PROSPECT OF INCREASED SUPPLIES. Chap. XYII. 
mere trifle; whereas, from July, 1860, to July, 
1861, it amounted to near 5,000,000 lbs. Such 
figures as these place the growing nature of our 
trade, and its importance, beyond question, and 
require no comment.” 
From my own observations in different parts of 
the country, I am fully convinced that the 
Japanese have the means of producing an almost 
unlimited supply of both these staple articles of 
export, and more particularly of tea. Thousands 
of acres of valuable land, on which the tea-plant 
would yield an abundant crop of leaves, are now 
lying waste, or in an unproductive condition. We 
may, therefore, look forward with confidence to 
increased supplies of tea from Japan, and also, I 
hope, to an improvement in their manipulation, 
and consequently in their flavour. 
When the other ports and cities named in the 
treaty are opened to foreign trade, there will be 
a large increase in the value of both exports and 
imports. But the Japanese authorities are making 
great exertions to put off, what appears to them to 
be, “the evil day.” The Tycoon himself has 
written a letter to Her Majesty the Queen of 
Great Britain, in which he states, “there are 
various objections that the Article of the Treaty 
providing for the opening of the ports of Hiogo 
and Ne-egata, and for the carrying on of trade in 
the cities of Yedo and Osaca, should be brought 
into operation on the conditions stated therein ; ” 
and he desires, therefore, “to defer the opening 
