Directory_and_Chronicle_1887 — Page 514

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 Protestant and Roman Catholic churches and a commodious-club. Nagasaki dock is capable of docking the largest steamers. Its dimensions are:----Length (inside caisson at top), 438 feet; length on blocks, 375 feet; breadth of entrance at top 89, and at bottom, 77 feet; depth of water on blocks at spring tides, 27 feet 6 inches, and at neap tides 22 feet. There is also a patent slip 220 feet in length, and extensive engine works covering about six and a-half acres. The climate of Nagasaki is mild and salubrious, but in summer it is hot during the day by reason of the position of the town, being in a hollow surrounded by hills.

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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 account of its gradual attraction to Yokohama. Latterly there has been a slight inprovement in the export trade. The chief articles of import are cotton and woollen manufactures. The principal exports are coal, tea, camphor, rice, vegetable, wax, tobacco, and dried fish. There are several very productive coal mines on the islands near Nagasaki, of which the Takashima mine, which is under European management, is the most important. The net output of the Takashima mines in 1885 was 276,928 tons.

The value of the foreign import trade of Nagasaki during the year 1885 was £233,468 as compared with £171,148 in 1884, and that of the foreign export trade, £611,845 as against £675,908 in 1884. Coal is the staple article of export, accounting for £303,081 of the total export trade.

The population of Nagasaki in 1885 was 33,518. The number of foreign residents, as given in the Consular report for 1885, was 847 (including 176 children), of whom 628 were Chinese, 73 British, 44 American, 13 German, and the rest of various nationalities. A small foreign weekly paper entitled the Rising Sun is pub- fished in the port.