The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1871-12-22
THE RESOURCES OF JAPAN.

Foremost among the resources of
japan are its fisheries. The sea and its
productions, we believe, contribute
fully as much to the sustenance of the
natives as do the fruits of the earth
rice perhaps excepted. One of their
productions has value which is not
confined to the spot but extends to us
to our enterprise and our trade-we
mean the whale or, as they call it, kud-
surf. There is nothing of which such
extensive use is made both for rich and
poor. 1t is found all around Japan,
particularly in the sea of Keumano,
which washes the southern coast of the
island of Nippon, the most important
territory of the empire, and it also pre-
walls In the islands of Tsussima and
Goto, and upon the coast of Omura and
Mono. These whales afford oil in great
abundance, and their flesh, which is
considered very wholesome and nutri-
tious, is largely consumed. No part of
them indeed is thrown away, all is
made available to some useful purpose
or other except the large shoulder bone.
The skin which is generally black, the
flesh which is red and looks like beef,
the intestines and all the inward parts,
| besides the fat or blubbers which is boil
ed into oil and the bone which is con-
verted into innunberable uses-all is
made available to purposes of profit.
We have gone into these few particu-
lars respecting the whale because it is
that which has brought our countrymen
into contact with japan. Manv of our
ships have for some considerable time
past frequented those seas for captur-
ing the whale, an occupation which it
is found might be pursued with great
advantage under commercial treaty
with the government of japan, whose
inhuman laws at present not only pre-
vent any assistance being rendered to
shipwrecked mariners, but expose them
to positive maltreatment and even to
| violent death. To obtain redress in
this respect was the primary object of
Commodore Perry's expedition. japan
abounds in natural and artificial pro-
auctions of great value. Its mineral
riches are enormous and include metals
of various kinds, especially gold, sil-
yer and copper. Sulphur and nitre are
also found III large quantities, there is
no want of coal, and there are precious
stones of almost every variety-Rgates,
sapphires, iaspers, comedians and even
| diamonds, white pearls are found in
great plenty among the shells upon the
coast. Then the fertility of the soil is
very great. The mulberry tree grows
very extensively, and affords food for
L
I kadsi or paper tree serves innumerable
purposes, including the manufacture of
cloths, stuffs and cordage. The cirusi
or varnish tree is another valuable pro-
duction of the country, yielding large
quantities OF milky juice which the ma
tives employ to varnish, or Japan, as
we call 1t, various articles. Then there
are the bay tree, the fig tree, the cY-
press tree, with very many more, all
more or less valuable and from which g
great variety of useful things are made
aud last though not least. there is the
tea shrub from which the common
drink of the people is brewed and
which is capable of yielding q valuable
article of commerce. Trees growing
nuts of various kinds are abundant, the
maple is extensive and excellent, BAN.
boos are very plentiful and of great use
as they are everywhere in the Indies
they cultivate as much hemp and cotton
as they can find room for in their fields
and as to rice, which is the main food
of the natives, that grown in Japan i:
considered the best in all Asia, and il
. can be produced in almost any quaint
. ty. Their grains are Of several sorts
besides the komi or rice there are the
J oomuggi, a kind of barley. the kro
muwgi, their native wheat, and thu
daidsoD, a specie of bean, all of which
abound with superior farms. Ths
manufactures Of Japan have hitherto
been confined almost exclusively Il
{ their own domestic wants, but many o
2 them are nevertheless valuable as arti
! cles of export. Our adoption her,
and throughout Europe Of the term ia
pan as applied to certain kinds of var
: lnished ware indicates how well know
8 has been their peculiar excellence in
y M Inv Of hat fr.9 -
They make various articles from tn
paper tree resembling papier mache
which they paint and varnish on pape
q very highly, and these might form oh
= jects of considerable trade. Thei
:. silks, muslins and cotton goods ar
It most of them very superior and som
+ OF them are calculated to become high
9 ly recherche, and their carvings {
wood, ivory, pearl, etc., are unexeelle6