The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1880-07-27

PEOPLE, 1Htlh MONEi, uAbiiS VT LIT bt
AND TRANSPORTATION FAcILITIEs-PoLICE
FORCE IN uLsTEKS-THE TEA BUSINESS
OvERDOXE--A CHEAP COUNTRY TO LIVE IN
AMERICANS THE FAvORITE FOREIGNERS.
n. alter from a former resident OF Richmond TO a
friend hsrs.I
YOKOHAMA, May 2S, 1880.
You may certainly know Japan to be a
beautiful country when / say that me
scenery here far surpssses that OF Virginia.
II is one large garden, very mountainous in
places, but the country lays so beautifully
and the farms are so neatly kept that the
commonest places appear to be more Tor
ornament than use. There are no fences,
and places are divided generally by hedge
OF tes.plants, which are trimmed much the
same as our lockwood. The rice, OF
course, is all grown on lowands, generally
covered with water (ther mode OF irriga-
ton is very primiliye), the tea on hillsldes
and mountains, and on the fiat lands mul.
berry-trees for the cultivation OF the SILK
worm, so that they utilize all their ground.
The roads are splendid and always kept in
good order. Travel generally is
on HORSEBACK,
though there are several good carriage
cine. the longest read is nearly 600 miles in
length, well graded and macadsmlZed all
the way. We have railroad, built by the
English Government for the japanese, run
ming between here and the capital, Toxic
(Yeddo), distance thirty-sX miles. The fare,
round trip, is 65 cents; very comfortable
carriages, but as slow travelling Us from
Richmond to Petersburg. The Japs are
wonderfully progressive, and their mail ac-
commodations. &C., for foreigners really
very good. Letters and small packages from
Yoko TO America only cents, and 10
any distance in Japan from Yokohama for
the same size package the postage is ~
cents. However. they make that up in
many ways by oyercharging the foreigners
on everything bought, aud for travel
through the country double and sometimes
treble the rates for natives. We go from
one part Of the settlement to the other In
jirickshas drawn by one man. 1t IS a small
two-wheel carriage, seat for one. and the
fare is any price from cents TO 10 cents an
hour. The coolies who draw the lirlckshas
are very strong and have great endurance,
travelling with passengers through the
country sixty and seventy miles day. They
neuer walk, no matter how short or how
long the distance, but
STRIKE A D0G.TR0T,
or lope, and keep the same pace for
hours. In the city they earn about on an
average 30 to 80 cents day. equal
TO .f5.25c. OF our money. Their currency
is az a discount Of 60 cents on the Mexican
dollar, which latter is the money foreigners
use entirely, though at one time the native
currency was ut a premium OF 10 per cent.
Since last September they have circulated 80
much OF il that to-day it Is worth only a
little more than the paper upon which IL Is
printed. Most Of their large notes, say
from s. (ciled by them kinSatS), are en-
grayed by the Continental Bank-Note Com
pany. New York. The money paid to
coolies Is copper coin, tempoo loos, and
cents; also. 10c.-, 20c.-, 50c.-, and S1-silveI
pieces, which latter are equivalent to MeXi'
can on account Of the purity OF the silver
As a rule the japanese are very free with
their money, never try to save, and always
seem happy: singing all the time, and
when drunk on too much sake are IN thelI
best humor. They seldom, II ever, fgh
with one another, and when they do they
never strike each other, but
MUss THE hair,
disarrange the clothes, and make terrible
fuss and no damage. Still the crowd gathers
lust the same as at street-fght in America
but never interfere until stern officer o
the law comes along, when they are onll
too willing to stop and go and take bath
| The Japanese police force, though not The
| {" finest in the world,o certainly feel them
selves to be SUCH They wear long ulsters
| trimmed with yellow, short jacket, ant
pants with yellow stripe, caps with an lm
mense shield and clubs the same size and
shape as a broom-handle, and look like
troop OF monkeys. They are well trained
as none have ever been seen until the rob
berry is committed. In this they equal tn
| New York squad. AS class, the Japanese
are probably the most cleanly in the world
| "a far as their bodies are concerned. The.
wash two or three times IL day in bath
houses, as plenty as beer-saloons in Amer
lea. The only drawback is that they vii
wear the same suit OF clothes fully year
and never change it except at night, to pu
on heavy quilted cloak, which serves then
as bed at the same time. In the coldes
winter or the hottest days in summer
THEY SELDOM WEAR HATS.
Their hair is bushy, dt,cdyS black. an
very coarse. The hair OF the Japan wome
is always well kept, and they spend NOR
money with the hair-dres3er than they d
with their food, which latter consists OF fis
and rice. All the tea is picked and tired D.
the women; the men attend to the fires an
carry the boxes the women manipulate I'd
tea. Wages now are seventeen cents day
A man and wife can live on 81 month an
| 70 to the theatre once week-admission
| two cents. Japan is alive with children
nearly every woman has. one slung on he
back, and children from four years old ar
toddling along the streets all day with b:
bies on their backs, and the dexterous wa
in which they play and jump and fall dow
and never dirty the baby is really wonder
full. Everything is done by the Japanes
to make their children happy. They bu
toys for them, and seldom II ever punis
them. The consequence Is
l GREAT LOVE
on the part Of the child for It's parents, an
this Is shown all through life, for no matte
how old they grow they always are undt
1.-The charge OF their parents, II living, an
never do anything without first asking pc
mission, the same as when they were chi
dren. Once year-on the first day
jMay--a large paper fish Is hung from POI
IN front OF any house where male Gnu