The New York herald., 1870-09-26
IA p A N.
Terrible Disaster to the Steamship City Of Yedo-
Boiler Explosion and Most Fatal Result
The Killed and Wounded National
ProgrsH-0cueral News Re-
port-Trade and Shipping.


IL Is my melancholy duty to report the first case OF
poer explosion that has occurred In Japan; but
unfortunately although the first 1t not the last
As tne steamer City OF Jeddo was about leaving
her dock at Jeddo. August I, her boiler exploded
with great Violence, making complete wreck OF tho
steamer and destroying many lives. The number or
persons upon her Ia uncertain "a no records were
kept. but as iar as I; is possible ascertain about
one hundred natives were either killed at once or
died subsequently Of their injuries.
There were eleven foreigners on board Of whom,
five were Instantly killed ana the balance more or
less injured. The names OF the Americans were Mr.
and Mrs. Coones, two children and foreign servant
all OF whom were Killed except the Youngest child
an infant OF four months, Who Immediately after
the accident, was rescued from the water with but
slight injuries. Mr.. and Mrs. Coones were mission
aries OF the Presbyterian Church, were from Iowa
and were very highly respected by the community.
Mr.. Black, OF this place, formerly Of the firm OF
Howles d Black, engineers. Mr. Cassidy, the
engineer or the steamer, formerly OF the
Pacific Mail service. corOner's Jury was
held by Colonel Shepard. the United states
Consul ut Ieodo, upon the American subjects, and
subsequently another was held at the British
sulate ut THIS place upon the remains OF the British
subjects both concurring III the verdict that the
plosion was the result OF deficient wafer In the
boiler, owing TO the incompetehcy OF the engineer
This man, Il seems from the evidence was only
temporarily In charge OF the engine during the
Sickness oil tne one regularly employed.
The remains OF Mr.. Cassidy were blown into the
forward rigging.
the captain Of the er-Crowninshields-
standing upon the paddleDOx at the time. He vas
blown some twenty feet into the air, falling back
upon the paddlebox, and from there into the water
below. Although stunned by the force OF the ex-
| posion, he was not otherwise iniured-the only
adult who escaped without more or less severe in
on tue i-iated oneida, ana was one of the very few
! The CITY Of Yedo was built at Yokohama last
from
| hae. where II had seen some service. she was 10
feet IN length. Id feet beam and feet depth OF hod
her engines were OF thirty horse power. She was
plying between Jeddo and this place, a distance or
| twenty-five miles. Up TO the time OF this accident
owe over s eighty pssd doaia 1 f pei dem W Ae' ' 0SH''
NATIONAL PROGRESS.
In the history OF the world there never has been suc
| instance Of the rapid advance Of O nation nom
| darkness to light as we have In the japanese.
scarcely twelve years have elapsed since her ports
We're thrown open 10 commerce. and yet the country
| has adopted such liberal measures that the twin
agencies OF civilization, the railroad and the ele-
graph are not only In successful operation, nut
| long VIII penetrate the remote parts Of the empire
Now IN the Introduction Of the telegraphic system
the Japs had much contend against: not only
the preJudces OF the ignorant iew but in the very
material obstacle In Using the native alphabet. Az
| language they make some laughable mistakes In
their teegrans, as witness the following, sent by
| one Kent from Jeddo, soon after the boiler explo.
| si0n 10 the Japan Hsfdtd OF this place.
| FROM sEsT.YEDo u MorEl- a.
Japsnese missing aaeSsasSo many now dead 10 sr u
motel wounded rSa,a sEn, & nys Killed letter
The Instruments used are the cadran or dial,
which, although IL may answer very well at the pre-
sent moment can never from It's inherent faults oe
The railroad which has been talked about SO much
Is now fairly under way. rhe line Is partly
veyed and there has been sone grading done but E
VIII be time before the branch line from
yeddo here viii BE- completed. one Mr.. lay OF Eng
| land. mas maac an exceedingly shrewd speculation
out of this railroad. no came out here and induced
| The Japanese TO accept Of loan IRON him OF
Zen on the customs at e1eive per cent per annnm-
| Mr.. Lay returns TO England. throws tae loan upon
the market at nne per cent, ana hopes realize the
! difference, which II over Sl,oO0,0UJ.
TRADE.
The foreign trade reports have recently been puo.
! lsned, IRON which We Will make few abstracts.
The imports OF 1863 were Sl20l7,ll4; exports
S0,osS302: total foreign trade, $2,7oo,476, showing
a,iiDg OH rom the previous year OF $685., 279.
The trade, although less IN amount, transacteu
| on nrmer basis tnere being less difficulty with
tie native currency Tie principal items Of import
I are cotton yarn and shirtings OF which there were
e91sgqeA 81 tts i2rgler I dHlng lss 900 pieces,
| FOR when formerly there was an active demand is
! now a drug in the market, even blankets having
fallen sixty cents per pound Owing to The failure
| Of the native rice crop that staple very
| largely imported nearly au through 1869 ana
up 20 The present moment. Those who en-
! profits, While yearly all the late importers
| have suffered heavy loss. the price ranging from
81 10 per pIcu, 10 september iaei, TO SO last June
! since which ume IL mas iallen very materially
Al present tnerc Is every pr0spect that the native
/ crop Wul FufD out wei; DuL Slnulu the u
/ few weeks longer the crop wlli be seriously dam-
aged. During 1853 about 1903, 900 piculs were i'm
ported. The ni1in articles OF export siiK silk
| worms cggs ani Yea, Oh which articles we must
| note very considerable railing on Dnt II the re
turns were compiled IN JAY, as they should be the
year's trade would compare very fuvorabIy with
that OF 1858. Early IN 1870 the price on
! SIX was very bigh, $1,000 per picu having been
given for superiiue and 5000 FOR bast, but When
Six Game In the prlce iell $500. At the close
OF the year the market wap sagnant Japanese silb
| having iaen into some disIavor abroad owing io
at,..L "A M. llr
I portalion OF SIX worm eggs from Japan Now the
japanese are sensible enough To see that II they
port poor article their trade must decrease reaz-
ing that the iuture growth aud wealth OF Japan s In
! measure dependent upon foreign trade. Tney are
making every enort 10 improve tae character OF the
| SILK. Government having issued several proclama-
uoDs the subject, The native merchants are now
! awake 10 their own interests.
! iC may not be generally known that the silk ex
! ported from here IL IN the raw or uLmanuiactured
| form. Now there is no reason why this country.
with its cheap labor and mechanical mind, should
not consume nearly the entire product OF Its
! cries, exporting the manufactured artole II
| OF tue enterprsing MINDS oi Connecicur would turn
Their attention to this new development of the In
dustries of tie country, they. as wen as the entire
empire, would be benefited.
me trade in sllkworm eggs has been extensive but
not AS much so az the year before Total cards ex-
ported during 1853, 100000; during 1862 100000
cards: the prices have, however, ruled high, the
| average being ABOUT - per card.
Tie American is almost the exclusive market for
teas, only comparatively small amount going else
| where, but prices have ruled high here up TO the
present moment. let. notwithstanding, the trade
viii compare favoraby with that Of last year, which
some IL, ,595, 1874 lbs. AS Japan teas are
probably the only teas now on the American marke,
which De said to be free from cOlOring or any
other form OF doctorng, tue demand for them must
Increase as their really sterling quality Is more fully
| appreciated.
| Tue shipping OF the open ports has increased very
materially, partly owing 10 the large importa
ton. The relative amounts Of shipping for the
| hguro5:-Britisn, 335 vessels, I73,S97 tonnage;
American l2J vessels OF 206 261 tonnage; then ioL
low North German, 9y vessels; French, 81; Dutch
is; Russian, Is. DC.
| A typhoon passed over japan last week. but with
the exception OF u few native junKs no damage has
| been sustained as far as heard from.
new Jersey COURTS.
| In the PassaiC County Court, at Paterson, the
suit OF the Erie Railway tor alleged illegal over