The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1858-12-01

The Russian government has sanctioned the formation
os Joint stock company for lighting the streets of St.
Petersburg with gas
The British Treaty with Japan-Its Christian
AsPect-Former Prosecutions.
FROM the London Examiner Nov Is.
The Empire OF Japan Theoretically sealed against nearly
all the rest Of the world for two centuries had the seal
rather rndeiy and suddenly broken in the month July
never have been effected Capt. Sherard Osborn as bold
and enierprspg in the Gulf OF Jeddo in the Sea Of
Azon pushed up his three small steamers under
the walls of the Japanese capital the Court having
meanwhile heard Of certain enterprises the Peiho
and good fortune, stepping in treaty throwing open five
ports OF the empire was duly negotiated signed, sealed
and deiyere+ In this i is stipulated that the export
duties not TO exceed five per cent import
per cethe staples OF coitons and woeens be subject
10 still lower mpost.
Now, what do know OF this empire with which we
have entered into these commercial relations? Not
much and the accounts just sent to from the spot
do not much improve knowledge From these
We warn readers that some Atty per cent ought
TO be deducted, being only creations Of the imag
nat on while the remainder will be found in Ko,npfer
whose travels were translated into English and pub
Ished cnder the direction Of Sir Hans Sloane 100 years
ago. One sample Of these creations of the fancy viii
suffice Kompfer had reported that the Japanese were
very nice IN keeping themselves their clothes and houses
clean ana neat The authors Of the recent accounts,
fresh IRON tie dirt and III odors of China improve on this
simple statement, by assuring that the ladies of Japan
sre 80 addicted 10 the bath that they tubs the
public streets" when unadorned adorned the most
But let us see Ohanking travellers for re-
treshing our memoros) what gather for our
japan from ola kpmptcr, with The
small ads ons 10 his knowledge by his successors, the
SWEDISH Ihunbcrg, The Kussa Golownin the German
sieooia, and The Anglo.Amercan Perry The islands
constituting tie japanese archipelago said to
TO 200 IN number, but the bulk Of the land popu
ation is confined to three the rest being but rocks
isots. The Of the whole empire is estimated at
l10too square miles, which makes 1t above double the
size Of Britain The whole lies between the 3oh 4sh
degrees OF latitude having, therefore, far latitude
Will express Il, the climates of Egypt, Italy, France and
Spain but, from It's position to Kamschatka and
Siberia the northern portion Of the empire has the eli
mate, Of France. bat of Russia.
Tie country emincntly mountainous and much of
of volcanic formation volcanoes and earthquakes being
so common, II is asserted that the japanese re.
gard then than do a storm, which, however must be
somewhat Of exaggcraon since of the recorded
erupon are known To have produced the loss "a 1000
and 10000 hves-results calculated to produce more
lasting impression than hurricanes or typhoons.
The population of Japan has been usually reckoned at
20 1000 0oD which makes nearly the same as our own
and equal TO that OF of the eighteen provinces
o. CHINA. II Is great, however, for country of which
the mountains far exceed the plains and valleys and lis
density Is atested by the great and acknow lodged
poverty Of the mass OF the people, who, TO veas all,
have to 1--we on the meancst food, and who whole
centuries, have not enjoyed the relief Of emigration
The japanese, like the Hindoos and wholly unlike the
Chinese who have such senseless and mschievous in
sututon, are divided into hereditary castes or these
there are eight The merchants form the sixth caste
skilled artisans the peasantry the eighth
which includes day laborers lers the soil fishermen
and sailors--n word, the mass of the people, all of
whom in reality nero serfs. All this is evidence OF
barbarsm, Of an inferior grade OF civilization But
besce the eight castles, there is with the Indoos
class OF oucasis that must dwell in the outskirts of the
"De NV '"hsiit4cu 30 impure
that they are forbidden to enter any house From
these are selected the Jaiors, from which can ina
gne the condition Of the jals and the public execution.
try under the sun.
But the Japanese poor dcspsed and oppressed are not
Wthstandng lively nquisitlve, aborous and to some
extent even an ingenious people II Is mistake how
ever 70 assert that they superior to- even equal TO
he Chinese. On the contrary they virtually admit their
own inferority when und them Initiating the Chinese
IN language and laws; and while having written charac
ter and literature OF their own they servilcy mitae
those OF China. In imitation Of the Chinese they will
even eat swallows nests and smoked cucumbcrs
tive imPerfeoon Of all their arts lackerware alone az
oepted IN which they not only excel the Chinese but
mingham Itself and OF course ali The rest on de world
Their silks and porcelain inferior % those OF China
and although large producers and OF tea they
have not acquired the skill TO prepare il ii for distant
consumption.
In religious plain that the japanese are no,
ntoleran for they have three different religions divided
into upwards Of thirty sects the all If which
live peaceaby together The persecution Of the Christians
IN the seventeenth century was p6 al sld moi heolo
pcsi one biore commenced the BONES, priests Of
buddhsn, form q religion introduced from India, were
tne most unfortunate IN their complaints sgans, the /
Christians Thy p>t,AoHsi ~ Emperor cqafas hsr icho
dep,aded hoW many forms q religion eied IN Ne empi5e
and ~ r7iy pds kiTy frs "Weu' ssjoinssi has Hjss
u, "rhsTe Nirg6re r. oeratef, ~ can easily teIr
thtrty stT. Ledre he Stranger Ia pace"
The government Of japan federal arsiocracy al the
heado whlch two emperors-a aud an
power beng The rs exercised unds the control Of
TIE euda princes IA body about the days
q the solar year, and The last being sy expensive
mute. The ieudai princes while they control tie
pus1fy residence AZ Tie capital, and whom Il home, by
nc exercise over them q organized and system
But the main question Tor our consideration inst now
me Trade which Japaa / capable 81 maintaining With
49, On this most important subject niormants
&c ahosl saent IL present. foreign commerce = pal
Try With tie Dutch, rather with their colony Java
aud one % larger but stu petty scale with CHINA
10 tho Junks ~ thai country Japan Ia, however, large
internal traffic q ~ own carried chiefly along T.
coast aud oycr Il numerous bays aud strsis
that the japanese not by any unrrepa4ed
enter utfu maritime trade.
country with a crowded population ike japan and |
0h a climate resembling that Of Europe will furnish
Nlth CON, sugar, coffee cotton, bot i far
likely require such things from Camphor
the only product II this description which they can sun
py, gn'ess they should earn - improve thor tea and
Their silk which, Will The stmusut % good prices,
not improbable
important Il those a present is copPf- which i the
finest the, world, aud u exported % China aud /
bay Gold and silver stated ~ be abundant and !
were certainly at time exported, and 4 we |
remember well, - the yearly value Of E29o0oo0 |
Il would he curious enough II to the influx Of gold
from California. Australia and Fraser river there
added M influx q gold ana silver from Japan. Coal
already mined and used as foe BY the Japanesc and
may possibly be obtained for our steam navigation ia
country pre- omncnty volcanic sulphur seounds, and,
j. sad. a. easily dug ~ Tor use a. sahd. u -, W
should have In Japan Compctlor with sicily and his "
liberal Majesty The King q Naples
A. 20 exports, We ought 10 find ~ japan market
for our ooons aud wooeus; Tor the hrst because the
material cannot fail 70 b. high priced IN country
only small part Of which ID ~ climate for proiuc-
ton aud because English machinery Is cheaper Than
Iapancse manipulation. Tor the second, because the
Iatanese have severe winter no sheep and bv cousvc
ausnre. no wo0len manufacture. To these staples
mus aud maieabc iron. scarce and bad 10 japan,
Kompfer and his followers assuring " that tools INSIDE q
Il arc costly those made from copper. The spccrcs
a the Indian ISLANDS W.T. 81 course continue 20 be sent
now and timber from the same quarter may, perhaps,
become article importation INTO country whore wood,
owing extensive cultivation. i very scarce AMI dear
But for al considerations the subject 81 trade, there
"A time enough for elaboration FOR three of the ports pro-
vded by treaty not 10 BE- opened until after year
from IL ratification and The remaining two not Tor three
yCaft laia.
rrr. Thac kerny and Mr. Edmund yate--Ihe
London Garrfck Club.
ffrom the London Post, Nov. 10
which promises 10 be Of considerable interest IN
hn.LII rn-nn INN.