, 1853-07-23

which q, J.iHese a - W.'. o.. HHe.t
uf E.rupe, Or rather with tbs. o.. Holland,
for uo other power ,hlu ;Ais has been per-
uit,cd ly tEc G.svinmeut ot JcaIa Co i''.e
with Jlpln. As early as l>3,, la' United
States Of America an embassy 20 Japan
10 negotiate lOr To. Opening ui relations "''i
American Commerce, hut the m'vrm ut
completely failed. Ten years later, % see
ond mission with the same OBI ',i, bad the
same result. The Dmch ON their part, Iu
ISI4, likewise sought to obtain mpiItica-
iion Of those restrictions which even to
them, were hedged in with difficulties, bur
dencd with intolerable and ycxatious condi-
tions, anl offered in return for comparative
ly few advantages. William, King OF Hol-
land, on that occasion, wrote to the Japan
ose Emperor that national reciprocity was
rapidly extending, and that it appeared to
him japanese commerce could not long re-
main uninhuenced BY the movement. The
Emperor, in thanking the King Of the Low
Countries for his advice, assured him shat
the laws Of the Empire Of Japan byigg i'm
muiable, nothing could or would be changed
from the order Of things that had prevailed
from all time past.
AT length the abounding discoveries Of
treasure stirred up the Western World, and
began TO react onergetlcally on the dcstinies
of the countries layed by the Chinese seas.
The commercial activity which, since the
discovery of the gold Of California had
sprung up in America, had much increased
the number of vessels trading in the Pacific
and passing near the shores Of Japan. This
circumstance determined the American Gov
ernment to renew to these mi-barbarans
the proposals they had made fifteen and ten
years previously. So, in April, 1851, en-
bracing the opportunity Of sending home
some ship-wrecked sailors, they sent to Ja-
pan a small expedition charged to press foT
the conclusion Of a treaty which should per-
mI American ships TO establish depots for
coal, and ref,tng yards at various stations
within the japanese territory. The reply
of the Emperor is still waited for, and the
Government of the United States, to hasten
the issue of the affair, has sent Commodore
Perry to Japan with a squadron which shall
be able 10 demand the concessions formerly
bcsought; concessions which, in the opinion
of the Government Of the American Union,
should be made common to the trade Of The
world.
From the Annales do Commerce Exte-
rieur, we take the following respecting the
Dutch trade with Japan:
The commerce that Holland has with ia
pan is not now what il was at the beginning
Of the seventeenth century, during the high
and palmy days Of the Dutch East India
Company. Since then it has much decreas-
ed in value, and at present scarcely exceeds
annually the worth Of three millions of
francs. Two ships dispatched every year
from Batavia to the little island Of Decima,
lying off the entrance Of the port Of Nau-
gasski, suffice to transact the business of the
Company, which purchases the monopoly of
the trade for the sum Of 10000 francs per
annum.
The Government trade, as well as that Of
private parties, is very complicated in the
Dutch factory al Decima, however, this last
is under less restraint than the former, al
though ii is subject to a tax of 80 per cent,
from which Government speculations are
exempt This difference arises from the
nature OF the articles imported.
While the Government sends 10 Dccima
only its colonial products, and those OF Eng
lish and Indian manufacture, private mer-
chants deal in articles Of luxury, of which
the sale offers much larger profits The
principal articles of importation are 1st-
Of raw materials, provisions and natural
products-Benzoin, Prussian blue, amber,
Cajeput oil, red coral, quinine, chocolate,
palm oil, salts, gals, liquors, almonds, olive
oil, opium, saffron, Venice turpentine, edi-
bic birds nests. 2d-In manufactures
Morocco and Persian feathers, laces, paper
hangings, engravings and Autographs, tiles,
false jewelry, hollow ware and tin ware, fire
arms, cutlery, glass ware, surgical and opti-
cal instruments, &c. The articles of ex-
port on Government account consist almost
exclusively of refined copper 10000 to
$4,000 piculs of l25 lbs each) and Of cam
phor.
The private trade exports are chiefly silk
stufs, lacquered furniture, proclaim, para
soils, and other objects that iP,PA high price
in Europe. w
1t is easy 10 predict the answer which
will be obtained by demonstration that
rests on eight armed ships of war-that is
10 say one line-of-baltle ship, three steam
irigates and four coFvettes; a complete
equipped squadron, and carrying not less
than 2l9 guns.
In like manner as China had 10 open up
her trade before the English cannon, SO must
Japan cave in before the irresistible aFgu
menls the Americans will employ Amer
ica's conduct, it is true, has about il an en-
ergy which, at frst glance, appears slightly
brutal, but less so, on the whole, than is the
barbarous usage Of these Orientals who per-
sist in inleidicting wandering vessels from
access to their shores, and continue 10 hold
back the progress of European civilization