The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1867-05-04
Japan.

Japan.
Since the Inauguration of the steamship line
between California and China and japan, the
attention Of the civilized world has been %particu-
larly directed to the latter country. whose extent,
resources and general condition have never been
thoroughly made known. The best authorities
Of our times set down the population Of japan
mt from % 600. eco 10 10000 .000. but this. OF
course, Is mere guess work, and no doubt is in
tended IL include the contiguous islands which
are subject TO the rule Of the japanese. The
habitablc territory Of the japanese Empire i
undoubtedly much greater than that Of Great
Britain and Ireland.
The government, though usually spoken Of as
that of an Empire, appears 70 be an anomaly,
more resembling n confederacy of petty princes
than an absolute mOnarchy-in fact, something
like the condition Of England, in the years fol-
lowing the times Of William the Conquercr.
There are not far from two hundred Independent
Princes, called Daimios. each one of whom is
almost if not quite Il sovereign in his own dis
trict or barony, while the Mikado, or Spiritual
Emperor, has nothing 10 say in government mat
tiers, and the Tycoon, or Military Emperor, is
simply a Daimio of exalted rank, whose power in
the Confedcracy is only nominal. These facts go
to explain why it has hitherto been SO difficult to
obtain reliable treaties with the japanese. But
by commercial intercourse with foreign nations,
they are gradually coming to understand that it
is wiser to relax the jealous and exclusive policy
by which they have been governed for centuries.
Three ports-Nagasaki, Kanagawa and Hakodadi
have been openedt to foreign trade by treaty stipu-
lations. The imports and exports of the two
e.. - = 700 - Il
{ 25,3l4
hanagawa. 536,s6O l,3l3,J6S
In the year 1863, 100 British ships cleared from
kanagawa. The exports in that year amounted to
t2,G3S, sos, and the imports were set down at eS11,-
l46; about tour-fiiths of this trade being then in the
hands OF English merchants. Among the exports
were 1869 piculs Of silk and 5000, 900 pounds of
tea. These exports hardly made any impression
upon the surplus products in store, and which might
have been sent abroad but for the timid and narrow
policy which ruled for the time. Great difficulty has
heretofore been experienced i'll dealing with japanese
currency, and trade has been done with less hind
RANGES III the way of barter, than by any other
method.
In 1863 the vessels entering the japanese ports
were 100 British, 40 American, 13 Dutch, 6 Ger
man, ! French, > Russian, of 81 ,32S tons; and 16S
vessels cleared, OF 61,210 tons.
OF the japanese currency, but little is known
to the outside world, but they are quite shrewd
enough to take foreign gold and silver at Il dis
count. According to a recent British Treasury
Report, n remarkable rise was observed in the
price of Mexican dollars in the London market.
which was accounted for by extraordinary de-
mands for that coin in the new ports opened in
China and Japan. The principal silver coin of
the latter country Is the : : itzcbu," and it seems
that, according to the present coinage of japan,
81 itzebucs contain the same quantity of silver
~ 1nH w., 1.I1,-, ~, IL, -, ..-.1.. = -.
tie over a third of a dollar in actual value. But
it is said that in mercantile currency go itzebucs
only are considered the equivalent of 100 dollars.
Mexican dollars are generally worth about is. Id.
in London, but they were recently quoted in
~IIongkong Mt Is. lid. Thus China and .Jaran
are absorbing the precious metals, which never
return into the general circulation of the worlds
trade. Mr.. q. Arberthnot, in the Treasury re-
port before alluded to, speaking OF the matter of
currency among tie Japanesc, says
Even in the marrow view of the immediate objects
of the trade with .apan, it would be better for all
parties that the complications arising from the COM
parison of one coin With another should be abandoned,
and that the japanese should be invited to adopt the
only course consistent with free commerce, namely,
the establishment Of IA free mint, open for the coin
age of bullion ut n charge sufficient to cover the cost
of coinage.
chlHA - HhNh't H' "SiANbi1tlui DhilA ' =
SAYS a recent writer in the San Francisco Bulletin
Agriculture is the leading pursuit of the indus
triad classes outside of the large cities. As rice forms
the chief food, this Of course is the leading agricul-
tuIal product. Rotation of crops and irrigation is
practiccd To great perfection. The principal crons
are, rice, wheat, barley, miilet, cotton, beans, buck
wheat, Indian corn, rape, peas, hemp and tobacco.
There are few domestic animals, the inhabitants never
eating animal fooo. Oxen and cows are used for
draught, and usually singly; no use Is made of cows
milk and sheen and rOrS are not gpppr-pllv 1tf-a1
Most of the vegetables known in this country. are
also cultivated in Japan. Fruits are abundant, but
are not brought TO such perfection as in other cOun-
tries, The apple, pear, plum, peach, grape, chest
nut, ~persimmOn, prnegranate, fig, orange, lemon,
citron, strawberry md many other kinds of small
fruit are common IL that country. The flora is also
remarkable; many rare plants have been brought
from Japan and propa@ated in this State.
The timber trees of Japan are said to equal in
value those of any dher country Of the same extent
i'll the world. The Unifers are most numerous: and
these are cultivated with the utmost care. Nearly
every known speciesof oak tree is found, both live
oak and deciduous, and the timber of several of these
varieties, is the very best both for ship building and
other purposes requiring great strength and solility.
Some of the best cabinet woods known to artisans
abound: specimens o; these woods are often seen in
articles imported from that country. The elms also
grow to Il great size, and this timber il of excellent
quality; the camphcr and mulberry tree are of great
value. There is a usage prevailing worthy of a
speedy introduction here. Whoever cuts down n
forest tree is reqUared forthwith to plant another.
This rule would havoa most salutary effect upon the
needless, improvident men who slash down our beau
tiful forests, destroying more timber than they ever
take TO market.
Japan is also rich in minerals. Kpmpfer, a good
authority, says The greatest riches Of the Japan
ess soil, and those in which the Empire exceeds most
known countries. consists in all sorts of minerals and
metals, particularly il gold, silver and copper" 1t
IS estimated that the Dutch, in the course of % wears,
ont of that country gold to the value of nearly
$50, OOO,OOO Silver, quicksilver, lead, tin, iron and
sulphur are abundant. But the most important
natural production ia its relation TO modern COM
nerce. is coal. There Is hardly a doubt but this
article can be obtained in any desirable quantity.
Bituminous coal is the only kind yet seen by foreign ,
~ and much nf this takcn from the SnriIcn W.