Richmond daily times. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1853, 1852-05-25
From the Charleston Mercury.
THE JAPAN EXPEDITION.

The press of England and France seems to re-
gard with favor Mr. Fillmore's attempt $40 get the
floor in Japan, and come to speech with the
very reserved parsonage who presides over that
Empire. They are right for if the expedition
succeeds, it will open to them equally with the
United States, the commerce of that country
And wbetheri it succeeds or fails, they do not pay
the cost Of the adventure. Its failure would have
its charms for them also. They might not make
money, but they could at least make fun out of it.
The London Examiner warmly praising the
object of the expedition, gives some very peril
nent reasons for suspecting it will prove an abor
ton. They are worth considering and we quote
them:
1.-THE Americans, now planted on the shores
of the Pacific, send a force to demand reparation
for injuries done to themselves by such fragrant
violation of the laws of nature and society-to
compel the Japanese to renew their intercourse
with the rest of mankind, and to forbear from the
practice of ferocious inhospitality. For tue
common good of the world, and for the sake of
civilization and justice, we wish them every sue
cess; although we have our own doubts whether
the means they propose to apply be adequate to
the end they contemplate to attain.
Let us see. The area Of the Japanese empire
it larger than France and England put together.
The population is reckoned by the American
writers, and probably without exaggeration, at
thirty millions; less civilized, doubt, than the
Chinese but a good deal more hardy and warke.
Japan does not contain, as China does, great nayi-
gable rivers by which invader can penetrate
into the interior does one part of the ia
panese empire depend for food on another, as the
northern provinces of China do on those of the
Southern so that the Japanese cannot be starved
by an invader into capitulation as we starved
the Chinese, by carrying our operations to the
head of the great artery that feeds the Chinese
capital. Japan, moreover, does not contain, like
China, two distinct races OF unama gamated men,
conquerors, and conquered, the last ready to rise
in revolt against the first, and tar out-numberlng
them. The Japanese who rule and who are
ruled, are on the contrary, one and the same peo
pie
The Japanese are assailable alone by their
coasts, and that only where great town is SO near
the shore as to be open to the broadsldes OF the
American squadron. The redress squadron is to
consist ofthree powerful steam-frigates, one sailing
frigate one corvette, and store ship Including
sailors and Marines we fancy the whole force
cannot we'll exceed 1000 men; and we cannot
agree with an American journalist in thinking that
such force will be sufficient to coerce vain,
ignorant semi barbarous, and sangulnary nation
of thirty millions of people, in the surrender OF an
organic law of 200 years standing. The only
chance OF success as 1t appears to US, likely to be
found is bombardment of Jeddo, the capital of the
secular Emperor which lies at the head of deep
and accessible bay the eastern side of the great
island. We notice that light field pieces are
spoken of in the American newspapers, but such
an incumbrance which implies landing, ought not
to be thought of.
The Americans must not quit their wooden
walls. Within these they powerful and
conquerab g; but landing they could not penetrate
authority proposed to march with our whole dis
possible force from the river Peho on Pekin,
march of 100 miles, with the view of catching the
Emperor. Fortunately the rash project was not
carried OUT for if it had, we should certainly have
caught Tartar, but not the one we went in search
of