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From the (N. York) Sailor's Magazine, June and July, 1846.
VISIT TO JAPAN.

from the wreck by its officers, were some books and a chart of the principal islands composing the empire of Japan. This chart I shall speak of in detail hereafter, and it is perhaps, one of the most

BY C. F. WINSLOW, M. D. Some account of Captain Mercator Cooper's visit to Japan in the whale ship Manhattan, of Sag Har-interesting specimens of geographical art and literature, which has ever wandered from the shores of eastern Asia.

bor.

Ir was about the first of April, as Captain In making land, our navigator found himself Cooper was proceeding towards the whaling considerably to the north of Jeddo; but approachregions of the northern ocean, that he passed, in the ing near the coast, he landed in his boat, accompa neighborhood of St. Peters, a small island lying a nied by one or two of his passengers. Here, he few degrees to the S. E. of Niphon. It is com- noticed many of the inhabitants employed in fishing paratively barren and was supposed to be uninhab- at various distances from land. The natives he ited; but being near it, Captain C. thought he met on shore were mostly fishermen, and all would explore the shore for turtle, to afford his appeared to belong to the common or lower classship's company some refreshment. While tracing es of society. They seemed intelligent and happy, the shore along, he discovered a pinnace of curi- were pleased with his visit, and made no objection ous construction, which resembled somewhat those to his landing. From this place he despatched he had seen in the China seas. Turning his walks one of his passengers to the emperor, who was at inland, he entered where he unexpectedly saw at Jeddo, with the intelligence of his intention or some distance from him several persons in uncouth wish to enter the harbor of the capital with his dresses, who appeared alarmed at his intrusion and ship, for the purpose of landing the men whom he immediately fled to a more secluded part of the had found under such distressed circumstances, and valley. He continued his walk and soon came to to obtain water and other necessaries to enable him a hut, where were collected eleven men, whom he to proceed on his voyage. He then returned to his afterwards found to be Japanese. As he approached ship, and sailing along the coast for many leagues, them they came forward and prostrated themselves compared his own charts with the one taken from to the earth before him, and remained on their the wreck. The winds becoming unfavorable, faces for some time. They were much alarmed however, he was driven away from the land so far, and expected to be destroyed; but Captain C., that after they changed, it took him a week to rewith great kindness, reconciled them to his pres- cover a position near the place where he first ence, and learned by signs that they had been ship-landed. He went on shore again, despatched two wrecked on St. Peters many months before. He took them to the shore, pointed to his vessel, and informed them that he would take them to Jeddo, if they would entrust themselves to his care. They consented with great joy; and abandoning everything they had on the island, embarked with him immediately for his ship.

other messengers to the capital, with the same information that he had previously sent, and the reason of his detention. He sailed again for Jeddo, and the winds proving auspicious, in due time he entered the mouth of the bay, deep within which the city is situated. As he sailed along the passage, a barge met him coming from the city, in command of a person who, from his rich dress, appeared to be an officer of rank and consequence. This personage informed him that his messengers had arrived at court, and that the emperor had granted him permission to come up to Jeddo with his ship. He was, however, directed to anchor under a certain headland for the night, and the next morning was towed up to his anchorage within a furlong of the city.

Captain C. determined to proceed at once with them to Jeddo, the capital of the Japanese Empire, notwithstanding its well known regulations, prohibiting American and other foreign vessels to enter its waters. The captain had two great laudable objects in view. The first was to restore the shipwrecked strangers to their homes. The other was to make a strong and favorable impression on the government, in respect to the civilization of the United States, and its friendly disposition to the emperor and people of Japan. How he succeeded in the latter object the sequel will show; and I will make but few remarks, either on the boldness of Captain C.'s resolution, or its ultimate consequences touching the intercourse of the Japanese with other nations. The step decided on, however, has led to some curious and interesting information relative to this country, whose institutions, and the habits of whose people are but little known to the civil-native interpreter who had been taught Dutch, and ized world.

Captain C. left St. Peters, and after sailing a day or two in the direction of Niphon, he descried a huge and shapeless object on the ocean, which proved to be a Japanese ship or "junk," as these vessels are called-wrecked and in a sinking condition. She was from a port on the extreme north of Niphon, with a cargo of pickled salmon, bound for Jeddo. She had been shattered and dismantled some weeks previous, and was drifting about the ocean at the mercy of the winds, and as a gale arose the following day, the captain thinks she must have sunk. From this ship he took eleven men more-all Japanese-and made sail again for the shores of Niphon. Among the articles taken

The ship was immediately visited by a great number of people of all ranks, from the governor of Jeddo and the high officers attached to the person of the emperor, arrayed in golden and gorgeous tunices, to the lowest menials of the government, clothed in rags. All were filled with an insatiable curiosity to see the strangers, and inspect the thousand novelties presented to their view.

Captain Cooper was very soon informed by a

who could speak a few words of English, but who could talk still more intelligibly by signs, that neither he nor his crew would be allowed to go out of his ship, and that if they should attempt it they would be put to death. This fact was communicated by the very significant symbol of drawing a naked sword across the throat. The captain dealt kindly with all, obtained their confidence and assured them he had no inclination to transgress their laws, but only desired to make known to the emperor and the great officers of Japan, the kind feelings of himself and of the people of America towards them and their countrymen. The Japanese seamen who had been taken from the desolate island and from the wreck, when part

ing from their preserver, manifested the warmest The Manhattan was at anchor in the harbor of affection and gratitude for his kindness. They Jeddo four days, during which time the captain clung to him and shed many tears. This scene- was supplied by command of the emperor with the reports of the shipwrecked men, of the many wood, water, rice, rye in the grain, vegetables of kindnesses they had received-and the uniformly various kinds, and some crockery composed of the prudent and amicable deportment of the American | lacquered ware of the country. He was recruited captain, made a very favorable impression on the with everything of which he stood in need, and all Governor of Jeddo. During his stay, this great remuneration was refused. But he was told ex dignitary treated him with the most distinguished plicitly never to come again to Japan, for if he did, civility and kindness. he would greatly displease the emperor. During these four days, he had many conversations with the governor of Jeddo, and other persons of rank, through their interpreter. In one of these, he was informed by the governor, that the only reason why he was allowed to remain in the waters of Japan, was because the emperor felt assured that he could not be a bad-hearted foreigner, by his having come so far out of his way to bring poor persons to their native country, who were wholly strangers to him. He was told that the emperor thought well of his "heart" and had consequently commanded all his officers to treat him with marked attention, and to supply all his wants.

The day before he left, the emperor sent him his autograph, as the most notable token of his own respect and consideration. It is often said that the greatest men are most careless in their chirography, and in this case, the imperial hand would support the truth of the remark, for the autograph, by the size and boldness of its characters, appeared as if a half-grown chicken had stepped into muddy water, and then walked two or three times deliberately over a sheet of coarse paper, than like any other print to which I can imagine a resemblance

But neither captain nor crew of the Manhattan were allowed to go over her side. Officers were kept on board continually to prevent any infraction of this regulation, and the more securely to ensure its maintenance, and prevent all communication with the shore, the ship was surrounded and guarded by three circular barriers of boats. Each circle was about a hundred feet asunder, and the inner one about one hundred from the ship. In the first circle the boats were tied to a hawser so compactly that their sides touched each other, and that nothing could pass between, or break through them. The sterns of the boats were next the ship, and in these were erected long lances and other steel weapons, of various and curious forms, such as are never seen or heard of, among European nations. Sometimes they were covered with laquered sheaths, at others, they were left to glisten in the sun, apparently for the purpose of informing the foreigners, that their application would follow any attempt to pass them. Among these, were mingled flags and banners of various colors and devices. In the middle of this circle, between the Manhattan and the city, was stationed a large junk, in which the officers resided, who commanded the guard surrounding the ship. The boats composing the second circle, were not so numerous, and those in the third were more scattering still; but the number thus employed, was almost bewildering to look upon. They amounted to nearly a thousand, and were all armed and ornamented in a similar manner. It was a scene of the most intense interest and amusement to the Americans, the most of whom had never heard of the strange customs of this secluded and almost unknown people. As magnificent and wonderful a spectacle, however, as this array of boats presented during the day, decorated with gaudy banners and with glittering spears of an infinite variety of forms-in the night it was exceeded by a display of lanterns in such countless numbers, and of such shapes and transparencies, as almost to entrance the beholders and to remind them of the magic in the Arabian Tales. The character and rigor of the guard stationed about the ship, was at one time accidentally put to the test. The captain wishing to repair one of his boats, attempted to lower it from the cranes into the water, in order to take it in over the vessel's side. All the Japanese on board These figures were wrought always on the back immediately drew their swords. The officer in of the officer's tunic, and the weapon which appercharge of the deck guard, appeared greatly alarmed tained to his rank corresponded with the one at the procedure, remonstrated kindly, but with drawn under the ensign in the book alluded to. great earnestness, against it, and declared to Cap-Each grade of officers commanded a body of men tain C. that they should be slain if they permitted it, and that his own head would be in danger if he persisted in the act. The captain assured the officer that he had no intention to go on shore, and explained to him clearly what his object was. When it was fully understood, great pleasure was manifested by the Japanese officer. He commanded the crew who were managing the boat to leave it, and set a host of his menials to work, who ook it into the ship without allowing it to touch the water.

Among the books taken from the wreck was a small one, in form like a note-book, filled with figures of various and eccentric forms and pictures of spears and battle-axes of strange and anomalous patterns. Under each were characters, probably explanatory of the objects attached to them. Both figure and character were neatly and beautifully executed, and they presented the appearance of having been issued from a press of type copperplate like the plates of astronomical and other scientific works. This little book attracted Capt. Cooper's attention and excited his curiosity to such a degree that, after noticing similar figures embroidered in gold on the tunics of the high officers, he ventured to inquire their explanation. He then learned that it was a kind of illustration of the heraldry of the empire-a record of the armorial ensigns of the different ranks of officers and the nobility existing in the country. Capt. C. allowed me to examine this book and it appeared to me to be a great curiosity both as a specimen of typographical art, and as giving us information of the numerous grades of Japanese aristocracy, and the insignia by which they may be distinguished.

whose weapons were of a particular and given shape, and those weapons were used by no others under an officer of different grade, or wearing a different badge on his tunic.

In a conversation with the governor, when the latter told our navigator he must never come to Japan again, Capt. C. asked him "how he would wish him to act under the same circumstances." The governor was somewhat disconcerted-shrugged his shoulders-and evaded by replying that "he must not come again." Captain Cooper then

asked him "If he should leave his countrymen to | were white and rather low, and no towers or temstarve or drown when it was in his power to take ples were seen peering above the other edifices. them from another wreck." He intimated that it The harbor of Jeddo presented a maritime popuwould please the emperor more for them to be left, lation as numerous and industrious as that which than for strangers to visit his dominions. Capt. appeared to exist on the land. Vessels of all sorts C. told him that he never would see them drown or and sizes, from mere shallops to immense junks, starve, but should rescue them and feed them; were under sail or at anchor, wherever the eye and then inquired what he should do with them. turned on the bay. Jeddo seemed to be the mart The governor replied, "carry them to some Dutch of a prodigious coastwise commerce, and the whole port, but never come to Japan again." This was sea was alive with the bustle and activity apperall spoken by the governor with mildness but taining to it. with firmness also, as if he uttered the imperial will.

The Japanese, from Capt. C.'s observations, are rather a short race of men, square built and solid, and do not possess Mongolian features to the extent exhibited in the Chinese. They are of a light olive complexion, are intelligent, polite and edu

The governor of Jeddo is represented to be a grave and elderly looking man, somewhat gray, with a remarkably intelligent and benignant countenance, and of very mild and prepossessing man-cated.

ners.

He appeared interested with Capt. C.'s ac- The dresses of the common people, were wide count of the people and civilization of America, trousers and a loose garment of blue cotton. Digand the latter spared no pains to leave a good im-nitaries and persons of consequence were clothed pression of the American name and character, in rich silks, profusely embroidered with gold and especially as a trading people, on the minds of those high officers whose position might carry them into audience with their sovereign.

silken thread of various colors, according to their rank. Some of these personages were so splendidly attired, as to excite great admiration in the foreign visiters. No woollen fabric composed any part of their dress, but of this material they seemed particularly curious, and examined it with great attention. It seemed a great novelty, and all the small pieces they could obtain were solicited and taken on shore as objects of curiosity.

The day he left the country the interpreter gave him an open letter, without a signature, written in the Dutch language, with a bold and skilful hand. Mr. Lingren, the clerk in the consulate, a gentleman learned in many languages of Northern Europe, has translated it, and stated to me the leading ideas contained therein. This document informs the world But the map of which I spoke, in the early part that the bearer of it has furnished assistance to of this communication, is perhaps one of the most Japanese sailors in distress, and had brought them interesting illustrations of Japanese civilization to their native land—and then commands all Dutch- which has come into our possession. It embraces men who may encounter him shipwrecked and in the island of Niphon, all the islands south of it, want, to afford him similar services. It further de- and a small part of Jeddo on the north. It is four clares, for the information of Holland and China-feet long and nearly as broad, and when folded up, the only nations in the world with which they resembles a common church music book, handhave any commercial treaty, or who are allowed somely bound in boards. As will be perceived the within the waters of the empire-that the per- islands are projected on an uncommonly large sons in the foreign ship had been allowed no com- scale. The minutest indentations in the coast, munication with the shore, and had been strictly debarred from all knowledge of the commodities or commerce of the country. Furthermore that the foreign ship had been a long time at sea, and had become destitute of wood, water and provisions,vations, and his own charts of Niphon were altoand that the government had furnished the recruits of which she stood in need.

It was early in April, that Capt. Cooper visited Japan; and he represents the climate and appearance of the country to be pleasant and lovely in the extreme. Wherever he inspected the coast, the whole earth teemed with the most luxuriant verdure. Every acre of hill and dale appeared in the highest state of cultivation. Where the eminences were too steep for the agricultural genius of the inhabitants, they were formed into terraces, so that for miles together they presented the appearance of hanging gardens. Numerous white neat-looking dwellings studded the whole country. Some of them are so charmingly situated on sloping hill sides and sequestered amidst foliage of a fresh and living green that the delighted mariners almost sighed to transplant their homes there-the spots were so sunny, so inviting and so peaceful.

with all the trading ports, large and small are laid down, apparently after accurate surveys. Capt. Cooper found the coast which he followed to be correctly delineated, by his astronomical obser

gether erroneous. The tracks of the coastwise trade are traced throughout the whole group, from Jesso to Nangasaki. But the most interesting part of this production is the topography of the interior of the islands. They are laid out in districts, and all variously colored, like the states of our republic in Mitchell's map. The smallest villages are denoted and named. The residence of the governor in each district, and other public establishments occupying less ground are also delineated. They are all embraced in enclosures of different shape and coloring, and from the uniformity of these, in appearance and number in every district, we may suppose the administration of the government of Japan is conducted with great system. This is in accordance with our previous knowledge of the country. The rivers, even their smallest tributaries, are all traced to their source. The number and extent of these streams are surprising. The whole appearance of the landscape indicated No country of its size can be more abundantly a dense and industrious population. Around the watered than Niphon. The streams are so nucapital, the same signs of culture were exhibited merous, that the whole interior has the appearance as in the country, further north. The city itself of being irrigated by countless canals. But they was so filled with trees and foliage, that not houses are evidently river channels, and can all be folenough could be distinguished from the ship to in-lowed from their sources in the valleys to their dicate with certainty that a city existed, or to al- junction with each other and their termination in low, the circuit of it to be defined. The buildings the sea. The public roads are exceedingly numer

ous, intersecting the whole country from shore to shore, and indicating a vast amount of travel throughout the empire. In several parts, high mountains are laid down in dark coloring. These occur occasionally, in small groups, and occupy but little space. The general appearance of the country is that of bold and lofty hills alternating with great numbers of broad valleys. All pour forth rills and streams which fertilize the earth as they flow along, and afford a thousand advantages and encouragements to an industrious population engaged like the Japanese, in agricultural and commercial arts. The whole empire swarms with towns and hamlets. It is almost impossible to conceive its populousness without an inspection of this

map.

CORRESPONDENCE.

From Mr. Walsh's letters to the National Intelligencer. Paris, June 29, 1846. THE morning after the date of my last missive, we were inexpressibly relieved and exhilarated by the news of Gen. Taylor's victories over the Mexicans. So much sinister prediction from your side of the Atlantic excited even in my confident mind vague apprehensions for the safety of the general, and absolute despondency in some of my friends. But we are more than indemnified. Europe is impressed in the most beneficial way, by the battles, the subsequent proceedings of congress, and the patriotic manifestations of the whole Union. It is now understood how the immense majority of the American people would act in the event of a rupture with Great Britain or any European power. Before the end of the sitting of the deputies on the 17th instant two eminent members of the cham

On one side of the sheet is a large amount of unintelligible writing, which appears to be explanatory of the figures, characters, roads, &c., in the different districts on the map. If interpreted they might furnish us with much novel informa-ber (of the opposition) went to Versailles, where I

tion.

This map, with several other articles in Captain C.'s possession, was accidentally left in his ship by the Japanese. They desired to give him many things which they perceived were interesting to him, but they assured him they would be in danger of losing their heads should the emperor learn that they had furnished strangers with any means of information relative to their country or its institutions. They showed great and real alarm on this subject, and concealed or destroyed many things as they approached Jeddo, which had been about the ship. Capt. C. took no advantage of their dependent situation, but allowed them to follow their own inclinations in all respects.

then was, to congratulate me on the Rio Grande occurrences, and to describe the effect of the intelligence on the chamber. Lively satisfaction pervaded the assembly; most of the conservatives even betrayed that feeling; Mr. Guizot, two of his colleagues, and a few of his party, the nearest and most devoted, were alone chap-fallen; their disconcertion seemed to amuse the rest. It was added by my visiters that, should war between the United States and England ensue, twenty thousand French volunteers, under the command of experienced officers, would at once endeavor to reach your shores for the purpose of joining in the invasion of Canada. This does not pass from me as an incitement to war, which I deprecate as much as any one, Having laid at anchor four days and replenished under the proper reserves of honor and right: but his stores of wood, water, &c., he signified his it is meant as evidence of the disposition of the readiness to depart, but the winds were adverse French in general. They are far from being recand it was impossible for him to get to sea. There onciled to the British. With a few exceptions, I seemed to be no disposition manifested by the gov- have not, in my long and various intercourse with ernment to force him away, but there was none for Frenchmen, encountered any who entertained for him to remain a moment beyond the time when his the British, as a nation, other sentiments than jealwants had been satisfied. A head wind and tide ousy, dislike, and immemorial resentments. Vetepresented no impediments to going away from ran officers of the garrison of Versailles, with whom Japan in the mind of the governor of Jeddo. At I have chatted at the reading-room which I frehis command, the anchor was weighed, and a line quent there, on the operations of General Taylor, of boats was attached to the bows of the ship, so pronounce the most flattering judgment in respect long that they could not be numbered. They were to boldness, skill, and the entire professional proarranged four abreast, proceeded in the greatest cess. The French opposition press has been, in order, and were supposed to amount to nearly a the main, liberal, but a slight military jealousy may thousand. It was an immense train, and presented be deemed natural where temperament and history a spectacle to the eyes of the seamen, approaching beget the highest, and in a degree, exclusive belthe marvellous. The boats, instead of being pro-ligerent pretensions. Your troops on the Rio pelled by rowing or paddles, were all sculled by a Grande fought the Mexicans under more disadvansingle oar, employed however, by several men. In tages than did the British the Sikhs on the Suttlej, this manner the Manhattan was towed twenty miles or the French the Moors at Isly. Further sucout to sea, and the officer in charge of the fleet cesses, with like moderation in the use of victory, would have taken her a greater distance, had not and a language so simple, so unambitious as that further aid been declined. The Japanese then of the official despatches, will strengthen and anitook a courteous leave of our hero, and while his mate the friends of the United States and of republong train of barges wheeled with a slow and licanism throughout Europe. It strikes me, as I graceful motion towards the shore-the latter read your reports of the speeches in congress, that spread his sails for the less hospitable regions of the oratory of both houses is more bombastic than Kamschatka and the N. W. Coast, highly grati- heretofore: the question and the transactions of fied with the result of his adventure among this re-war may have stimulated and inflated the rhetorical cluse, but highly civilized people.

THE Jews of France, represented by fourteen delegates, and the members of the central consistory, have just elected M. Ennéery, Grand Rabbi of the Paris district, to the post of Grand Rabbi of the whole of France.

vein in some cases, the intumescence justly pro vokes European ridicule.

A considerable and rapid diminution in every re spect of French shipping has excited a patriotic alarm among the politicians; the subject has been treated with vivacity in both chambers. The Notional recommends the abrogation of the convention

deter the government from tampering with the question of reciprocity.

Professor Morse had the goodness to send me an account of the recent achievements of the electrical telegraph, with a copy of the Baltimore Sun containing the President's message on the Mexican war, as it was magically transmitted to that paper. I sent the communications to Pouillet, the deputy, author of the report heretofore mentioned to you, and he placed them in the hands of Arago, who submitted their very interesting and decisive contents to the Academy of Sciences and the chamber of deputies. In the chamber on the 18th instant, when the proposed appropriation for an electrical

came under consideration, Berryer opposed it on the ground that the experiment of the new system was not complete; that it would be well to wait for the full trial of what was undertaken between Paris and Rouen. Arago answered: "The experiment is consummate in the United States the matter is settled irresistibly. I received three days ago the Sun of Baltimore, with a letter of Mr. Morse, one of the most honorable men of his country, and here is the President's message printed from the telegraph in two or three hours; the message would fill four columns of the Moniteur; it could not have been copied by the most rapid penman in a shorter time than it was transmitted. The galvanic fluid travels seventy thousand leagues per minute." The appropriation, of nearly half a

of 1822; I translate for you a part of what was said in the chamber of peers on the 22d instant. Count Beugnot held this language: "The treaty of 1822, with the United States, is one of the main causes of the decay of the French shipping. For twenty-four years past that republic has been changing her tariffs always in a way to affect injuriously French imports. At this moment the modifications proposed to her congress, the substitution universally of the ad valorem system for specific duties, must be highly unfavorable to our silks, wines, and jewelry, and what have we done on our side? Remonstrated, complained, in vain. Have we tried with that haughty nation, as I must call her, a language fitted to make her reflect on her pro-telegraph from this capital to the Belgian frontier ceedings towards us? Not at all. Since we consented to discharge a debt very doubtful at the least, the twenty-five millions of francs, she has imagined that she has but to elevate her voice to obtain from us whatever she desires. For my part, I wish that our government would try to make that people comprehend that, if not gratitude, some little kindness or equity is due to us for the past. I deem it possible to enter on a negotiation, for the purpose not of withdrawing from the United States all the benefit which accrues to them from the treaty of 1822, but of procuring an equal division of it between them and us." The next day Count de Montalembert delivered an elaborate and really eloquent harangue on the French naval forces and interests, the commercial marine, and the paramount importance of an extensive naviga-million of francs, was passed with only a few distion: "The shipping interest," he said, "is the first of all national concerns in the question of home industry. It is that which has created great nations in modern times, and without it there can be no real and permanent greatness. To it England owes her prosperity and potency. See how she has fostered it: how it stands first in all her debates, politics, and legislation. Look at the United States. Thanks to their commercial marine, they make head against England; they share with her the empire of the seas. It is not their navy or military marine that constitutes their glory or security; they nobly defended the freedom of the seas from 1812 to 1817; but, after all, they performed nothing very great, and they are very inferior in naval strength. What there is great with them-what enables them to brave England is an admirable mercantile marine, for which everything is done, because the Americans know that it is the foundation of their might, prosperity, and national security. Contrast with America the kingdom of Portugal, that sacrificed her shipping interest to the exactions of England. I declare to you that I agree with Count Beugnot; the primary cause of our decline in that interest is to be found in the conventions of 1822 with the United States, and of 1826 with England. The minister of finance has pledged himself (and the engagement is important) to secure the monopoly of the transportation of tobacco to the mercantile marine of France. We have been told that the American government has protested-not as Count Beugnot said yesterday-against the transportation of coal exclusively under the French flag, but against that of tobacco. I trust that the protest will not be suffered to prevail, because it cannot be well founded." The minister neither admitted nor denied the pledge. On the subject of the convention of 1822, the cabinet have said nothing in either chamber: it will not, I think, be disturbed. The Courrier of Havre sets the subject in lights quite sufficient to

senting voices. The minister of the interior observed on this occasion: "We do not mean to consent that the companies to whom we may allow the electrical telegraph shall use it for any other purpose than the service of the railroads. We mean to keep our state secrets; to prevent undue speculation; to allow no commercial advantages." The bill has been reported to the chamber of peers, with a circumstantial and able recommendation from the pen of Gabriel Delessert, chairman of the committee of peers. When the line to the frontier shall be finished, there will be a continuous electrical communication from Paris through Belgium to the northern states of Germany. Monsieur Gounou's Telegraphic Dictionary (for the aerial system) was pronounced, in the chamber of deputies, to be "the admiration of the most eminent men of science."

In the chamber of peers, on the 26th instant, in answer to a question about Tahiti, the minister of marine stated that the government intended to make of the group of islands a strong maritime station, and concentrate all its stores and materiel there. You observe that the annexation is complete.

Politicians of the first order here, who understand the European horizon in its aspects towards your Union and your republicanism, are astonished at the hesitation or delay of congress in authorizing the ten additional steam vessels of war.

June 30.

The discourse of the Archbishop of Cambray, at the celebration of the opening of the Northern railroad, is superlative for beauty of diction and enlightened liberality of spirit. I offer you a passage:

Sound political economy triumphs on these occasions; it sees the diffusion of products and the equality of prices; so does philosophy, contemplating so potent and rapid a vehicle of intellectual light and civilizing sentiments. Religion, too, may well rejoice. Some men, indeed, sincerely

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