Page:History of the Indian Archipelago Vol 3.djvu/349

 INTERCOLONIAL COMMERCE. 333 matter of curious speculation. On the only pro- bable means of restoring it by negotiation I have already offered some conjectures. A great revo- lution in the government of Japan, by which the empire would be broken down into a number of petty states, as it was before the usurpation of Taikosamay would certainly effect it. The infe- rior princes who, in such a case, had thrown off their allegiance, would find it for their advantage to court an intercourse with Europeans, if for no other reason than to supply them with the muni- tions of war. This would give rise to a connec- tion, that, if conducted with moderation, which the competition among nations would insure, would prevent the empire from being restored in its pre- sent form, — hinder, in short, the re-establishment of that system of excluding strangers, which has chiefly contributed to uphold the Javanese govern- ment for 235 years, a duration longer than history records of any other Eastern monarchy. The probability of an intercourse being restored by means of conquest is, perhaps, however greater. There is no Asiatic power that can effect the con- quest of Japan, for several reasons. The Japanese are more numerous and united than any people of Asia except the Chinese, and in arts and arms they are at least equal to the best, and nmch superior to the greater number. Besides all this, their insular situa- tion opposes an insuperable barrier to tlieir conquest