The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1858-11-19
PRICE TWO CENTS
FROM JAPAN.
Correspondence Of the Ne,o York Herald.l
UNITED STATES SHIP PowUATTAv.

SHANGHAI, CHINA, Sept s. 1858
We remained (ater signing the new treaty be
tween Japan and the United States on the 10Th Au-
gust at Simoda until the 9TH inst, after returning
from kanagawa, during which time we saw a great
deaHof the people and learned much of them from.
Mr.. Harris. This gentleman, who has now been at
SimOda for two years, and who is man of remark
able observation, has collected more interesting
and reliable information in regard to those almost
unknown people than is contained in all the books
ever written about Japan He has been twice to
Jeddo, had several interviews with the Emperor,
and constant association with the mobiles. He has
also been in company with the wife of Kinano-no-
kamt. of whom he speaks in high terms. | asked
him II she was any tarer than the wives of the
chants whom we every day saw and he replied YES,
but that if the latter had never been more exposed
to the weather than she they would be equally fair.
1t was his impression that all japanese sprang from
the same parentage, which is opposed to the views
OF some writers, who proclaim the nobility to he
ruling caste. Upon another occasion asked him
when he thought they would send minister to the
United States, and he replied that the exact time
had not yet been determined upon, but that he
thought that by next spring one would be on his
way. They asked me, he continued, if the United
States would provide steamer to carry him as far
as the isthmus of Panama, and told them that
could not answer positively but that thought they
would. They are very anxious to send one, and re-
marked to me that it would only be a return of the
kind feeling which the United States had evnced in
already sending several to Japan.
| asked him if there any Japanese of ability
among the nobility who would be likely to fill such
post with credit, and he replied eyes several;"
and spoke of the Prince of igo as one of the most
prominent. | then asked further if Higo-no-Ka ami
was man of large wealth; if he would be likely to
make grand display, &C., &C.; to which he replied
that the government would of course pay his ex-
penses, but as to his making a display, he
thought he would travel from New York to Wash
ington with his suite of twenty or thirty with as
little regard to show and parade had been evinced
when he visited at Kanagawa from Jeddo.-
There was another thing which he told me that
SurnrIGpd m ore Hn coiI hat ,
mistaken idea that the people of Japan were in fa
vor of Intercourse with foreigners while the nobili-
ty and Emperor were opposed to it, it was Just the
contrary. Upon one occasion, when the Prince had
advocated a certain liberal foreign policy measure
cards had been posted threatening the death of the
officials who should bring it about. In fact, he sad
were it not for this opposition on the part of the
people, the government would at once throw Japan
open to the world; as it was, however, they were
obliged to proceed with extreme caution
| have already mentioned that Mr.. Harris has
been to Jeddo twice, and that he had seen the En-
peror in his palace. We speaking of this fact
upon one occasion, when some one asked him what
the Emperor looked like, and if he lived in grand
stvle?
In reply, he said that it was the fashion in ia
pan to ask how old he was, and how many children
he had, he had easily satisfied himself upon these
and similar points. The Emperor was thirty-six
years old, had one legal wife, and many second
airy ones as he desired. As for his palace and style
of living, the former very large and comforta-
BILE, but extremely plain, while the latter could not
certainly cost him more than five hundred dollars
year, his clothing included 1t was a great mistake
which early writers had made when speaking of the
magnitcence of the court of Jeddo-if any existed,
he, Mr.. H., had never seen anything of it.
l asked him If there were really two emperors in
Japan, or if the celestial one was merely myth,
kept up to deceive the people?
"Oh, yes!'' he replied; 'Ethat is, there lives at
Miaco, in the strictest retirement, the nominal En-
peror of Japan. He has two titles-Ten-sin, or Son
of Heaven, and Mikado, or Emperor. He has twelve
legal wives, and as many secondary as he de
sres, and is believed never to die. They acknowl-
edge that his body pershes and is buried but insist
that his spirit passes into that of the body which
succeeds him, and that he is thus kept among them.
They say that Japan is peopled solely by his off
springs. and venerate him accordingly as their
mon father. Every one who approaches him must
kneel, even the Tai-Koon Great Ruler, who lives
at Jeddo, and who is generally called Emperor. 1t
is the law of Japan that this Tai-Koon shall visit
the SON OF Heaven once in every years; but
the former does not like to kneel to him, he has
been gradually throwing cold water upon the Gus
tom, until now he does not 90 at all. He contents
himself with sending high officer year to
act for him. This Tai-koon, or Great Ruler, as his
title implies, is virtually the Emperor. He is not
all powerful, however, though the most powerful
man in Japan, the laws being as binding upon him
as upon the meanest of his subjects. He is a man
of very liberal views, and asked earnestly as to
form of government, habits and customs, &C. Of
course | gave him great idea of country,
though not at the expense of those of Europe. He
seems to see, however, that we are destined at no
l
wards us accordingly. | was asked upon one occa-
sion, if, in case of any difficulty with England or
| France, would not give them the benefit of our
good offices. This speaks plainly Of the nature OF
! their feeling toward us acts could"
Let me say word about the coal mines OF
Japan. When Commodore Perry was there, some
four years since, Il was there myself three months
| after he left there was but ono mine known of,
the which is now worked near Nangasaki.
| Since that time others have been discovered, and
are being worked near Hakodadi, and within the
last few months extensive deposit has been found
few miles to the north of Jeddo Thus we have
coal in the centre and at both extremes of Japan.
and Mr.. Harris says that they are searching in
other localities, and that it will doubtless be found
to prevail over all the islands. Unfortunately how
its quality is not in keeping with its quantity
All that we have yet used (at about five dollars per
| tom has been inferior bituminous strongly
charged with sulphur, pyrtes of iron, &c, ana
hence extremely liable to spontaneous combustion.
! 1t cannot be burned at all with small fue boilers
but gets up steam very quickly in large fur
| boilers like ours. 1t also burns longer tn IN ono
| would suppose. 1t makes a very dense and black
smoke, and throws abundance of burning particle
from the smoke stack-so much so, in fact as t.
have caused us to ring the fire bell quite energeti
cally one morning. No damage was done, but j.
served to make unusually watchful. All
these drawbacks considered, | think that
will be reported unfavorably of by own en-
| gineerS.