PoïUtAArmy.
Navy.
beft authorities eftiöiated the ftanding army
and. governors at 3^0,990 »infantry, ^nd 38,990^ cayalry: whjje; the
Kubo, or emperor, maintains 100,000, foot, and 20,000 horfe: thus
conftituting-in all a regular force of 468,000 infantry, and-.58jQ.90, cavalry.
7 It is probable that this army does not bear-a, greater proportion,
to the population, than thatof an-European ftate ,in ti|ne of ,peace;
and as the. army doubles that of Franceunder the monarehyj pfithe
population may alfo be double. . Perhaps a more fafe, eftimate may be
formed, by fuppofing the population of Japan to-equal that pf China;
and the former country bèing about one tenth part the fiz&ofthe latter,
the population, wall-be about 30,000,009.
Though the national laws prohibk emigration, yyety?here the Japanefe
to^e, feem to regard the countrytaaftheir: own,.
and to form fetdements without hefttation. Hence Japanefe colonies
may be found in Jefto, and other adjacent ifles: nay evendn. ipes^efj the
Indian archipelago, fo that their laws, as in. China, feem rather theoretic.
The army has been already mentioned,as - am ountingi tp ,-rhore than
half a million; and the character of the people fe Angularly braye^and
refolute. The navy, like that _of the other oriental powers, is beneath
notice. The Japanefe veffels are open.at thé ftern, .forthat they -capnot^
hear a boifterous fea j.. and though, like the Chinefe,, they-have-the ufe
óf the compafs, yet it is inconceivable how they could,; in former tuges*
make voyages, as is aflérted, to Formofa, and even tq-Java.
The revenues of this, empire are minutely ftated by Varenius, according
to princes and provinces, the fum total being 2834 tons j of
gold, in the Flemifh mode of computation j and taking the ton.at only
locooi, fterling, the amount would be 28,340,000! fterling, befides
the provinces, and cities which are immediately fubjedt to the emperor.
Thefe revenues muft noi however be confidered as national being only
yielded in coin to the various princes. Thé emperor however, befides
the large revenues of his provinces,, has a confiderahle treafure in gold
and filver, difpofed in chefts of 1000 taels, or thayl§,_ each being
pearly equal in value to a Dutch rix dollar, or about four {hillings and
t . JMJf ^ *lt*4 • ' ? Defcr.’ Jap. Cap. ix.
fourpence
-fourpence En-gliffi money.' As the frenzy of mankind generally ex- Revenues.
pends1 the- public'-feyenué i© t?18f-firppOrt' df art? irmyi the-real Weight!,of
the. Japanefe refources may beft be éftimated from the numerous army
Supported.*
1 Jkpan maintains ;h*o -politic#--relations- with any other < R a te a n d ? eon- Political Im-
.fiftingkof iflands without-a na-Vy, its eXtórnabpSlitfcaS importance is'ibf LlaSs.*"
cóurfe confined, if not annihilated. -No-danger is-'to be apprehended
except from R uffia; and tafeeffis doubtful? whether, -evda^uppofing -the
Ruffians capable o f condu&iiig a Sufficient wilds o f
Siberia, European weapons and tatfttes would pr-evA.-againft1'prodigiousi1-> ^
■numbers,- and determined valour1.' --To Ruffia J indeed the- conqueft
-might'be important as fecuring numerous ’ havens?, ap d a'ednfeqtfentj,^.
«powerful fleet’ in th e rè'dr- o f her Afiatic pêffeffións | -‘butflthë;Unav0idable
fljiterferen.ee o f China,. Juftly * atpprehenfive o f the* oorifqquence, would
"prove an invincible e b fta ck ; dor, is! it likely that the kingdom and law s r ^
o f Japan will he overturned Or‘ her vaft population-wafted -to variqds
.regions o f the globe, d n fu b fem e a e e to Ruffian ambition.
CHAPTER III. •
H C i v i l '
Manners and Cujtoms.^-Language.^—Literature.-—KducWh^.— GmemnSTMm^^
- Edifices. —Rocids.—Inland Navigation*—Manufactures and■ G6iAmerbe\,-i^'
A RECENT traveller has d’efcribed'the perlbhs o f this fidg^lar' people
in the following terms.1 ~u The .people .of* this*’ nktioiP ref^lv^ell
made, adtive, free,-and eafy in their motions, • w ith 1 iffbhh
• Thunberg, iv. 8. computes the revenue o f the crown'lands at&nore than forty-ft«-'' ijwuiands
:of-millions of fa e jb of rice, each Jack being about twenty potindsweight. Sut this calculation
implies nothing to an European reader.
* Thunberg, iii. 251.
b ,yoL. 11. f , t although