"XOKUHAMA. 
Chap. II. 
they argued that the time had gone by when such 
things were possible. Besides, if Kanagawa was 
chosen, the ships would have to lie a long way 
from the shore, where they would oftentimes be 
unapproachable owing to the state of the weather, 
which is very uncertain on this coast. Altogether 
Yokuhama was the most suitable place for the 
transaction of their business, and it was business 
which had brought them to Japan. 
While this discussion was going on, the Japanese 
Government, for reasons of its own, was affording 
every facility to those who wished to settle at 
Yokuhama ; and notwithstanding the opposition of 
the ministers and consuls of the Treaty powers, the 
merchants carried their point. Unhappily all this 
was the cause of much wrangling and ill feeling, 
which it will take some time to remove. 
When the American squadron first visited Yoku- 
hama in 1854, it was but a small fishing village, 
containing probably not more than 1000 inhabit- 
ants. Now the population amounts to 18,000 or 
20,000, and a large town covers a space which was 
formerly occupied by rice-fields and vegetable 
gardens. The town is built on the flat land which 
extends along the shores .of the hay, and is backed 
by a kind of semicircle of low richly-wooded hills. 
It is about a mile long, and a quarter to half a 
mile in width ; but it is increasing rapidly every 
day, and no doubt the whole of the swamp which 
lies between it and the hills will soon be covered 
with buildings. 
