Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1860-01-14


Japanese Rmbassy--IntersssinH Letter
The japanese Embassy the Emperor has
decided to send 70 the United States, will con>
sist Of two Chief Ambassadors, eighteen Off
cials Of various ranks, and fifty attendants and |
servants; in All seventy persons. They will
embark for this country on the 22d ofFebruary
next. They are to como to Psnama in the u
s. frigate Powhattan, where the party will
cross the Isthmus and take passage in vessel
provided by our Government
An interesting letter to the Boston Traveller
dated Jeddo, Oct. sth, 1882 states that at first
eighty one persons of different classes were
appointed to accompany the Commissioners.
Of these, two were to act as Censors or spies
upon the Commissioners, two Lieutenant Gov
ernors, eight Generals and Colonels, two In.
terpreters, two Physicians, and forty servants.
The American Commissioner, Mr.. Harris, in
formed the authorities that American taste and
etiquette are unlike Japanese, and that even
our greatest men had no retinue So large a
suite would rather annoy than contribute TO
representation ten we're struck from the list of
the Embassy. We quote from the letter an
Americans account Of the City Of Jeddo, one
Of the least known yet most wonderful Of the
world He writes
But what shall / say of this greatest and
most singular Of all citiesl Ayolume is need
ed to des. .rbe it, without attempting to give
its history I have read Of old Nineveh aud
III, LII fba frru.ud and and hand
led the works Of art which have been disin>
TERED and created so much admiration on both
sides Of the Atlantic; but one living JeddO
above the ground, is worth a hundred old iogy
cities below it. l cannot give you an idea Of
it, it is so unique, so unlike everything except
itself and so impossible as you will think. /
have seen several places Of interest, and main.
tanned cool head but was bewildered and
confounded when saw this. Il is situated on
the western shore Of this charming gulf, 20
miles wide by "a long, to which the Lake Of
Tlberias is nothing, except in the memory Of
| the sacred feet which once trod its shores. 1t
stretches for 20 miles and more along beach
of semi.circular form, with its horns turned
outwards, and along which street extends,
crowded with blocks of stores and houses, and
teeming with moving crowds, while shopkeep-
! ers, artisans, women and children seem equally
/ numerous WlLUlu uOOIb dun Nv Tue NOOIb.-
Indeed, dozen cI fifteen miles might be addtd
to the length of the city in this direction, since
/ there is nothing but an unbToken succession of
towns and villages for this distance, which are
as populous and well built as the city ITSELF
In crossing the city from the shore to the west
ern outskirts, haye walked two miles and
half, and then proceeded on horseback for ten
miles more, making twelve and a half in the
whole, while in other places it may be wider
still. According to the lowest estimate, the
city covers an area equal TO seven Of the New
England farming towns, which were usually
six miles square. And all is traYersed by
streets, usually wide, well constructed, perfectly
neat, and crossing each other at right angles
streets lined with houses and stores as COM
pactly as they can be built, and crowded with
moving or stationary masses as thick as in our
Washington street OF New York Broadway, at
least for considerable distances The pOpula-
tion is estimated generally at three millions,
which Mr.. Harris, our Minister, thinks is no
exaggeralion. For my pant, judging from
what have seen when l have gene into the
heart of the city, and crossed the city from side
to side, should be willing to add as many mil
lions more; for the living, moving masses, seen
from sunrise to sunset, and everywhere the
same, fairly seemed beyond computation. One
city, as large as seven fine towns in Berkshire
County, and containing a population three
times as large as that of the whole State of
Massachusetts That is enough to think of
for moment.
Several streams run through the city.
cornted fpe, though one or two might be cs-
nails. The largest is about twenty rods wide,
over which well constructed bridge is thrown.
from which distances are measured to all parts
of the empire 1t is the mile sfOas Of Japan
Boats and junks, By means of these rivers and
canals, pe1meate all parts of the city. There
is nothing magnificent in architecture; most of
the houses being of one story only, though
some are of two, and are plain, though always
neat, both within and without.
Some of the palaces of the Daimias, or he
redtary Princes, however, are an exception;
one which l happened to see being Of exquisite
beauty in the structure, in the spacious court
before it. and in the gateways,and trimmed and
trained bushes which made the hedge, and
the dwarfed trees planted in front to adorn it.
The Imperial Quarters occupy the centre of
the city, and are situated on an elevation from
which you have distinct view Of great part
of the city. These quarters are called the Cit
adel, and are surrounded by deep and wide
moat, and massive wall whose circumference
is or 10 miles. No one is admitted unless a
dignitary, or high minister, or q foreign am
bsssador. One gate was open, through which
could look within, but saw nothing but hou-
ses. Tall cedars spread abroad their branches,
giving all the signs Of life which were to be
seen in the imperial solitude and prison. But
the whole was massive and imposing, evincing
high degree of art and civilization No walls
surround the city; no towers and fortresses rise
up within; nor did see so much as gun OF a
solitary soldier
The striA;7g peculiarly of the city is its nu-
! merous tall trees with Iuxuriant branches, and
groves sometimes of acres, which gives to the
entire city at many points the air Of forest
There are also in SO large territory swells and
! even considerable hills, peTched on the summit
of which, and half buried in the solemn trees
! in which it is emboWered, fine Buddhist tenn
pie is sure to peer out, the fairest spots in crea
ton being selected for the worship of the
! devil.
t Such is my rude and rapid sketching; but
7 We shall return here after our visit to Hong.
Kong, and remain for weeks previous to our de-
l partuIe on Feb %, when l intend to traverse
the city right and left, and study its wonders Of
nature and art, and give you more minute and
exact information. Nothing could be more
{ civil and kind than the bearing and intercourse
I of the people, or safer than circulating In the
I day time through its streets and among it
crowds.
Legislative summary.
Z In the Senate, yesterday, a number of bill
/ were read the second time, and appropriately
[ referred; after which the following bills WeT
!, introduced, and read the first time: To let the
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