The Camden weekly journal. [volume] (Camden, South-Carolina) 1853-1861, 1854-06-20

treaty with the government of Japan, whose
inhuman laws at present not only prevent any
assistance being rendered to shipwrecked mar
iners, but expose them to positive mal.treat-
ment. and even to violent death. To obtain
redress in this respect was the primary object
of Commodore Perry's expedition.
Japan abounds in natural and artificial pro-
ductions of great value. Its mineral riches are
enormous. and include metals of various kinds,
especially gold, silver and copper. Sulphur
and ntre ale also found in large quantities;
there is no want of coal, and there are precious
stones of almost every variety; agates, sap.
phircs. iaspers, comedians, and even diamonds;
while pearls are found in great plenty among
the shells upon the coast. Then the fertility Of
the soiI is very great. The mulberry tree grows
extensively, and affords food for countless my
riads of silk worms. The Radsi: or paper tree,
serves innumcraLle useful purposes, including
the manufacture of cloth, stutfs, and cordage.
The cerusi, or varnish tree, is another valuable
production of the country, yielding large guam
tilles of milky juice, which the natives EN-
ploy to varnisl, orjapan us we call it, various
articles. Then there are the bay tree, the cam
phor tree, the fig Tree, the cypress tree, with
very many more, allmore or less valuable, and
from which great variety Of useful things are
made; and last. though not least, there is the
tea shrub, from the leaves of which the COM
mon drink of the people are brewed, and which
is capable of yielding valuable article OF com
merce Trees growing nuts of various kinds
are abundant; the maple is extensive and ex-
celent; bamboos are very plentiful, a.d OF
great use, as they are everywhere in the Indies;
thew cultivate as much hemp and cotton as they
can find room for in their fields; and as to rice,
which is the main food of the natives, that
grown in Japan is considered the best in all
Asia, and it can be produced in almost any
quantity. Their corns are of several sorts;
besides the komi, or rice there are oomugg', a
kind of barley the koomuggi, their native
wheat; and the daidson, species q bean, all
of which abound with superior fasina.
The manufactures of japan have, hitherto,
been confined almost exclusively to their own
domestic wants; but many of them are, never
theless, valuable as articles of export. Our
adoption here and throughout Europe OF the
term japan; as applied to certain kinds OF var
nished ware, indicates how well-known has
been their peculiar excellence in, if not their
invention of, that useful art. They make va
rirus articles from the paper tree, resembling
our popier mache, which they paint and Varhlsh
on paper, very highly-and these might form
objects of considerable trade. The silks, mus
lins, and cotton goods are most of them very
superior and some calculated to become high
Iy recherche-and their carvings in wood, lvo'
ry, pearls, and fish borne, are most ingenious
and elegant. These are but a few of the pro-
ducts Of their handcraft; but they are sufficient
to show, taken in connection with their natural
productions, how varied and how valuable are
the resources of Japanese.
10 establish, then commercial intercourse
with such country were surely most i'm
portant object; and our heartiest "God speed
will go along with every expedition for thai
purpose; nor do We consider the difficulties
that will ofnecess,y have to be overcome as
by any means insurmountable'
Journalef Commerce.