New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1860-10-11
JAPAN.
NaeAsAKI PAST AND PRESENT.

Naoasaki. in q part of the world where centuries
ara unted small fractions in the lapse of time, is
n modern city. Not quite three centuries have
e,ap.ed since the Prince of Omura gave license 70
few Portuguese adventures to establish them
selves on the beautiful Bay of Nsgasski, and soon
after invited Father Torres TO found on the sane
spot Catholic church and city. Thus Ns5a'aki
was wholly built up under foreign influence aad
speedly became the seat Of the Romsh power IN
japan. Churches, cathedrals, and seats OF learn
inc occupied the hill sites and the monks hnking
hell was heard in the street calling the heatnen
10 repentance. Not a yestge OF the Churchs
cIorv remains. All the buildings memorials
Satcs insignia. have been Obhterated, the abodes
az the dead despOiled, and the Buddhist priest
strikes lis he'll and calls on Amida on ground
opce consecratc TO the Virgin. Protected by the
Prince of Omura, and enri he'd by foreign com-
merce, Nagasaki soon grew mp into large city.
five may trust the old cbroncleIs, the cty has not
increased much in modern tunes kaempier speaks
Of the fifty hunks at snchOr in the bay of the sixty
temples on the hills, and tho population of sixty
thopsapd in bis time-scarcely more than that
number of hunks lie there at anchor to-day. The
city can boast but lew additional temples, and
though heard the population commonly estimated
amoI the foreign residents at from COCO TO 600
inhabitants. l would prefer to take the estimate of
mtelllngul naive WHO lldCtu IL AZ duVHt ~ WV
The population of japanese towns is liable to be
oserestmated in the first casual survey,
esuecialy Il compared with Chinese cities
and their teemng population In Na2asah, as
elsewhere the numerous temples, with their spa
cious ground Enclosures, occupy large share OF the
inhabited town. Then there are the ample lnclo-
sures Of official buildings and residences, while the
private residences are not so closely compacted,
having ve1y commonly esch its own small court or
rear garden. The streets Of NagasaH have the con-
yenient width and cleanliness Of the approved ia
psnese pattern and are bordered by the usual neat
cottages of one and two stories, the quiet shops,
and strong ire-prCOf warehouses with hard-hnished
white walls and Oyerhangng roots OF dark ana white
tiles. Many OF the streets are long, handsome ave
nues Of two to twO-and-a-half rods WIDE, with q
smooth well-beaten, and ever ceany-swept road
Way in the center of which is a stone pavement OF
a few feet in width Japanese sidewalks are al
ways in the center of the street.
The situation OF the city assists TO g0od drainage,
and everywhere pure water from the hills was
flowing down the stone channels OF the street gut
ters Importing 10 the whole city a refreshing clean
illness and salubrity. Buildings of two stories are
more common than in YeddO Bay, owing probably
"a the greater frequency and severity Of earth
makes about the latter. Residents ior halt year
in NagaSaH bad not fe the first shock OF an earth
a. axe, while at Kanagawa IN June the earth baS
labored with 8gue-thrOes almost quOtdlan. The
is crossed by score or more of substantial stone
bridges. one and two archcd the former usually.
The arches were destitute Of keystone and though
neatly and substantially built would not be likely
to endure the earthquake SHOCKS OF Eastern Japan
Several Of them were so covered win chngl1g
vines and cIcepers that buttress and arch were
alike concealed, and the bridges were more like
holiday arches Of green boughs than the thorough
fares # weary everyday labor. The rivers swrled
to an unusual volume by tn long rains, were roar
ing over their rocky beds, whipped into creamy
foam. A few rude Touring mills We're driven by
the swtt-AOwng torrent. The dams were few
bOuders tumbled into the stream, enough to divert
stream ofwater through wooden suice against
breast shot wheel. 1t was the first mechanical ap-
phcatiOn of water power L had seen in Japan.
Each mill had q single of small stones, driven
by the simplest possible arrangement OF cOgs The
boiling was done by two sleeves, one of which was
moved by water and the other by the millers hands
and to which the flour carried by hand in wood
en- buckets. The quality of the flour was fair max
ing dark but sweet bread
The bills are steep that houses and temples are
ranged in tiers, above the other ike the seats
of a theater. The floor of one house is on 4 level
with the roof of it's next lower neighbor so that
one might sit on his garden-wall and look down
into bis UeghbOrs smoke aperture 10 inspect the
family cooking Leading away from the streets at
FRI quent intervals flights OF hewn-stOne steps,
Wild and deep, leading upward to temples MAS
and chapels hidden amid shrubbery and trees, at
the tOp-Iarely conducting TO a tea-house, as Mr..
Olyphant suppOses. Walls, Aanliing the streets or
iEclosing private grounds and residences, too high
for idle curiosity to gaze over, numerous IN eg
cry quarter They are built of stone and pottery,
and are OvergIOwn TIL they are bid under prOiu-
zion of creeping vines, among winch are the ivy
and a variety Of creeping ferns. The shops are
less pretentiOus than the gayer bazaaTs OF YOku-
hama. 4 stranger is at first at loss to find out
The merchant princes Of Naglsaki, who only indicate
by few eli. ap wares displayed on the lower front
Hoor that in rear room or up stairs they have for
sale the beautiful porcelain OF Hizen the gilt inaid
WORK Of Miaco or the lacquered and pearl work OF
fagasaki. Among the merchants there were lndl-
cations Of longer acquaintance with foreigners,
though the people were a. demOnstrauye III the
streets with their shouts OF Ohio and we every
where heard from the children " Button CASH. 1t
was something surprising to see the amount OF
foreign goods in native chops for naive cDnSump-
ton French p0rcelaiIs and caicoes Dutch glass
ware, and German cloths were common. So, TOO,
there was some cutlery, psriumery and medicines
offered and l w8r more than once stopped IN the
streets with regues 10 bay gin at one dollar a
bottle | do not think tie natives understood the
bleaching effect of Hollands tayOrite beverage or
they would not have seen in my dark yisage any
signs OF excessive fJn3ness for schrapps
Instead # the horse, which IS the universal beast
al burden in the eastern part of the empire, IN kid
stu the OK is as universally subtituted But a steer
is 30 more to be seen at agasaki than geding is
abou Yeddo Bay Respect for animal life seems
t. be 10 stronger in Japan than horror OF mniIla-
ton. During six months residence, have never
seen q mare among many thousands Of horses; they
are carefully kept by the thrifty japanese TO IN
crease their own herds, and are never offered for
sale not one beng az Ong the three thousand which
the French and English have purchased for the war