Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1854-06-17

much good humored competition for places. The tee-
graph much astonshed them but they viii speedily
understand it. and may possibly by this time be laying
down wires for themselves
The chaplain of the expedition the Rev. Mr. BIrrIs0ER,
made several excursions among the villages and corn
fields the latter Of which he found in high cultivation
The houses generally thatched, the better
tiled, and had enclosed yards and gardens. The
tor adds:
gentleman finding the people neither unfriend
" nor indsposed to receive him. and having obtained
60 shore determined to visit two large cities
miles eff, called Kanagawa and Kasacca, and with
that view crossed of bay which shortened the
distance by several miles He then proceeded through
kanawaga supposed to contain from to two hundred
thousand inhabitants, and from the immense crowds
that poured everywhere to the stranger there
be doubt of the population being very great The
crowds however, caused inconvenience impediment
for, Of the hand from the Japanese officials
who accompanied Mr. Bittinger, the people cleared
passage; and afterwards, messenger having been sent
forward for the purpose the people packed themselves
Mt the sides of the houses and the centre Of the streets
clear for the stranger He entered of the houses
which he found primitive ntheir furniture and arrange
ments but compared with other Oriental dwellings of
the same class neat clean, and comfortable. In some
of them he observed clocks of Japanese manufacture
He also visited several temples, which, though smaller
than in China have gliding on their walls and
their idols and generally in better order
The priests well the people distinguished for
their courtesy The cities visited not only very
ensive ESTIMATED to be ak miles long,) but with wide
well formed streets. Kasacca is fifteen to twenty
miles distant by land, from the ships and Mr.. Bittin
ger being thus necessarily long absent anxiety
telt about him. AS he was returning Japanese officer
put into his hands order from the commodore for all
officers board, and shortly afterwards
rier mounted splendid black horse delivered SINH
lar despatch and finding twas understood and acted
turned round and gaoped back again report the APP
proach of the American officer who concluded his journey
torchght and found his arrival that every thing
that had occurred had been noted the number Of
buttons on his coat being recorded.
One officer contrved to get up Jeddo, sufficiently
it inform himself that there FIVE fathoms depth
Of water close up to the city It was expected that when
the treaty signed permission would be given the
strangers to visit the capital OF the two ports Masmai
and Osaka the opening of which the treaty provides for
the Hong Kong Register gives brief account Matsmai
is the chief city of the island Yeso and is situated the
south end of the island the Straits of Sangar be-
tween Yeso and Nippon. Osaka is capital in Nippon,
Japan proper and situated the side about
half way between Jeddo the capital and Nagasaki the
Dutch port Of trade correspondent of the China Mail
gives the following account of the burial of of the
sailors of the American squadron:
One of the standing opinions about the Japanese des
tined to be thrown down by Commodore Perry has been
that they invnciby ntoerant of christianity In
deed this has been assigned main for their
exclusiveness To the emblem of the they still OBJ
ec but the story of the expelled Portuguese that every
christian landing at Japan was required to rampe
it, or on of the Virgin and Saviour must
true have been almost entirely confined to themselves
and their co-regioniss More recent writer's who have
been able to deny that such is the CUSTOM tell
the practice Of religious rites is prohibited by irreve
cable Japanese aws but the following narrative of the
funeral Of marine of the United States squadron shows
that there little foundation for the statement
for the other.
On the 9th of March, the day following the first
ing between Com. Perry and the Imperial Commissioner
from Jeddo to negotiate the terms OF commercial rea
ty soldier and christian burial given ma.
Robert Williamg who had died n before
board the steamer Mississippi The party detailed for
this purpose consisted of several officers of them the
chaplain in his gown of eight marines in charge
of corporal and four marines bearers of the corpse
Two boats left the ship, containing the officers and
the other the body and escort Upon reaching the shore
the party by several Japanese officials ready
conduct them to the grave The escort landed first and
received the body with the usual honors The little pro-
cession then formed first the escort followed by the
music, drum and fife next the body, borne the
tho other officers, and few sailors from the boats bring
ing up the In this order with the music playing
dead march, the party moved to the grave, winding
through the streets of village distance of nearly half
mile On either side of the road, and the surround
Ing hills the foot of of which the grave had been
made, thousands Of people, men, women, and children
could be seen, all manifesting eager curiosity.
could but think, passed along how strange not
only the procession, but each Of individually must
appear that eager hrong not of whom probably
had before looked upon the face of stranger from
foreign country and yet there was undue noise or
apparent alarm the part of any of themony intense
interest in observing what passing before them AS
neared the grave which occupied very pretty spot
the voice of the chaplain could be heard II the
surrection and the life saith the Lord he that beeveth
in me, though he dead, yet shall he live and who
soever liveth and beleveth in shall never die"
AS gathered around the grave and the reading of
the burial service proceeded, the of I'M
usual interest for the time and place and circumstances
all conspired to make it, incident honorable to
short soourn in land where for centuries it is said
symbol of religion has been trodden under foot The
church burial service ended the fred three voey
the grave had expected that this there would
be commoton among the crowd, but noticed only
at the first discharge that for moment there
slight movement of surprise, and then all were again
quiet and attentive observers
Having committed to the earth, with all due honor
the remains Of deceased shpmate the procession
reformed and, with music the front, again passed
through the village and the thousands of spectators
boats the beach Here took leave Of the officials
who throughout the entire ceremony had conducted them
selves with great proprety and extended to every c
Witty and returned to the ship, pleased with the
seriousness of only having SEEN but assisted in giving
such honors, in such place. to deceased brother.
The writer's in the China papers take exception to one
feature Of this negotiation that the japanese refused
to admit into the proposed treaty clause granting to all
other countries the privileges as those granted
the United States 1t to the honor Of the Adminstra
himself, that the liberal proposition made by the
United States. The refusal however, is not to be won
dered at The japanese may not deem it expedient to
admit time all the nations of the earth to such in
tercourse. The treaty with the United States is but
experiment and may possibly be regarded by the Japa
nese Government MS hazardous experiment considering