The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1860-06-29

PECrs IN JAPAS?-There is no doubt that Che
present Embassy will accomplish more in
opening the empire of Japan to American
and European intercourse than whole CEN
turies Of consular negotiation on its own
shores The most exclusive nation in the
world has made an ineffaceable step in
international sociability and the union between
this country and it cannot fail TO be more
closely cemented in consequence.
The Japanese will now become familiar with
our commerce, civilization and language. They
will talk as eye witnesses of our great cities,
and our fleets Of shipping, our railways, our in
ventions and manufactures. our fourishing
communities and our literature, including that
mighty organ Of public opinion, the Press; and,
lastly, it is to be hoped our hospitality, notwith-
standing the driving" to which they have
been more or less subjected on the part of a few
individuals having temporary charge Of them
since their arrival. They will be, altogether i'm
pressed with the idea that this is a great coun-
try in the best sense of the term, and one upon
whose friendship and fair dealing they can all
ways rely. Nevertheless, II is improbable. even
under the most favorable auspices, that the trade
between the United States and Japan will expe-
rience much immediate augmentation.
The Japanese are a people of simple tastes.
unsophisticated habits, and few wants beyond
those they are themselves enabled to supply
from internal resources The japanese at
home neither drink champagne nor ale. Saki-
q not unpleasant spirituous beverage distilled
from rice-is the universal drink among all
classes What they may do, however, on hear
ing the opinion Of the members Of this En-
bassy, who have displayed notable Partially
for the liquors first named, the sequel only
will tell.
The Japanese of the present day have made
the same objections to the introduction of steam
and machinery into their country that the
English did when the first steamboat was
building and the FIRST railway was planned.
They think the economy of labor resulting from
the use Of steam as q motive power would dis
employ large portion of their population, and
only tend to complicate their civilization, while
many of them look upon wide extension of
their commercial relations with foreign coun-
tries as likely to increase their liability to be-
come involved in the calamity of war, and
eventually lead to the overthrow of the empire
They further think that they are bet
ter in their present condition than they
would be after the adoption of unaccustomed
luxuries forced upon them by this new trade.
Making considerable allowance for their ma
tional prejudices, and the non-afinity of race be-
tween us, there is no doubt that the reports of
the japanese who are now visiting this country
will 60 far to remove their scruples on these
points. They will be told Of the admirable re-
suits of the introduction of steam power in Ame-
RIGA, and they will be shown drawings of our To-
comotives and steamships, and specimens Of
hundreds of useful machines for economizing
labor, before unknown to them. They will then
begin TO see that higher and mechanical class
of labor may be brought into requisition among
themselves in making and, If they can, In i'm
proving upon these Instruments For it must
be recoflected that the japanese are an invent
i've, industrious and practical people, although
of course not to the same extent as ourselves,
and would not import what they could manu-
facture OF home. So far we should be losers
rather than gamers by their intelligence, but
this FIRST advance In artificial life on their part
would multiply their requirements and stimu-
late the popular taste for novelties to an extent
that would almost revoutionize the country,
and then ii would be that our trade with Japan
would assume the desired importance. But
how long 1t may be before this consummation
kolxo MIA Ia mat a. T.
finite as any other of those coming events to
which the future holds US blind.
At present matters are anything but pro-
missing In japan. The different foreign lega-
tons, including our own, require to be con-
stantly guarded by native force; murders are
not of unfrequent occurrence both among the
European and native population, and trade is
nearly OF stand still. The currency system Is
also operating very unsatisfactorily; . silver
itzabu, worth thirty-three cents, or at the most
an itzabu and q tempo, the latter being valued
at two cents, Is reokoned by the japanese
government as equivalent to half dollar,
which makes our countrymen suffer loss Of
thirty-four or thirty cents O. the case may be-
upon every dollar expended. The represents
tions, however, OF the Ambassadors on their
return will be likely to effect an immediate and
more equitable adjustment Of this. ,vexed
question In the meantime, 1t Is to be hoped
there will be return of tranquility in that dis
tant land, where the few resident foreigners
have no other reliance for their safety than in
the friendship of Its inhabitants.
MORE INVESTIGATING ConnrrKEs-Mr. John
Covode has great deal Of nonsense to answer
for. He has made investigating committees all
the rage So great is the mania for inquisitorial
examinations that we should not be surprised to
hear Of q special committee Of the Common