Iowa capitol reporter. [volume] (Iowa City, Iowa) 1841-1855, 1853-03-02
From the Paris journal sdss Debates. /
The Japan ExpS2ittOn. I'm /,
EgcnCh lpOt0C Of View.

e---
Now that the American expedition sent
against. Japan "a nckingits way across the
Atlantic, in this dissection. let us cast rapid
glance ntshe siagulw and difficult relations
which the Japanse hold with the commerce
of Europe. or rather with that Of Holland
for no other power ,haa-,hi lasthas been per-
mitted blythe government Of Jeddo to trade
with Japan. As earlyas 1897. the U. States
of America sent an embassy to Japan to ncgo
,ists for the opening Of relations with Ameri-
can commerce; but this movement completely
failed. Ten years later, a second mission witl.
the sams object, had the same result. The
Dutch, on their part, in lSi4, likewise sought
to obtain modification Of those restrictions
which even to them We're hedged in with dif.
tncthisa, burisnei y III intassstJu ma o..
tious conditions, and offered il return com :.
parative'y few advantages. William, King af
Holland, on that occasion, wrote to the Ja-
panese Emperor that it appeared to him that
Japanese commerce could not long remain un.
| influenced by the movements. The Emperor,
in thanking the King of the Low Countries for
his advice, assured him that tbs laws of tls
Empire OF Japan being immuiable. nothing
could or would be changed from the order, Of
things that had prevailed from all time past
at length the astounding discoveries of
treasure stirred up the Western world, and
began to react cnergetically on the deslilos
OF the countries lavcd by the Chinese seas.---
The commercial activity which, since tn.
discovery of the God of California had sprung
up in America, had much Increased the num-
Der of yc' sells trading in the Pacific and pas
sing near the shores Of Japan. This cireun..
stance determined the American government
To renew TO these semi -barbarians the pro.
Posals they had made fl ftcen and ten wears
previously; So. in April. 1851. embracing tho
opportunity OF sending home some shipwrcck-
cd sailors, they sent to Japan a small expedi.
llon' charged to press for the conclusion Of .
treaty which should permit American ships to
establish depots for coal, and reiitting yards
al various stations within the Japanese terri.
tory The reply the Emperor is still wait
ed for, and the government of tho United
States to hasten the issue af affair, has sent
Commodore Perry to japan, with a squadron
which shall be able 20 demand the concessions
formerly besought--c concessions which in the
opion Of the government OF the American
Union should be made common to the trade
of the world
From Anneis du Commerce Erfeyieur we tax,
the following respecting the Dutch trade with
Japan.
The commerce that Holland has with japan
Is now, what it was at the beginning of the
seventeenth century, during the high and
: poimy days Of the Dutch East India Company.
since that it has much decreased in value,
and at present scarcely exceeds annually tho
worth OF three millions of frances. Two ships
despatched every year from Batavia to tb,
little Island of Dccima, lying off the entrance
TO The port OF Nangasaki. suffice to transact
the business of the C mpany, which purchases
the monopoly of the trade for the sum of sixty
thousand frances per annum
The government trade, as well as that Of
private parties, is very complicated; the Dutch
factory at Dccima, however, this last is under
less restraint than the former, although it is
subject to tax of thirty-fvc per cent, from
which government speculations arc exempt -
This difference arises from the nature of tho
articles imported. Whilst the government
senos to Decima only its colonial products and
those of English and Indian manulacture pri-
vae merchants deal in articles of LUXURY, Of
which the sale offers much larger profits
The Prir"iplc articles of importation are
lst. OF raw materials, provisions and natural
products Prusssian blue, amber,
cajepnt oil, red coral, quinine, chocolate, palm
oil, salts, gals. liquerus. alhloitds, olive oil, !,
opium, saffron. Venice tufpe2tine. edible
birds nests Cd. In manufactures Morocco
and Persian feathers, laces, paper hangings.
engravinSs and Autographs, tiles. false jewel =
lery, hollow ware aud tin ware, firearms,
cutlery, glassware, surgical and optical instru.
nents, DC. The articles Of export, on govern.
ment account. consists almost exclusively Of
refined copper 10000 to $4,000 picu.s 1875
lbs each,) and of camphor. T3 =
The private trade exports are chiefly silk
stuifs, laequered furniture; porcelain, para
soils, and other objects that fetch high price
in Europe. a .na ~ saa
1t is easy to predict the answer which will
be obtained by demonstration that rests on
''Sh' "i"co 'esSeis "! " "at-thaI Is to Say, ONO
line Of battle ship. three steam frigates, and
four corvettes-a completely equipped squad
ron, and carrying not less than 2I9 guns, In
like manner as China wound up by openin z
her trade before the English cannon, 20 must
e Japan caycin before The irresistible arguments
the Americans will employ. Americas con
duct, it is trie, has about it an energy which
at first glance appears slightly brutal; but less
, so, Oh The whole, than is the barbarous usage
= OF these Orientals, who persist in interdIc
5 ting wandering uessels from access 10 theii
shores, and continue to hold back the progress
e Of European civilization from those vast fertile
.. and populous countries. Viewed in this light
G We caunot but applaud this commercial crusade
j, undertaken by the United States. But tha,
: must not hinder US from remarking. with sen
timents o. regret, that if England has already
t set her foot on China, on Cochin China, and
t on Siam; if the Americans are thus forcing
themselves on japan. France continues to re-
pnain alien (etran9ere) to efforts which have for
their end the certain extension in the Indian
seas Of the influence Of her two most powerful
rivals in commerce and industry. n
FinEs IN CHicAGo.-On the night Of the 18th
: inst, at o'clock, fire broke out in a stable
on the east side Of State st. and several houses
perishcd in the flames About 10 o'clock, the
United States Hotel block was discovered 10 be
: on ire and with number Of adjoining build.
;n,s e.pyup,ed Nine hoyscs wore h1,yn n