BOOKS.

WHITTINGHAN'S NOTES ON THE LATE EXPEDITION TO JAPAN AND EASTERN SIBERIA."

IN March 18,55 Captain Whittingham was on the eve of relin- quishing the command of the Royal Engineers at Hongkong ; but a naval expedition being about to sail to the Pacific, he volunteered his services as Engineer-officer. That offer was de- clined by the Admiral, as he "had no idea of attacking any of the Russian ports in the East." Commodore Elliot, however, in- vited the Captain to take a cruise with him : the result was a

six-months voy 4, filea of Japan, the Gulf of Tartary, and

the Sea of Okho Ting visits to Japan, the adjacent island

of Saghalin, A , , . settlement of Aian. Captain Whit- tingham was 4_ the reconnoissance of the enemy in

Castries Bay an e attempts at penetrating the river Amoor. Independently of the interest which at present attaches to our naval proceedings in the Pacific and to the Russian settlements on the Chinese frontier in Eastern Siberia, the book is valuable for its sketches of the scenery and people of civilized Japan and of barbarous Saghalin, as well as for the geographical information it furnishes respecting waters and regions that have been but little visited of late. Captain Whittingham's Notes are brief, and rapidly written ; but they reflect the original scenes more truly than laboured composition might have done. His interviews with the Japanese authorities, his account of the strolls in the neigh- bourhood of the port of Hakodadi, his visits to the savage abori- gines of Saghalin, and the cruises about the neighbouring waters, veiled for the most part by frequent fogs, caused by the tempera- ture of the water being lower than that of the air, remind one of the older navigators, both in the freshness of the matter and the absence of all artificial attempts at doing more than present that matter clearly. The two ports touched at by the vessel Captain Whittingham sailed in, were Hakodadi in Yezzo, the most Northerly island, and Nagasaki, almost the most Southerly port of Japan. The re- ception of the British was more different than the respective geo- graphical differences. At Nagasaki, the British were subjected to rigid and the Captain thinks humiliating restrictions. The officers were not permitted to land, except as a procession, to a formal interview ; the Commodore and his officers were on that occasion treated as inferiors ; the complaints of a violation of the terms of the convention made by the " amiable " old Admiral, were met with diplomatic evasions and a skilful " turning, the tables," that might have excited the envy of a Russian. It would seem that there are two parties among the magnates of Japan ; one op- posed to any intercourse with foreigners, the other favourable to it ; for at Hakodadi, where the Governor was, according to re- port, of the real blue blood, the reception was the reverse of that at Nagasaki. The officers were permitted to walk about the town and neighbourhood, under the surveillance of the police • and they were not very strictly interfered with in proceeding beyond bounds. It was matter of parole that the officers should not en- ter the houses ; but a temple was converted into a bazaar, where shopkeepers could display their wares for sale. Captain Whitting- ham speaks highly of the appearance of the environs of Hako- dadi with their Rnglish look, as well as the good-humour and apparent comfort of the people. The official gentlemen were all courteous and agreeable, and the great man himself not only shrewd but hard-headed. When the expedition first touched at the port, the Governor received the Commodore, but was too em- well to to return his visit. On the second occasion, he came on board in grand state, but the formal stiffness soon passed off.

"When the interview had hosted about half an hour, the guests were taken in to luncheon; and they sat down without much awkwardness, the Governor keeping his interpreter close to him, and the sword-bearer with sheathed and reversed sword behind him : of each dish handed round to us a small portion was taken on their plates and tasted ; but our cuisine was not much to their goat. French rolls, pastry, frui tartlets, and dessert, tr:a were most relished by the great man, who, with breeding, ate with an apparent relish unattenipted or unachieved by e generality of his suite. Beer, claret, sherry, and sweet wines, were alternately drunk by the Go- vernor; who invited the captains to take with him quite a l'Anglaise, and, after having drunk many glasses of every liquid offered him some Old Tom of great age was produced, and several glasses taken by, him with great gusto. The other faces round the table became very red, for, like the Chi- nese, the Japanese blood becomes soon inflamed by spirituous liquors, and quickly unfolds in the countenance the ruddy ensign of Bacchus. The Go- vernor alone, to the last, displayed a calm pale face, though his potations had been longest and deepest, and was, with the chief interpreter, an ex- -ception to the general inexpertness in the use of knives and forks. "After dinner, the O'Bunyu was informed of our custom of drinking the health of our gracious Sovereign ; and on the toast being given, rose,. imi- tated by his suite, deeming that the most respectful attitude to drink it in. The Commodore then respectfully proposed the health of the Emperor of • Notes on the kite .Erpedition against the Russian Settlements in Eastern Sibe- ria ; and a Visit to Japan, and to the Shores of Tartary and of the Sea of Okhotsk. By Captain Bernard Whittingham, Royal Engineers: Published by Longumns.

Japan' ; upon which all again rose and drank the toast. The band, which had hitherto been playing morceaux, marches, and the national air, now commenced a series of pieces of dancing-music, and the heads of the high officers ' began to wag m time—the first indication they had given that the music reached their ears. The manners of our guests at table were not an- pleasing, excepting in the particular instance of taking a roll of thin paper from the interior of the bosom of the robe, and deliberately separating a leaf, using it as a pocket-handkerchief, rolling it up, and then throwing it into a corner. Indian and Chinese silk handkerchiefs will, I trust, be soon introduced, as the custom is one of which they already see the ill-breeding.

" His Excellency, to my astonishment, immediately after luncheon re- minded the Commodore of the promise to show the ship, and proposed in- specting it at once. Immediately on entering the main-deck, he stopped at . the first gun, and with great shrewdness asked several questions about the foundry of guns, the use of the gear about it, and, thoroughly understand- ing the loading, desired to see the tubes and to be permitted to fire one ; which he did after stooping down and looking at the pointing ; he then asked for one of the carbines which he saw in their places above his head, capped it, pointed it out of the port, and fired it. He made most pertinent inquiries concerning every object that struck him as he went round tho ship, occasionally taking a roll of paper from the all-capacious breast of the robe, and roughly, sketching anything the manufacture of which he wished to have elucidated. There was a calm dignity and good-breeding in his me- thod of eliciting information, which was really admirable, and led us to at- tach weight to the interpreter's report that he was of the Siogoon family, and sent to Hakodadi on the part of that dignitary,. who governs ' but does not reign ' ; for nominally at least the Son of Light' reigns and the Sio- goon governs, though even this power is held loosely by the present vice- gerent, gerent, who s thought to be inimical to foreigners."

Captain Whittingham considers our diplomatic success at Ja- pan, such as it is, to have been owing to the mingled firmness and good-humour of the American expedition. The results to the Americans have not yet equalled their expectatiois ; indeed, commercial intercourse with japan would seem likely, to be of a limited nature for some time to come. Their own articles for sale would appear to be rather curious than useful, and in the.rke= sent stage of the commercial world a trade in curiosities must ' be comparatively confined. A taste for foreign commodities must also spring up in Japan, and some improvement appears to be needed both in coinage and internal regulations.

"On the 3d, therefore, we determineid•to visit the temple selected for this purpose ; and found on reaching it, that one of the dwelling-houses attached to a Buddhist temple had been emptied of its numerous room-forming screens, and that the whole building was dedicated to trade. * * * "The lacquer-work was very beautiful ; the colours rich and pure, and the designs often tasteful ; and it struck me very much, although I had lately seen sonic fine specimens at the manufactories at Canton. 'There is more elaboration and grotesqueness of design in the Chinese lacquer-work, whilst the Japanese content themselves with producing colours of exquisite tone and with simple ornaments. The small cu—thin as a wafer—of al- most transparent porcelain, of light and graceful forms, were the most tempting objects to purchase, and were not as dear as the soup-bowls and cabinets of lacquer-work.

"There was some mystery about the prices of things ; for a question on this point from our own interpreter would be answered by the seller in so many hundred copper cash, of which about fifteen hundred are equivalent to a dollar ; whereas the chief interpreter, to whom, or to the officials, our money was always taken, demanded only dollars and integral multiples of dollars. By degrees the shopkeepers received the money themselves, when they could do so without official supervision, and their stock was sold much cheaper."

Saghalin is the most Northerly island of the Japaneae group, being only divided from the other islands by the Strait of La Perouse. The Japanese have a fishing-station at the Southern end. The Russians are said to be encroaching on the island by settlements ; and it is important to them in two points of view. The Northern end lies opposite the embouchure of the river Amoor : the occupation of the island would enable them to exer- cise the usual kind. of Russian pressure and influence over Japan. The natives are by no means advanced in civilization. "Next morning some natives were seen on the shore ; and Captain V. again kindly giving me a seat in his boat, we proceeded towards the mouth of a stream, hoping to enter it in the boat. As we came near, four dark men, with very long black hair flying in the wind, and clothed in seal-skin jackets, kilts, and boots, waved their arias and hands, warning us to another landing-place, towards Which they waddled with a peculiarly clumsy gait. "Before the boat grounded on the beach, the natives fell on their hands and knees and repeatedly touched the earth with their foreheads. When we had knees, they with much agitation made signs that two small dogs ac- companying us should be tied or held fast by the boat's crew. On finding this assented to, they with many demonstrations of respect led the way to their huts of rough logs, covered and the interstices filled up by birch bark and dry leaves : they were low on the ground, and could only be entered by stooping on the hands and knees : the larger huts, similar to those before seen, were used as storehouses for their fishing apparatus. One of the men was a magnificent savage—tall, lithe, straight, and strong, with hair, beard, and moustaches, never desecrated by touch of scissors : with a high broad brow, dark eyes, straight nose, and oval face, he was a far nobler creature than the Red Indian, who I had always fancied was the pride of wild men. His fellows were less manly in their bearing, and smaller ; and as far as dirt, mal-odour, and want of light permitted me to see, the women in the huts were ugly and little. "On issuing out of the house, I caught a glimpse of one of the log cages, the mystery of our first landing-place in the island, and imme- diately ran up to it : I was saluted by a very angry growl, and pausing sud- denly, saw a huge black bear ranging round and round his cage. He must be caught for sale, and these thugs are traps were my first thoughts; rather too near the huts to entice so savage a beak, was the second; is it to

decoy, or to frighten away others, were the third and fourth. Our inter- preter's stock of languages was exhausted in vain, and we therefore com- menced to use signs. I raised my gun, and held out gilt buttons and tobacco as temptations to be allowed to shoot Brain, for the sake of his fine skin. My proposal was met by looks of horror; and the natives endeavoured to lead us away, and did not seem to like remaining near the cage themselves. A' closer examination of the cage showed that the animal was carefully and plentifully fed with dried fish, and round the cage several small young pines had been placed in the ground.

"The natives gradually made us understand that if any accident happened to the bear, they would instantly fall ill; upon which Captain V. with great quickness suggested that the Amos worshiped the bear; and a few more questions elicited the information that one of our gipsy:hued friends had lately recovered from partial blindness by planting two pine-sticks, which he pointed out amidst the group near the den !"

Captain Whittingham was present at the reconnaissance of the Russian squadron in Castries Bay, and felt all the tantalization of suspense and hope deferred, to end at last in disappointment when the Admiral finally abandoned operations in pursuit. He also witnessed the chase of an armed trader by boats, in the channels at the embouchure of the Amoor, and her destruction by fire. Some Russian officers and sailors wrecked upon Japan and endeavour- ing to escape to a Russian settlement in. a hired Bremen brig, 'were captured by a vessel of the English squadron, and several of the officers received on board the Commodore's ship. The officers, Captain Whittingham seems to think, were hardly treated in not being liberated on their parole not to serve till exchanged. The Captain also prefers the French regulations as regards non-com- batants: but our squadron disregarded " rules " and " regula- tions " and landed the priest, surgeon, and sick, at the settlement of Alan. Of this emporium of Siberian commerce he gives an in- teresting account, though the place is cheerless: its latitude is that of Aberdeen, but from various causes the climate is of a much more Northerly region.

"The soil immediately near the numerous streams appears good : want of summer and sun will prevent any crops ripening until a general coloniza- tion of these countries has improved the climate, and even then I fear there would be a difficulty in raising sufficient food. Wild rhubarb grows in large quantities, and we relished rhubarb tarts exceedingly, as vegetables and fruit were scarce commodities; whilst for the men who were beginning to feel the effects of the unusually long cruise, its efficacy as an antiscorbutio was valuable indeed. Numerous wild flowers also cover the ground unoccu- pied by fir, birch, or brushwood; and there seemed a mockery of nature in the profusion with which the little 'forget-me-note' were scattered in so wild and bleak a country, of which during a ten-days residence we never once got a full and perfect view, one picturesque portion rising into sight one day, to be veiled again by fog for several subsequent ones.'

The effect upon the climate by the cultivation of a settlement like Alan, hich except official residences consists of six wooden houses must be very small indeed. The immense distance from any inland post, the difficulties of reaching it, and the inhos- pitable nature of the country, render spontaneous colonization impossible for centuries. This is the manner in which Qom- inumeation is carried on.

"The bulletin announcing the Emperor Nicholas's death had been received at Alan in forty-eight days : the quickest expresses, during good travelling weather, which includes the whole year with the exception of two months before the short summer and a month at its termination, generally require about fifty days. Ordinarily the mail leaves St. Petersburg for Irkutsk twice a week ; between the latter and Yakutsk the communication is by the Lena twice a month ; and from thence once a month, the forests and swamps ex- tending for eight hundred miles, Yakutsk and Aian, are crossed on horseback. The transport of a family, however, is a serious matter, as these last eight hundred miles can only be traversed on horseback, and food and baggage must be carried in the same manner, for villages and ham- lets are few and far between.' The intelligent chief factor assured us that for such an undertaking six months were requisite, and dilated on the agre- mens of the cities passed en route, especially particularizing the beauty, extent, and population of the capital of Eastern Siberia, Irkutsk, with its Immense agricultural and mineral resources."

A striking example of that territorial ambition which grasps so much beyond what it can cultivate or people, and yet longs for more ! The object of the settlements in this region is less for commerce than conquest—the subjugation of the Mantchu Tar- tars with ulterior objects on China, and an occupation of the island of Sag.halin with similar views on Japan. Captain Whittingham speaks with great freedom and severity- of the conduct of the English Admiral in the Pacific ; of the total inattention of the departments at home, and indeed of their igno- rance of what they ought to have known. He represents the failure at Petropaulski as discreditable, and indeed unintelligible. Bear- ing ample testimony to the amiability, good-nature, and. good feeling of the Admiral now in command in the Pacific, he de- scribes him as having been overreached by the Japanese through his very good-nature, and to have permitted the Russian vessels to escape through his irresolute inactivity. The ignorance of every one into the Russian power in these seas appears to have been ominTertcel; and, which is more disgraceful, the geogra- phical information was nil. The Bay of Tartary communicates with the Sea of Okhotsk; but of the channel itself nothing was known. The natives of Saghalin described it as twelve feet deep; some vessels of the squadron were within a short distance of this

channel, and Captain 'ttingham hoped to have assisted at the settlement of the question; but nothing was done,—a sad falling- off from the spirit of the old navigators.

"No wonder that the Russians are proud! The war found the professions dedicated to war ready for war ; and whether at Sebastopol, or at the extre- mities of the empire in the East, professional talent and command were found combined ; whilst Cronstadt has defied menace and Sveabourg has only been bombarded at a distance. Dare any English officer of reputation prophesy the same of Gibraltar or of Malta ? The enemy has taught us a lesson; I trust that professional bigotry will allow us to benefit by it."

These remarks are not made by an anonymous writer, or a news- paper correspondent unskilled in the questions at issue and merely

an instrument for dressing up the stories told him. The author is an engineer of position and experience ; sometimes speaking, tee, where every mait is to be credited, on his own art. And he does not limit his remarks to the Pacific. Among other places, he touched at Gibraltar on his way home, and he thus speaks of it.

"We were enabled to get aihore for two or• three hours the following morning, to ramble over the rock, whose summit was shrouded in the heavy dark mists with which a Levanter invariably enwraps it. I had passed three summers happily at Gibraltar, and was curious to observe the altera- tions which, during an absence of three years had been made, as I was formerly sceptical of the reputation of great strength which it enjoys. I sought with additional anxiety for the new works which were to cover defi- ciencies or weaknesses, acknowledged even by those who thought most highly of its defences. Every Englishman is so proud of our possession of Gibraltar—a pride increased by serving in its garrison even in time of peace —that to question its impregnability is almost an insult : yet I believe that in two if not three essentials of defence it is still deficient ; and that, how- ever concealed from or unknown to Englishmen, the Spanish and French bureaux of war have a perfect knowledge of these weaknesses. As long as we are so supereminently mistress of the sea, that on all points, and at the same time, we can trust to naval superiority, the defensive power of Gibral- tar may be limited to security against an attack from a fleet in temporary command of the Straits. Is it quite secure against the artillery of a large fleet? The repulse of an attack may be trusted to the heroic courage of the British soldier, but as a question of artillery behind stone walls, against artillery. covered by wooden walls, has military science placed Gibraltar in the position of superiority against naval batteries enjoyed by Cronstadt or Sebastopol ? Why not? Who have resisted the introduction of new ar- rangements of batteries? Similar queries might be put endlessly, and can be as flippantly answered as heretofore; for in the day of disaster England magnanimously forgets to punish the Parliamentary mystifier or the profes- sional obstructive who has repelled innovation, and cleverly quieted its promoters."

Gibraltar is probably- in no danger; but the conclusion con- tained in Captain Whittingham's remarks appears in too many forms and from too many different quarters to be resisted. While foreign and despotic governments seem to have kept pace with the scientific improvements and general activity of the age, the British Government,: and to some extent the British people' have been slumbering or stagnating, and indulging in complacent dreams of their own perfections.