While it must remain on record, that as the Americans were the first to deny one cent of tribute, and put an end to Tripolitan piracy, they were also the first to break down the unsocial barrier, which the “kingdom of the virgin of the sun” had hedged itself with, yet the Japanese have now declared their purpose to make treaties, with all nations similar to the one made with the United States, and they have since done so with the English through Sir James Sterling, though his compact is not as good as that of the Americans—the statements of the London press to the contrary, because it contains no clause at once granting to them any privilege, which any other nation may obtain from the Japanese. The Japanese were much concerned about the siege of Silistria, and knowing the vulnerability of their country, Russia from her proximity to them, is the great bug-bear. They were told by the English at Nangasaki, that the French were also coming up there, and knowing that these two nations, and that of Chowstoff were at war, they were much concerned for fear, these enemies should meet and have a fight in their waters, and for the purpose of preserving and securing the inviolability and neutrality of their country effectually, they make treaties with all the parties, _maugre_ the injunction of the great Iyeyas, and their declarations to us of a few months before. The Japanese were to have had a bazar opened at Simoda on our return from Hakodadi, when our officers might procure the _curios_ of Japanese lacquer, porcelain, crape, &c., but they were quite dilatory in getting it ready, and urged as the cause, the non-arrival of some junks from Osacca (pronounced like the city of Oaxaca in “Maheco,” or Mexico), the seaport of Meaco. In the meantime, at the temple Leosenthsi, daily conferences were held between some financial officers from Yedo, the first lieutenant-governor, Kewakawa Kahei, and second lieutenant governor, Isa Sintshiro, first and second presidents of the board of revenue, on the part of the Japanese, and Pursers William Speiden of the Mississippi, and J. C. Eldridge of the Powhatan, on the part of the United States, to settle the very important question of the relative value of the coins and currency of the two countries. The result was anything but satisfactory. The Japanese commenced by stating that the _tael_ was their decimal basis, in their system of weights and measures. As one of our cents was ten mills, so one of their _taels_ is ten _mace_. Next to the _tael_ comes the _canderine_, then the _cash_. But this is as to _weights_. Their monetary system, while adopting the same nomenclature, is very different. The coin denominated a _tael_ with them is equal to 1,000 cash; a _tael weight_ of silver, is equal to two _taels_, and five canderines, of currency; or 2.25 tael coin, or 2,250 cash. A tael _weight_ of gold is equal to 19 _taels_, or 19,000 _cash_.