Directory_and_Chronicle_1883 — Page 434

!

424

JAPAN-NAGASAKI.

By treaties made with a number of foreign Government-with the United States in March, 1854; with Great Britain in October, 1854; with Russia and the Netherlands in 1855; with France, in 1858; with Portugal, in 1860; with Prussia and the German Zollverein, in 1861; with Switzerland, in 1864; with Italy and Belgium, in 1866;

with Denmark in 1867; with Sweden and Norway and Spain in 1868; with Austria in 1867; and with China in 1871-the Japanese ports of Kanagawa (Yokohama), Nagasaki, Hiogo, Hakodate, Niigata, and the cities of Tokio (formerly called Yedo) and Osaka were thrown open to foreign commerce. A revision of the treaties is desired by the Japanese Government, and will probably be carried out during the current year.

The first line of railway, from Yokohama to Tokio, 18 miles long, was opened for traffic on the 12th of June, 1872; a line was also opened from Hiogo to Osaka, was extended in 1877 to the city of Kioto, and thence to Lake Biwa, and is now being continued to the north-west coast of Japan. Several extensive schemes for the connection of the principal cities of the Empire by rail have been projected, and some of them have been commenced.

The ports of Yokohama, Hiogo, Osaka, Nagasaki, and Hakodate are connected with each other, and with Europe, by lines of telegraph, and the telegraph system has lately been extended to all the important towns of the Empire. Japan has joined the Universal Postal Union, and for the past two years has conducted the interna- tional as well as domestic postal service.

NAGASAKI.

Nagasaki is a city of great antiquity, and in the early days of European inter- course with the Far East was the most important seat of the foreign trade with Japan. It is admirably situated on the south-western coast of the island of Kiushiu. A melancholy interest attaches to the neighbourhood as the scene of the extinction of Christianity in the empire and the extermination of the professors of that religion in 1637. Near the harbour lies the celebrated island of Pappenberg, where thousands of Christian martyrs were thrown over the high cliff rather than go through the form of trampling on the cross. Not far from Nagasaki is also the village of Mogibay, where 37,000 Christians suffered death in defending themselves against the forces sent to subdue them. When the Christian religion was crushed and the foreigners expelled, to the Dutch alone was extended the privilege of trading with Japan, and they were confined to a small patch of ground at Nagasaki called Desima, the monotony of their life being broken only by the yearly arrival and departure of the one or two ships in which the trade between Japan and the West was at that time carried on. By the treaty of 1858, Nagasaki was one of the ports opened to British trade on the 1st July in the following year. On entering the harbour of Nagasaki no stranger can fail to be struck with the admirable situation of the town and the beautiful panorama of hilly scenery opened to his view. The harbour is a landlocked inlet deeply indented with small bays, about three miles long with a width varying from half a-mile to a mile. The native town is on the eastern side of the harbour, and is about two miles long by about three-quarters of a mile in extreme width. The foreign settlement adjoins the native town on the south side. The chief mercantile houses are situated on the bund facing the harbour, behind which are a few streets running parallel with it, and there are a number of private residences on the hill side. There are English and Roman Catholic churches and a commodious club. The climate of Nagasaki is mild and salubrious, but in summer it is hot during the day by reason of its geographical position in a hollow surrounded by hills.

After the opening of the port the trade for several years steadily developed, but it subsequently declined, owing to various causes, but chiefly perhaps on a. count of its gradual attraction to Yokokama. The country people in this portion of Japan, though pretty well off, so far as actual necessaries are concerned, are not