The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-06-13
The OpcnIng OF Japan.


ers who so confidently predicted that the Com
modore would effect nothing, and that Japan
would remain for many year to come as Sc
Guided and as barbarously guarded from the
eye of the world as it has been for the last
thousand years. This result has long been pro-
bable. From the moment the Emperor consent
ed to hold intercourse with our envoy, the
chances of failure were very slender, unless
indeed, the instructions under which the latter
was acting had displayed SO little diplomatic
skill as to provoke it. In this respect Mr..
Webster's Instructions seem to have fulfilled
the expectations that were formed with regard to
their tenor, and to have adroitly aroused among
the Japanese quite an earnest desire to see
more of us, as we acknowledge we feel to know
more of them. If we want their coal, it is now
evident that they covet our railroads and tele-
graphs: and in agreeing to our proposals, they
are just as likely to fancy themselves the gain
ers as the losers by the bargain. This is pre-
cisely the footing on which matters should have
been placed. We ask, in truth, nothing mere
than we are willing to give in return. Inter-
course with japan will in reality do more for
the people Of that empire than for us. To rs 1t
will give commercial facilities and maritime
advantages they will derive from the event
not only these identical benefits in a much
larger degree, but the much greater ones Of
Christianity, civilization, and ultimately, some
notion OF political liberty. The difficulty was
to persuade the Japanese that such was the
case difficulty which repeated and uniform
ly unsuccessful applications from Great Britain
and other nations for permission to trade with
japan had largely contributed to magnify. 1t
is not q little gratifying to us to record the
fact that it has at length been surmounted and
by countryman Of ours and though the feat
may appear somewhat insignificant to-day, we
are persuaded of nothing more intimately than
that hereafter the opening of Japan to the com
merce of the world, and the extension of
civilized life into that hitherto impenetrable
haunt Of barbarism will be classed among the
notable eras of history.
For it is hardly possible to set limit on
horizon to the vista of consequences which this
single event opens to our view. 1t completes
the work begun by the Portuguese and the
Dutch centuries ago, and throws open the whole
of the Pacific shores to Western enterprise, and
Anglo Saxon energy Two centuries ago
or more the Dutch and the Portuguese waged
a feeble though spirited fight with
the natives for right of way on
the eastern littoral of Asia with partial sue
cess occasionally diversified by such scenes as
the expulsion from these very Japanese islands
now opened to our vessels. Now, the Dutch
and the Portuguese are themselves but little
better of than the Pacific Islanders. Their
separate nationalities exist by the suferance of
the powerful nations of Europe. Their flag has
been almost swept from the seas The broom
the former were fond Of hosting at the mast
head has passed into the hands OF nations one
of which at least was unborn when Won Tromp
ruled the main, and their place on the Asiatic
coast is filed by Frenchmen, Englishmen, and
Yankees.
Strange it is to see how, after these centuries
Of struggles, the more civilized race is every
where victorious. The feeble Asiatic has on all
sides surrendered his policy and his patrimony,
and has at last yielded his undeniable rights
more resignedly than he could at first be
brought to relinquish the smallest of the AFRO
CANT pretensions set up on his behalf by priests
and 1atterers. The English have long held the
immense promoutory of Hindostan. Within
the last ten years they have made serious in
roads on the Punjaub and have ovcrrun Cabul.
Since 1851 they have added fresh kingdom
Burmah-to their already overgrown empire
In the South, the continent of Australia--which
had aborigines Of its own, but one never hears
of them---is theirs, and in very few years
viii be throwing off the colonial woke
and setting up like the United States Islands
OF which we hear nothing are being silently
added to this empire every year. Nor is
France behindhand. She owns already several
groups of islands in the neighborhood, and New
Caledonia has but just been annexed to her en-
pire, as penal settlement. We must expect to
hear Of other acquisitions to be covered by the
French flag before long. We are beginning to
pursue the same policy. We have obtained
loothold in Japan, and lot of land on one
of the Loo Choo Islands, we shall shortly Sc
cure something more tangible than either of |
these, in the shape OF Hong Kong. The |
Sandwich Islands are knocking at our door for |
admission to the Union, and we shall be forced |
to grant their prayer before long. Other
islands will follow their example. II is more
than probable that out of this revolution
In China Will grow state Of things which |
will render ii prudent for other CONNER |
cial nations besides the English to make sure
Of port within the Chinese donations. We |
cannot Of course foresee the exact nature of |
The contingency TO which we alude but we |
can readily conceive such combination OF |
events as would dictate very plainly the neccs
siiy OF our making some actual settlement in
our own name on the coast, so as to secure the |
safety and protection Of our ships and their
crews. small port, under our lag, at Shang-
hae, would answer the purpose
BY such steps has Providence designed that
the Pacific shores shall be civilized simnlta. |