Demoine courier., 1854-07-06

~ nav f'e'
which has brought our country men into
contact with Japan. Many Of cur
chips have for some time past frequen
ted those seas for capturing the whale.
an occupation which, i. is found, might
De pursued with great advantage, under
a commercial treaty with tho Govern
meni of Japan whose inhuman laws al
present not only proven, any assistance
being rendered to shipwrecked mariners,
but expose them 10 positive mallreas-
ment, and even Ia violent death. To
obtain redress in this respect was the
primary object Of Commodore Perry's
expedition.
Japan abounds in natural and ar,ifi.
cial productions of great value. It's
mineral riches ara enormous, and include
metals of various kinds. especially gold.
silver and copper. Sulphur and ni,re are
also found in larg. qdan,ifies;-ihere is
no want of coal, and there are precious
stones of almost every variety. agates.
s~apphires, jaspers, comedians, and even
diamonds: while pearls are found in
grea. plenty among the shells upon the
coast. Then the fertility Of the soil is
very great. The mulberry tree grows
extensively, and affords food ior count.
less myrisds of silk worms. The Kaa.
81. or paper-tree, serves innumerable
useful purposes. including the manufac.
lure of cloth. stulIs and cordage. The
cernsi, or varnish.tree. is another val
liable production OF the country, yield.
ing large quantities of a milky juice
which the natives employ TO vanish, OF
japan as we call it, various artlcles.-
Then there are the bay-trees. the cam,
phor tree. The fig tree, the cypress tree,
with very many more. all more or less
valuable, and from which q grea, variety
of useful things are made, and las, though
the leaves of which the common drink
of the people is rewed. and which is
capable of yielding a valuable article of
commerce. Trees growing nuts Of va
rious kinds are abundant: the maple is
extensive and excellent: bamboos are
very plentiful and Of great use, as they
are every where in the indies; they
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 i,
can be produced IN almost any quantity.
Their corns are OF several sorts, besides
the komi or rice, there are the onauggi,
a kind Of barley; The koomuggi their
native wheat; and The daidson, u species
of bean.-all Of which abound with su.
perior larina.
The manufactures Of japan have hilh.
erto been confined almost exclusively 10
their owl domestic wants, but many o!
them are, nevertheless valuable as arli.
cles of export. Our adoption here and
Throughout. Europe Of the term japan as
applied to certain kinds Of Vanished
ware. indicates how well known has
been their peculiar excellence in, if MOI
their invention Of hal useful art. They
make various articles from the paper.
tree, resembling our popier mache, which
they paint, and varnish on paper very
highly-and these might form objects oI
considerable trade. rheir silks. muslins
and cotton goods are most Of them very
superior, aud some Of them are ~calcuia.
ted TO become highly recherche. and
their carvings in wood ivory, pearl and
ish-5one, are mos. ingenious and ele.
CANT. These are but q few of the pro.
duets of their hanJicrsft, but they are
sufficient 10 show. taken in connection
with their natural productions how varied
and how valuable are the resources oil
the japanese.
~ Georgia, which is known to be
the Etonire State of the Sputh. am