city, and is navigable for vessels of considerable burthen. The articles manufactured here, are in general very superior to those of the other parts of the empire, particularly China-ware, and various kinds of silk-goods, the raw silk being of the best kind.

SECTION XXIX.

JAPAN.

OPPOSITE the coast of China are many islands running in a N. E. direction towards the Japanese Archipelago, the principal of which are Formosa, and two groups of small islands, the Patchow and the Lieu-chew Islands.

FORMOSA. This island, called also Ty-o-van and Pa-kan, is about 70 leagues in length, extending nearly N. N. E. and S. S. W. The S. part has on it a high double-peaked mountain, discernible at 20 leagues' distance in clear weather; from this the land slopes down, terminating in a low projecting point, called the South Cape, or S. E. point of Formosa. This point is situated in latitude 21° 54′ N., and longitude 121° 5′ E. About 25 leagues to the N. W. is the harbour, where the Dutch had formerly a settlement and fort, from which they were expelled by the Chinese.

Europeans are not allowed intercourse with this island. Some particulars of its internal character have been lately obtained from a native at Batavia.

The capital of the island is Seng Tyan-hu, where the Dutch fort Zelandia stood; this place and Lo-kang are frequented by Chinese shipping. Seng Tyan-hu is a large town, and well fortified. Besides the Chinese population of the island, there are tribes of aborigines distinct from each other; some of whom are in an uncivilized state, and in constant hostility with the Chinese. The soil of the island is described as fertile; the principal agricultural product is rice; the next, sugar, which is generally of a coarse quality. The tea plant is cultivated on the hills; it is of the green sort, and chiefly exported to China. The greatest river of the island is the Howdg-he; it passes by the fort of Chu-lo-kwan,

about two days' journey from Seng Tyan-hu. The revenue arises from the customs and a land-tax; both are very moderate. A Pekin Gazette of 1819 declares the office of Governor of Formosa to be extremely difficult, because it produces sulphur, an ingredient of gunpowder, and because the people are quarrelsome.

TRADE. The commerce of the island is confined to China. The rice

and sugar of Ty-o-van are exchanged for teas, silks, &c.; and the number of junks employed is about 100 monthly. The Ty-o-vanese wishing to engage in the trade with Siam, Cochin-China, the islands, and Japan, must carry it on from the opposite harbour of Amoy.

PATCHOW, OR EIGHT ISLANDS.-These are the westernmost of the two groups, being nearest to Formosa. The southernmost is in latitude 24° 6′ N., and longitude 123° 52′ E. The E. extremity is formed 6' N. side an extensive reef, in These islands are tributary

by Ty-pin-san, a large island, having on its latitude 25° 6' N., and longitude 125° 11′ E. to the Great Lieu-chew.

LIEU-CHEW ISLANDS.-This group extends in a N. N. E. and S. S. W. direction. The S. end of the largest island is in latitude 26° 3° N., and longitude 128° 18′ E. It is of considerable size, and well-inhabited; and there are a number of junks which carry on a trade with Amoy and with Japan.

The Lieu-chew Islands are subject to Japan, to which they pay an annual tribute. The inhabitants, however, are treated in their trade like the Chinese frequenting Japan, and are compelled to trade only at Satzuma, and not to frequent any other port. The import and sale of their goods are also limited to a yearly sum of 125,000 tales, beyond which nothing should be sold; they, however, dispose of goods to a much larger extent, through the connivance of the Japonese directors of their trade. The goods imported by them into Japan, are silk and other stuffs, and various Chinese commodities brought in their own junks from China, some rice and other grain, pearl shells, and cowries.

The visit of the British vessels, which carried out Lord Amherst and his suite to China in the year 1817, to these islands, made us better acquainted with the manners of the inhabitants, but imparted few particulars of commercial intelligence.

JAPAN.-The empire of Japan consists of three large, and many small islands. The names of the former are Niphon, Ximo, and Xicoco. There are five chief maritime or trading towns in the empire-Meaco, Jeddo, Osacca, Sakai, and Nangasacki: the four first are upon the great island Niphon, and the other on the S. W. extremity of the island Ximo.

NANGASACKI, the sole port in the empire into which the Dutch, the only European nation suffered to trade with Japan, are admitted, is situated near the S. W. extreme of the island Ximo, in latitude about 32° 48′ N., and longitude 130° 12′ E. The harbour is about three miles long, and one broad; it extends N. and S., and has a muddy bottom, where ships lay in five or six fathoms, within gun-shot of the factory and the town of Nangasacki, at the head of the harbour.

The island of Dezima is let by the inhabitants to the Dutch Company, and is considered merely as a street belonging to the town: the inhabitants therefore build all the dwelling-houses, and keep them in repair. The island is joined to the town and main land, and at low water is separated from it only by a ditch; at high water it becomes an island, which has a communication with the town by means of a bridge. At the entrance from the bridge there is a large stone pillar, upon which hang on several tables the Emperor's edicts for the regulation of the Dutch trade. The size of this island is very inconsiderable, it being about 600 feet in length, and 120 in breadth: it is planked in on all sides, and has two gates, the one towards the town near the bridge, and the other towards the water-side. The latter gate is opened on such days only as the Dutch ships are discharging or taking in their cargoes; the other is always guarded in the daytime by the Japanese, and locked at night. Near it also is a guardhouse, where those that go in and out of the town are searched. Lengthways upon this island are built, in form of a small town, the Dutch Company's several storehouses, their hospital, and separate houses for their servants, two stories high, of which the upper part is inhabited, and the lower used as store and lumber rooms. Between these houses run two streets, which are intersected in the middle by another. Excepting the Dutch large and fire-proof storehouses, the houses are all built of wood and clay, covered with tiles, and having paper windows and floor-mats of straw. By the sea-gate is kept in readiness every kind of apparatus for the prevention of fire, and at the other end are a pleasure and kitchen garden, and a large summer-house. For the purpose of keeping a vigilant eye over the Dutch, several Japanese officers, interpreters, and guards are kept on the island. There are watch-houses built in three corners of it, in which watch is kept during the time that the ships lie in the harbour. The interpreters have a large house on the island, called their College; there is also another house for the Ottonas, or reporting officers, whose business it is to take notice of every occurrence that arises on the island, and to inform the Governor of Nangasacki of it. Within this small compass the Dutch are compelled to pass their time during their stay in Japan.

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The town of Nangasacki is situated at the head of the harbour, and is destitute of walls or fortifications. The streets are neither straight nor wide. Three small rivulets run through the town, which is divided into the inner and outer town, the former of which contains 26, and the latter 61 streets, in none of which strangers are suffered to dwell; they have particular suburbs allowed to them, where they are narrowly watched. The houses are low and mean, though well inhabited, containing merchants and artificers.

TRADE. The only people allowed to trade at Japan are the Chinese and the Dutch.

Chinese Commerce.-The Chinese have almost from time immemorial traded to Japan, and are the only people in Asia who have engaged in the trade, or are allowed to visit the empire. Formerly they proceeded to Osacca harbour, although it is very dangerous, on account of rocks and shoals. The Portuguese shewed them the way to Nangasacki. At first the annual number of their vessels amounted to upwards of one hundred. The liberty which they then enjoyed, is at present greatly contracted, since they have been suspected by the Japanese of favouring the Catholic missionaries at China, and have made attempts to introduce into Japan Catholic books printed in China. They are therefore as much suspected and as hardly used as the Dutch. They are also shut up in a small island, and strictly searched whenever they go in or come out.

When a vessel arrives from China, all the crew are brought on shore, and all charge of the vessel is taken from them till such time as every thing is ready for their departure; consequently, the Japanese unload it entirely, and afterwards bring the vessel on shore, where at low water it lies quite dry. The next year it is loaded with other goods.

The Chinese are not suffered to go to the Imperial Court, which saves them considerable sums in presents and expences. They are allowed to trade for twice as large a sum as that granted to the Dutch; but as their voyages are neither so long nor so dangerous, they are obliged to contribute more largely to the town of Nangasacki, and therefore pay more, as far even as 60 per cent. fannagin, or flower money.

Their merchandise is sold at three different times in the year, and is brought in 70 junks. The first fair takes place in the spring, for the cargoes of 20 vessels; the second in the summer, for the cargoes of 50 vessels; and the third in autumn, for the cargoes of the remaining 20. Should any more vessels arrive within the year, they are obliged to return without being allowed to unload the least article. Although their voyages are less expensive than the Dutch, and they are not under the

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necessity of sending an ambassador to the Emperor, nor is any director put over their commerce, but interpreters, a guard, and supervisors are appointed to them, the same as the Dutch; yet, on account of the greater value per cent. deducted from their merchandise, their profits are less than those of the Dutch: and as they are no longer allowed to carry away any specie, they are obliged to purchase Japanese commodities for exportation, such as copper, lackered ware, &c. many of which are produced in their own country.

When their vessels are loaded, and ready for sailing, they are conducted by a number of Japanese guard-ships, not only out of the harbour, but likewise a great way out to sea, in order to prevent their disposing to the smugglers of any of the unsold wares they may have been obliged to carry back.

A considerable part of the Chinese commerce is carried on with Siam, Cambodia, and Cochin-China.

Dr. Ainslie, who visited the port of Nangasacki in 1814, on a mission from the English Government of Java, states, that the Chinese trade is limited to 10 junks annually, which are fitted out from the province of Nankin, bringing principally sugar, with other trifling articles, and a large quantity of English woollens. In return 1000 peculs of bar copper are allotted to each junk; the remainder of the cargo consists of lackered ware, dried fish, whale oil, &c. He adds, that the Chinese are treated in Japan with great indignity; and that their intercourse is tolerated chiefly on account of certain drugs which are produced in China, and to which the Japanese are attached.

Dutch Commerce.-The imports from Batavia consist of borax, camphire Baroos, cinnamon, cloves, coffee, elephants' teeth, glass-ware, iron bars, lead, looking-glasses, mace, musk, nutmegs, pepper, quicksilver, rattans, raw silk, saffron, sapan wood, soft sugar, sugar candy, tin, tortoiseshell, unicorns' horns, and various kinds of Indian piece-goods, both of cotton and silk manufacture.

The exports are chiefly copper, camphire, silks, lackered ware, and a few trifling articles; but Dr. Ainslie states that they might be extended to a long list of teas, bees' wax, pitch, gamboge, assafoetida, cinnabar, iron, linseed oil, &c. He further states, that the Dutch have greatly misrepresented the character of the people, and the difficulties encountered in trading with Japan. He considers the Japanese to be entirely free from any prejudices which would interfere with a free and unrestricted intercourse with Europeans; they are remarkable for frankness of manner and intelligent enquiry.