Saturday press. [volume] (Honolulu, H.I.) 1880-1885, 1885-02-14

W -" A''lI'i' W hH lhi''N'iNs - hN
most eastcrly country Of ASIA. II
stretches from lIatcruma, most southerly
OF the Riukin Group, - 4 N. lat to
Shumshu, most northcrly OF the kurile
Islands, 81 n lat Its longitude
ranges over 55,s the groups above
named being respectively farthest ives,
and east
Geographically the empire has been
divided into four groups
Japan proper consists OF the four
principal islands, known in the Ameri-
can biographies mentioning them
from south TO north as kiushiu Shi.
koku, Nippon or Niphon and Yelo /,
Rein calls the large island (Nippon)
IIondo (Honshiu or Jica,a) meaning
mainland" The number OF these is
lands bordering these -four principal
ones are considered part of Japan
proper"
The Riukin or Loochoo Islands arc
southwest, the Kurile Islands north
east and the BONN Islands south
east Of Nippon and none of
them have much commercial or polit-
cal importance--Japan proper embrac-
ing more than three four,hs Of the EN-
pres area. The Japanese Empire con
tains over 5000 islands, with an acre
age equal to the British Islands, Hol.
land and Belgium united; Nippon Ia
word applied by the Japanese to the
whole group and not to the largest is
land, as by Europeans and other for
eigners) is as large as Hungary, Yezo a
trife larger than Bavaria.
Nippon contains SO, aga square miles,
which is 8 9-io per cent more than half
the area of the empire.
In 1874 the population of Nippon
was s5,47S,S34; of the whole empire,
33,6sS373.
Its four principal islands give Japan
long and numerously-indented coast
line. 1t has few good harbors--Naga-
saki, Yokohama and Hakodate being
the best-but for the most part the
coast is either low and sandy or high
and rocky; although there are said to
be Sc harbors and trading ports.
The tidal range is from :, to J feet
difference between flood and neap.
The Japanese Current, or Japan
ese GulfStream," called in Japan Kvo
.Hiaoo,. washes portion of both east
and west coast of the main islands dur.
ing part of its course, and does much
to modify and improve the Japanese
climate.
Although Japan has many rivers,
none are Of great length; the Tonegawa,
a river of Nippon, ITO miles long, being
the largest, widest and best navigable.
Many Of the Japanese rivers are very
swift and floods are frequent.
Japan has many and remarkably
beautiful lakes, one of them being over
SO miles long and at one place 20 miles
wide.
Fujisan-commonly known as Fusi-
yama-is probably the most beautiful
mountain in the globe 1t is I2,36s
feet high, is apparently an extinct vol
cano, is shaped like cone and is snow
capped 1t is visible from I3 provinces
of Nippon and for long distance at sea.
The mineral wealth of Japan is pro-
digious. Its gold product was the won
der Of the 10Th and 18th centuries,
during which, it has been estimated,
over $500, 10000 worth Of gold was
exported to Europe by the Dutch and
Portuguese. Gold, silver, iron, copper
and lead exist in numerous deposits
although gold mining is by no means
what it once was-and there is an
abundance of coal with which to work
the various ores.
The Japanese have been called
"The French of the East" 1t would
be more just to call them "The Amer
leans Of the East" The commonly
accepted idea of the Japanese is that
of race very like the Chinese-be-
longing to the same civilization and
with the same characteristics. Al
though it is true that their letters and
much of their state polity were bor-
rowed from China, their social life and
method Of thought. are as different as
those Of the American aborigines and
Of the descendants Of Europeans who
now occupy the United States.
The chief characteristic of the Jap
anese of high or low degrees is his
loyalty and respect to his master or
employer. But this respect is founded
on self respect, and demands in return
what it gives. The Japanese servant
is respectful not only because he is a
servant but because he receives just,
kind and respectful treatment from
those above him. This is undoubtedly
a result Of former feudalism, but the
trait is a race inheritance.
The soil Of Japan is generally deep
and rich, and yet, at the same time, il
is naturally cold and sour. There is