Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1856-08-09
MISCELLANY.
THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE Jap
ANESE.

THE narrative Of Commodore Pery's famous
Expedition to Japan, as compiled from the Com
modore's Reports and Journals by Dr. Hawks,
has just been published by the Messrs Apple
ton, in one superb octave volume of G24 pages.
illustrated by profusion Of engravngs. price
S5) The volume, as far as We have vet read
is of extreme interest il is doubtless destined
to find lis way into every important library,
public and private, in the civilized world. Per-
haps no chapter in the book will be read with
more surprise than the one we are about to
copy, which shows what the japanese know
and what they can do. More of the book when
we have finished reading it,
/ The japanese are an exceedingly industrious
and ingenious people, and in certain manufae-
lures are surpassed by no nation.
MErALs.-They work we'll in iron, copper,
gold, and silver, and indeed, in ali the metals
they have. OF iron, 1t is supposed the supply
afforded by their country is not large still
they have extracted the metal from such ores
as they possess, and wrought it into shape
Copper is very abundant, and they understand
perfectly well the mode of treating the ore, and
preparing the metal for market or for manuiac-
lures. Gold also exists, and probably to an
extent as yet undeyeloped the deposits are
likely, we think, to prove large on further and
scientific exploration. At any rate, there does
not seem to be any scarcity Of it for the pur-
poses TO which they apply it. They have sill
yer mines which they work. They know, too,
how to make some combinations of metals
which produce a beautiful effect. Thunbere
tells us that they work with great skill in what
they call SOFAS. This is a mixture of gold
and copper, which they color with tousche, or
ink, making it fine blue or black, by an art
unknown among Europeans. They make steel, +,
and temper their swurd-blades admirably
Clocks and watches are also made by them,
hut in these they are not entitled to the merit
Of invention they have copied from European
models. The same may be said Of their asiro-
nomcal instruments they make very well the
metallic portions of telescopes, etc., and boy
mirror glasses from the Dutch, which they
grind into suitable lenses. They also manu-
faciuie excellent metallic mirrors, and Golow-
min says he saw carpenters and cabine,-makers'
tools, particularly saws, made in Japan, quite
equal 10 any English tools Of similar kind
They are exceedingly quick in observing any
improvement brought in among them by for
egners, soon make themselves masters Of il,
and copy it with great skill and exactness.-
They are very expert in carving metal, and
can cast metal statues. Their copper coinage
is well stamped, for they are good die-sinkers,
and several of their operations 10 metal are car
Eied on in very large and well-ordered manu-
factories.
WooD.-No people work better than they
can in wood and bamboo, and they possess one
art in which they excel the world. This is in
lacquering wood work. Other nations have at
tempted for years, but without success, to equal
them in this department. In this operation
they select the finest wood Of fir or cedar TO be
covered with varnish They get the gum from
which they prepare the varnish from the rhus
rernir-a tree that is abundant in many paris
of their country. On puncturing the tree the
gum oozes out, of light color, and of the con-
Sislence of cream, but on exposure to the air
grows thicker and blacker. 1t is so transpar-
ent that, when laid unmixed on wood, the grain
and every mark on the wood may be seen
through it. They obviate this, however, where
1t is desirable, by placing beneath the yarnish a
dark ground, one element in the composition of
which is the fine sludge caught in the trough
under grindstone. They also use for the pur-
pose minutely pulverized charcoal, and some
times leaf gold ground very fine They then
ornament the varnish with figures and flowers
Of gold and silver. They make, and thus val
nish, screens, desks, caskets, cabinets, aud 9th
er articles, exceedingly beautiful, and of which
specimens may from time TO time be seen in
Europe and this country. II is said, however.
that the best samples are never sent out of the
kingdom.
PAPER,-Of this they make an abundance, as
well for writing and printing, as for tapestry,
handkerchiels, packing cloths fos goods, elc.-
1t is of different qualities, aud some of it is as
soft and flexible as our cotton cloth Indeed,
that used for handkerchiels might be mistaken
for cloth, SO far as toughness and aexibilily are
concerned The material Of which it is made
] is the bark of the mulberry (nOruS PGPyrJferd,) }