Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1860-02-27
RICHMOND WHIG.
MEN AND THINGS IN JAPAN, SEEN THROUGH
AMERICAN FL rs.

Commodore Tstna received orders from the Secretary
OF the Navy take the two japanese ministers home via
Panama, the Mississippi which had been appointed for
this service having been beyond her tme and being
at once ordered home Our cruise will be considerably
prolonged by this arrangement since wait till
February 22d for the japanese ministers, while besides
this, the passage round the Horn is about months
/ longer than 10y the Cape Of Good Hope.
IL was necessary for our Commodore to run up to
Jeddo at ascertain whether the ministers would
20 had been stipulated rumorS were current and
credited generally, that the whole ongaikedof affair
would be failure and farce. Accordingly September
18TH leaving the WocSung, laid for Ma
gaslki, which we reached in three days Many iacss
were bright Wlth smiles while the courteous and grace
tul obeisaucc-a low bow with the hands touching the
kuees-waS Sau a'ion sincere uny ersal. But how
changed all around! Fifteen foreign vessels
chOred in the harhOr and usually there are twenty while
the "Strs and Stripes loatcd from the flagstaff of
/ American COn>u, Leaving Ncgasaki once more near
sunset, Sept. 2@d We had smooth sea and the most
agreeable weather, and passing Cosims, the Birds
Islands, smoking volcano and gazing once more on
the grand mountain Fusi-aua the main land, rs Il
broke upon view entered the Bay of JtdiO and
about noou October Sd, cast anchor near Yokohama,
which is only three miles south OF kanagawa and i
miles from Jcddo.
Hon. Mr. Ward accepted Commodore Tatnalls invita-
ton TO accompany him to Jeddo. Wednesday, Oct. .,
leaving loko-hOnl and rounding long point which
paateS lcddo from HanagaWI this great city for the
r, time broke upon vision; and anchorng at three
o'clock i. NJ, about miles from the shore, every
WAS inpatient TO put his foot upon the soil and explore
eNduuc and clearly what uOw through the iogs and
clouds, and trees, he saw dnklv.
Mr.. Ward had made his arrangements to call at once
upon Mr.. Harris our first Minister Japan whose l-
Dor, have been 50 honorable 20 his country and useful
TO Japan aud the civilized world. 1t fitting, how
ever that bc should leave the snip private ind
yidulL He was the American Minister to China and as
such should be houored in the sight of the japanese Gov
ernmeut and people. Accordingly, when he left the ship
the Yards were all Manned and reports from
the heavy guns of the Powhatan, rolling over these
smooth and quiet waters, aud diving away among the
groves and hill, which give the city the air of forest
have awakened memories Of the old volcanoes for
which this country is noted.
Before leaving tGe ship, Let us look around The Bay
OF e3io Is about 20 miles wide by long and is enter
eli by Strait miles wide and 10 long called the Straits
OF Urga from large town situated at the entrance
The shores low, with few exceptions, ana noun
taus line the coast IT, The form of the CITY,
as t touchc, and stretches along the Bay, that of
crescent tue distance between the points Of whose horns
is said he above t5oHtg miteS-al one continuous
s,reea line OF uubroaen blocks OF houses and shops,
crowded with the teeming population.
A mile before the town line of five forts built
upon % sand bar which a sixth observed in
process Of construction. They large and well
structed as gentlemen of the military profession assure
me, the wall, being Of brown granite without cement,
and ! or Is feet high. Some pieces Of cannon were
seen without covering, and others protected and
screened by small houses, under which they are placed
while soldier to be seen, aud the green grass
luxuriang from side 10 side the entire platform,
which contained acres in each fort, reminds Of Pdl,
rather than OF the god Of var.
They were beautiful rather than terrible, like little is
lands Of this Inland sea- thrown Up by the Creator for the
happuess OF life and the alOument of this fair portion
Ot earth not for the work OF misery and dcs;ruc-
;ion. Then tuta sc % the shipping. Jeddo Is not yet
opened commerce, and therefore foreign merchant
vessels are to bc there; but couutci nine Yoko
hama, and among them iWsr'cat that open
ed port as Jgl0 will be in 1863 she japanese govern
having wisely decided that would be perilOus and
injurious open all the ports Gt once. Whore
tire change ia tlc policy C nation Is contemplated and
the uon-l;ercour,e Of ages a. to be exchanged Tor free
intercourse and unrestricted commerce, evidently there
mus, be a training of officials Interpreters
and cus.om-house officers and others We'll of the
people themselves.
In this We see tine good common sense Of the Japanese
who p.rS,enty refused larger concessions at the time
though colTad aud urged by newly arrived outsiders
while in the fact the assurance of future
prudence aud Justice. Two small steamers armed with
eight or guns, were lying in port oicered and
ned entirely by japanese though built by Them
being present iron the Queen of England and the 9th
er built In Holland by order OF the japanese Government
Three sloop, anchored near them built after Euro
pesu models aud uuarmed so far could be SEEN while
about 100 large iunks with single of great size
resembling the trunk Of forest of thirty feet
above its roots anchored in different parts of the
harbor and probably above five hundred fishing boats
O. dereHt sizes Spreading their white sails propelled
bv oars were scattered this part of the bay giving
70 Unnatural beauty the addition of that of and the in
eret created by the presence Of human intelligence and
activity Probably thousand OF ths,e fishing boats are
scattered over TIN, inland sheet Of water
The next day after anchOrlng, the Commodore went
on shore with his ag Lieutenant and your correspond
ent amidst drenchiug rain which continued for three
DAYS and nights without cessation and almost without
abatement. solid wall is built up about eight feet high
along the beach in front OF the city, and close up the
long street which winds for 20 miles along the crescent
shore but without whaIycs or jetcS flights of stone
steps being constructed in several pieces for ascent and
descent while often plank lowered down into boat Is
the only aud uncomfortable substitute. The good con-
diuon OF this wall is admirably in it, whole extent
one break be SEEM not one stone Is displaced The
impression made by the forts and the wall along this
great beach of than twenty miles extent without
any SIGHT OF the city, is that Of high civilization and
Unlike to Pekin, JeddO is not surrounded 10y walls
magnificent gateways open their massive doors nine
story towers rise and lroNn above them; and basOus
/ and psrapcts upon the walls with canyon pccrng
through the embu,surc, mounted above them remind
he stranger Us he approaches the city that its happy
peope ever understood the art OF war; that he lives in
| i world where 70 ever known. Ascending the flight
of steps and standing in the front street and gazing up
on what the eye it turns in different directions,
the first feeling is that Of disapponment,the houses
are so unlike in size and elegance to what lie had eX-
pected 10 find them and the second feeling Is that OF u.
Esr bewderment he sees everywhere tall trees and
groves and thick underground, while hills rise here and
there OF considerable size and elevation all shrouded in
d mass Of luxurant yegctaton-hls as rural aud rough
as any to be seen country town in New England and
New York which hCmau foot seems never to have APP
/ proache l. or the hand to have touched.
Ii was in the midst Of a city larger in territory
regulation than London and yet seemed TO he in fo.
est! That feeling is the one first awakened and wander
where one will aud as long he WILL it is Oaly deepen
ed and in my case, at least mace more delicious II
is law or CUSTOM which amounts the thing with
the Japanese that every Is bound TO leave on his
grounds as many trees he found and if he
down, TO plant another in its place Hence the forest
city Some groves covered acres, and in the
perfect state of nature while in other places however
thick the planted and deep the shade they
cast among them 20 be neat houses and tine
gardens and the elegant shrubs dNaied and their
branches trimmed into the most fanciiul forms.
The distance from the landing Front street to the
house occupied by Mr. Harriss said to be miles and
a half Commodore Tatnall and his Flag Lieutenant took
a single uorigoa, sort OF chair Ike box with mats
on the bottom and suspended from beam which
may require. As for myself, chose to walk and see,
however the rain poured; and crossing from street to
street all OF which at right angles, wandering
amidst groves looking into the shops which line the
streets and filed with the cUrostes of japanese art
iostug amidst the crowds but always pushing ouwards
we reached the height of considerable hill when there
instantly burst upon the eye the imperial castle the
sive and vast palaces Of the Dames great princes of
the empire all located outside Of the walls oftLe impe
al castle while temples crowned the height of hills
amidst the solemn shade Of trees and groves seen
Ike native forests in other directions and c0nsora
Die river slowly wound its way in another, and wide
streets stretched away in straight lines beyond the
reach Of the eye At all the first impression was
eIaced aud felt that was in the midst OF an immense
4ls