Now... it doesn't mean he gave them all away... some might have gone to the Emperor and envoys... others may have gone to the Princes... some to the leaders at Lew Chew (Okinawa)... and some he just may have brought home feeling no one was deemed worthy to receive them.
Part of the reason for bringing them - aside from them actually being presents, of course - was to show off western ingenuity.
Here's the list.
1 box of arms, containing:;
5 Hall's rifles;
3 Maynard's muskets;
12 cavalry swords;
6 artillery swords;
1 carbine;
20 army pistols;
2 carbine, cartridge box and belts, containing 120 cartridges;
10 Hall's rifles;
11 cavalry swords;
1 carbine, cartridge box & belts, and 60 cartridges;
60 ball cartridges;
1 box books, Emperor;
1 box dressing-cases, Emperor;
1 box perfumery, 2 packages, Emperor;
1 barrel whiskey, Emperor;
1 cask wine, Emperor;
1 box distribution;
1 box containing 11 pistols, for distribution;
1 box perfumery, for distribution;
A quantity of cherry cordials, distribution;
A quantity of cherry cordials, Emperor;
A number of baskets champagne, Emperor;
A number of baskets champagne, commissioners;
1 box chinaware, commissioners;
A quantity of maraschino, commissioners;
1 telescope, Emperor;
Boxes of tea, Emperor;
1 box of tea, commissioners;
2 telegraph instruments;
3 Francis's life-boats;
1 locomotive & tender, passenger car and rails complete;
4 volumes Audubon Birds of America;
3 volumes Audubon Quadrupeds;
several clocks;
10 ship's beakers, containing 100 gallons whiskey;
8 baskets Irish potatoes;
3 stoves;
Boxes standard United States Balances;
Boxes standard United States bushels;
Boxes standard United States gallon measures;
Boxes standard United States yards;
1 box coast charts;
4 bundles telegraph wires;
1 box gutta percha wires;
4 boxes batteries;
1 box machine paper;
1 box zinc plates;
1 box insulators;
1 box connecting apparatus;
1 box machine weights;
1 box acid;
1 box seed;
Large quantity of agricultural implements
The presents to the Emperor of Japan are kind of cool - especially the tea. It wasn't green!
I bet the cherry cordials went down well, as did the whiskey! Hey! Is that why the Japanese love whiskey now - because it was good enough for the Emperor to drink?
The telescope is a neat present too... I bet it was made of brass - probably an alloy the Japanese had not invented yet.
Showing off the steam engine must have been something too. Yes... here's something we ride around in. No... we don't need a rickshaw drive... just an engineer, a coal man, and a ticket taker.
I think showing off some of these impressive elements may have shown the Emperor and Japan just what they were missing out on by not opening up their borders. Unlike the armaments and cannons on board, these items showed a positive reason to do business with the U.S.
Cheers
Andrew Joseph
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