The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1867-07-31
The Jananese Mint.

The following is an interesting description Of the
process by which the Japanese make their coin:
A lump of silver of the necessary ineness, obtained
either from the government mines or hv melting down
Mexican dollars is placed in iron adle and reduced
to molten state by means Of charcoal fire and q
pair of blauksmiths bellows 1t is then poured into d
mould from which is taken out in the share of thin
rectangular bars. which immediately thrown into
tub of cold water. On being taken out man
seated on the ground shears off with pair of large
fixed scissors all jagged pieces adherng to the angles
They are now handed to another man, who weighs
them b7 one and piece cut off, if necessary to
reduce the bar to its proper weight The next pro-
that Of dividing the bar by fixed pair of shears
into eight equal portions of the size Of chihus this
is done by workman cutting it accurately his
practiced eye will enable him. and his work is tested
by weighing, light pieces being rejected and the heavy
ones Ieduced to their proper weight by the scissors
The pieces heated white bot III charcoal fire.
plunged into water, boiled, and washed IL kind Of
brine from which they come out with tHodatatey
bright surface. They are next very slightly milled
on the two sides, and more deeply the edges By
! means of med hammer. They now ready for
! Stamping. A man places of the pieces on a sta
tionary die; second man, armed with huge ham,
mer gives one blow on the upper die, and the coin is
struck. The blows dealt in rapid succession aud
| the whole scene reminds one of backsmiths shop.
Boys punch small stars the edges by means of
chisel and hammer The coins are weighed one by
one for the last time, and the light ones rejected
The Imperial stamp is added by means of another
stamped chise and malet, and the coins are complete
They are rolled up in paper packets of 100; each
packet is weighed and marked with a SEAL which
guarantee ofits contents, and gives it cur
rency 100 ichibus While every operation is per-
formed in this primitive manner, perfect order pre-
walls In the establishment; every goes through
his portion of the work in silence and with the resu
larity of clockwork, and many evnce considerable
skill. There are about 800 hands employed in tile
building. When the men enter in the morning they
are made to divest themselves of their clothes
and put on others belonging to the mint the end
ofthe days work gong sounds, when the somewhat
curious spectacle is presented OF some 800 spring
ing from the ground, which they had been seated
throwing off their clothes, and rushing, a naked
throng to end of the yard Here they pass through
/ no silver on them Their back hair is pulled down
and examined, they wash their hands and hold then
sup to view, drink water and then hooo and lastly
they run to the other end Of the yary clearing two or
three hurdles their way; after which performance
they are allowed to rut their clothes aud de-
part Mr.. Sidney Locock, her Majestys Secretary Of
legation from whose report Of this year these state
ments taken believes that the mint has only been
twice entered by foreigners and states tLat the appa
rent absence of all restrictions with regard touching
and handling the coins points to the probability that it
is not often open to the pnblc but he remarks that
even if it were, the manners and customs Of the coun
try are not such as would preclude mixed assem-
bage of visitors from going it and remaining to
the end The quantity of silver being coined daily a.
the beginning Of this year $4,000 monline, which,
at the rate Of % momne to the ichibug would give
daily total issue of over q 900 bus about Ell 800
The whole OF these produced by the simplest man
ual labor, unaded by single piece of machinery.