later developments of
Buddhism, that he an incarnation of the Divinity
In fact this latter view 1.-THE Thibetan) may only have
arisen from the literal translation Of metaphor But
in Thbet so in Japan, the theocracy was convenient
theory for the arstocracy of the sacerdota The
Emperor in Japan or the Dalai Lama in Tibet, seems
to lead the life of the Lucrean gods Tae Mkado lives
shut up his palace twth one wife and twelve
bines, plenty of paper books, and music. But the dig
nifty is dreary enough.
Even this day says Kampfer the princes descend
ed from the family particularly those who sit on
the throne looked upon persons most holy in them
selves and Popes by birth And in order to preserve
these advantageous notions in the minds Of their sub
ects they obliged to take of their
sacred persons and to do such things which, examined
according to the customs Of other nations would be
thought ridiculous and impairment Ii viii not be i'm
proper to give few instances. The ecclesiastical En-
peror thinks that il would be very preudca to his dig
nifty and holiness to touch the ground with his feet for
this reason when he intends to 90 any where he must
be carried thither mems shoulders Much less will
they suffer that he should expose his sacred person to
the open air and the sun is not thought worthy to shine
on his head There is such holiness ascribed to all
his beard nor his nails. However, lest he should
grow dirty, they may clean him in the night when he
is aeep because they say that what Is taken from his
body at that time hath been stolen from him, and that
such theft doth not prejudice his holiness dignity
In ancient times he obliged to sit the throne for
some hours every morning with the imperial crown
head but to sit altogether like statue without stirring
either hands feet head eyes indeed any part of
his body because by this it was thought that he
could preserve peace and tranquility in his empire for
IT, unfortunately, he turned himself on one side the
other If he looked good while towards any part of
his domnions il apprehended that war; famine FIRE,
some other great misfortune hand to desc
late the country But it having been afterwards disco
vered that the imperial the palladium which,
by its mmoby, could preserve peace in the empire it
thought expedent to deliver his imperial person,
consecraed only to ideness and pleasure from this bur
densome duty and therefore the alone at pre-
placed the throne for several hours every
ing. His yictuals must be dressed every time in new
potts. and served at table in Dishes both very
clean and neat, but made only Of common clay, that,
without any considerable expense they may be laid aside
broken after they have served They gene
rally broken for fear they should into the hands Of
laymen; for they believe relgousy that IL any ayman
should to eat his food Of these sacred dishes
it would swell and infame his mouth and throat The
like i'll effect is dreaded from the DARTS sacred habits
for they believe that IL ayman should wear them with
ont the Emperor's express leave command they would
occasion pains in all parts Of his body"
ibid Pp 17l-178.
But what is really exceptional case is this heocracy
descends occasionally to females and that the spiritual
emperor may be, in short empress The throne,
when vacant, is filed by nominee Of the Council that
Is, the Pope is elected by the Cardinals Elected say,
FOR though the succession is nominaly in right line
yet the council determines who the nearest heir which,
in country where polygamy is permitted opens large