The daily Minnesota pioneer. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1854-1855, 1854-07-01
DAILY PIONEER.
SAINT PAUL:
SATURDAY MORNING. JULY I. 1884.
Resources of Japan.

The benefits We ere likely to gather from the
opening Of trade with Japan, may be gathered
from the following:
Foremost among the resources Of Japan are
its fisheries. The s"a and its productions. we
believe, contribute fully az much to the srstcn-
of the natives as do the fruits of the earth
rice, perhaps, excepted. One of their pro-
auctions has Il value which is rot confined to
the spot, but eXtell'ls to us-to our enterprise,
and our tradc-we mean the whale or, Us the
call 1t, kudsAri There is nothing of which
such extensive Use is made by the natives, both
Tor rich and poor. 1t is found all around Ja-
pan, but particularly in the sea keumano,
which washes the southern coast of the island
Niphon, the riost important territory of the
empire and it also prevails in the islands Of
Tfhssrtla and Goto and upon the coasts of
Omuro and Nome. These whales not only at
ford oil in great abundance, but their flesh
which Is considered very wholesome and nutri-
tious, IS largely consumed. No part of them
indeed, is thrown away-all is inadc arailable
for some useful purpose or another, excepting
only the large shoulder hone. The skin which
is generally black, the flesh, which IS red and
looks like beef; the intcstncs and the inward
parts, besides the fat or bubbcr, which is
boiled into oil, and the bone, which is convert
cd into innumcrablc uscs-;lll is made av;,ila-
able to purposes Of profit. We have gone in
20 these few particulars respecting the whale
because it is that which has brought our coun-
trymcn into contact with Japan Many of
our ships have for some considerable time past
frcqucnted those seas for capturing the whale,
81 occupation which, it is found, might be ur-
sued viii. great advantage under commercial
fra u with fba (,nvnrnpi.,t Of .h,,r.
inluman laws at pres mt not only prevent any
assistance being rendered to shipwrccked mar
liners, but expose them to positive maltrcat-
,"rut. ard even to violent death TO obtain
redress in this respect, was the primary object
of Commodore Perry expedition.
ia IAN abou ds i'll natura! ant artificial pre-.
auctions Of great v.,luc. Its mineral riches
are enormous. md include metals Of various
kinds especially gold, silver and copper: Sui
phur and nitrc are found in large quantities
there is no want of coal. and there are precious
stones Of almost every variety; agatcS sap
phircS, jaSpcrS, comedians, and even diamonds ::
while pearls are found in great plenty among
the shells along the coast Then the fertility
of the soil Is "crv great Tie mulberry tree
grows extensively, and affords food for court
less myriads Of silk worms. The kUOsi or pa
per tree, serves nnumerahlc useful purposes,
Including the Manufacture of cloth, stuifS and
"ordagc. The cer'ls. or varAish tree. is an
other valuable production Of the country. Weld
ing large quantities Of Il milky juice which
the natives employ to varniSh, or Japua. as we
call it, various articles. Then there are the
bay tree the camphor tree the lig tree. th,.
cypress tree, with very many more all more or
les valuable, and from which great variety
of useful things are made F.; and last. though
not least, is the tea shrub. from the leaves of
which the common drink Of the people is brew
ed. and which is capable Of Welding Il valuable
article of commerce. Trees growing nuts of
various kinds are abundant: the maple is cy-
cellcnt bamtopS are very plentiful, and If
great use. as they are everywhere in the Indies !:
they cultivate rs much h, mp and cotton q
thew can find roonl for in their fields and II,
To rice, which Is the main food Of the natives.
that grown in Japan Is considered the best in
Ill Asia. and it can be procured in almost any
quantity. Their cornS are of several sorts
besides the kOinl or rice. there are the 0o,aurr,
ii kind of barley. the koomu@gi their native
wheat. and the doidson, Il species of bcail-all
of which abound with superior larna
The manufactures of Japan have hitherto
been confined almost exclusively to their own
domestic wants but many of them are. never
thclc:;S, valuable as articles of export. Our
adoption. and throughout Europe, of the term
Japan, as applied to certain kinds of varniSll-
cd ware. indicates how well known has been
their peculiar excellence in, if not their invcn-
ton OF, that useful art. Thcv make various
articles from the papcr tree resembling papicr
mache. which they paint. and Iarnisl. on pa
per- very highly-and 'hcs, nigh. form OBJ
jccts of considerable trade. They SILKS mus
Hns, and cotton goods are most of them vcrv
superior, and some of them are calculated to
become highly recherche; and their carvings
in wood, ivory, pearl, and lish-bonc are most
i-.cniouS and elegant. These are but Il few
of the products of their handcralt but thy
are sufficient to show. taken in connection with
their natural productions, how varied and how
valuable are the resources of the Japanese