I say purported because at no time does the newspaper name the letter writer. That, my friends, is pretty shoddy work.
However, despite the oversight, it does appear to present a detailed look inside the inner goings-on of the expedition to free Japan from its self-imposed isolation… an isolation that the U.S. is determined to unsettle as it seeks a place to purchase coal and wood for its ships, safe harbor for its whaling fleet, safety for any seamen shipwrecked upon Japan's shores (not a given in those 1850s and before!), trade advantages between the two countries (and other Asian nations in the area), and of course a chance to convert the heathen Japanese to the one true God that the Christian nation, the United States of America, supports.
I have no idea just what was meant in the headline of this article as re-typed by myself from the November 3, 1853 edition of the Daily National Intelligencer of Washington, D.C. (District of Columbia)… is it missing the word 'news' after 'interesting', or is this just some archaic means of writing from only 160 years ago.
The Intelligencer reprinted the letter from the New York Commercial Advertiser newspaper,
I'm not snippy… I am aware that with each succeeding generation the English language ability declines into its own cesspool and swims about like it was the freshest waters ever. Case in point: the hieroglyphics utilized on Twitter, Facebook just whatever is on your daughter's phone when she texts.
A girlfriend of mine confused me over a year ago (on my birthday, no less) when she tossed in a simple short-form 'FB' as if I should know that it meant 'Facebook'. Why would it? It's a single word - Facebook - so why does it suddenly earn a second initial? And despite me having a lot of respect for her, why assume I would know an innocuous short-form for something I wasn't on at the time.(I still have a lot of respect for her, by the way.)
(I did join Facebook at the urgings of Matthew - but not personally, only the blog). I had five people join, and regrettably one of them passed away.)
Even my writing is a sham when compared to what the average Joe was able to perform back at the turn of the 20th century.
Thanks to Vinny who sent me this information via the Newsbank/Readex database of Early American Newspapers (www.readex.com).
Anyhow... this is about Commodore Perry's second trip to Japan and his success.
Let's learn:
INTERESTING FROM THE JAPAN EXPEDITION
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From the New York Commercial Advertiser
Wee very willingly put aside much editorial matter to make room for the following very interesting letter, kindly placed at our disposal, from a gentleman officially attached to Commodore Perry's expedition. The reader will perceive that it was addressed to a friend of the writer's, and makes allusion to his having been on board the Morrison, which visited Yedo bay in 1837. It supplies by far the best account we have yet seen of the proceedings and comparative success of the mission, the setting on foot of which will be a perpetual honor to Mr. FILLMORE's Administration. The London Times affects to think that when Commodore Perry returns next ear, he will incur a hostile reception. The Times overlooks the fact that the postponement of negotiations was the act, not of Japan, but of Commodore Perry himself, and therein the gallant officer evinced consummate wisdom and diplomacy.
United States Steam Frigate Susquahanna
August 3, 1853
I am now returning to China, after a second visit to the port of Napa and bay of Yedo, under very different circumstances from the visit made to those places sixteen years ago.
The squadron under Commodore Perry reached Napa about May 26, consisting of steamers Susquehanna and Mississippi, sloop Saratoga, and storeship Supply.
The first thing we did was to refuse all the presents sent from the rulers, and the next was to request the Regent to send an officer, or come aboard himself, to see the Commodore, who had something to tell him.
The Regent came accordingly, and brought with him a small present.
He was received with considerable state, and was informed that the Commodore would return the visit at the palace at Shin in a week, accompanied by an escort; that he wished provisions furnished to the ships at fair prices and intended to walk over the island.
All the usual excuses were made about the poverty of the people and their wicked and dangerous dispositions, the long and tedious journey (three miles!) to Shin, and the utter worthlessness of their presents of saki and cake, which made it unnecessary to return the visit.
But all would not do, and in due time the Yankees marched to Shin and sat down in the palace there; the same place that we had so much doubt about when we were obliged to examine it through the telescope from the Morrison's deck.
It was the 6th of June, when an escort of about three hundred officers, marines, and sailors conducted Com. Perry to the capital of Lew Chew, and received rather a grand entertainment from the dignitaries of the island.
We made some display with our thirty naval uniforms, our forty musicians, our one hundred marines and our two brass field pieces drawn by eighty sailors, as we travelled over the well-paved road ascending to the town.
This surely was satisfaction enough for not having been permitted at the first visit to go through a single street of Napa, or any further into the country than the officers could helped aft they had first noticed our landing.
We went along the very road taken by you and Mr. K. and the rat on the morning we landed near Podzung bridge in the boat with Capt. Ingersoll; and the road, as far as I now retraced it, seemed marvellously familiar to me, vividly recalling the memory of those who were then with me.
I have since walked wherever I liked, and others have gone further, every where finding a well-cultivated country, but a poor peasantry. We have made the authorities supply the ships at a reasonable rate; have persuaded them to rent us a house and build a coal depot, sell us articles of manufacture of various kinds, and prevent the underlings of Government dogging our steps like spies wherever we went.
The people are still timid of free intercourse, for we do not well understand each other's signs and speech; yet their distrust is a little wearing of, especially in suburban villages; and full confidence must be a matter of time, subject to many drawbacks.
All this is perhaps not to be ascribed to our visit, for other men-of-war have been here, and an English missionary lives here with his family in the temple we all visited and took some tea at in 1837, near Capstan Point' but we have begun a new order of things, and shall probably go on to further violations of the foolish restrictions imposed by these islanders upon intercourse with their fellow-men. The Plymouth is to winter at Napa, so that this gradual acquaintance will not cease its progress.
From Napa the four ships started for Yedo bay, each steamer towing a sloop, and on the 8th of July we cast anchor off Uraga, about three miles further up than Capt. Ingersoll anchored, and beyond the reef of rocks which alarmed him so much.
Dozens of boats full of stout men and two-sabred officers came alongside; but, greatly to their amazement, not one of them was allowed to come up on the side of either of the other ships, and only three officers to come on board the flag-ship, nor that until their rank and file had been formerly inquired into.
Instead of hearing what they had to say, we told them that a high imperial commissioner and ambassador had come from America to visit the Emperor of Japan; that he had a letter to be presented to an officer of equal rank; and that we wished them to go ashore ad ask the highest dignitary at Uraga to come off next day and take Commodore Perry's communication, hinting at the same time that they must set no guard-boats about the ships if they did not wish them fired into.
To their inquiry if we wished any water or any thing else, we replied that we wanted nothing of them except to take the President's letter.
The next day the Chief Magistrate of Uraga cam on board, and various meetings and interviews followed, all conducted between him and Capts. Buchanan and Adams, for Commodore Perry was not seen until it was agreed to receive him on shore, and that then two special officers would take President Filmore's letter on behalf of the Emperor.
On the 11th of July, the two steamers moved as near into the place as they could, and Commodore Perry landed on the shores of Japan at the request of its rulers, where more than four hundred of his countrymen stood ready to escort him to the place of meeting.
The steamers were anchored not more than half a mile from the Morrison's anchorage, and the meeting was about that distance from the point where the four cannons were planted in 1837to drive her away.
Curtains had been hung along the beach, and three neat sheds erected for the occasion, in and around which upward of five thousand Japanese were assembled in good order, from fifteen hundred to two thousand of whom were soldiers, to be spectators of this meeting of the farthest east and west on the strand of Gorihama.
About thirty high dignitaries, of whom the Princes of Idza and Iwami were the Imperial Envoys, and I suppose all the local authorities, made up the rest.
No refreshments were offered, and all discussion respecting the letters was of course out of place; so that there was not much to be done. The boxes were delivered; one contained President Fillmore's letter, the other the credentials. A receipt was given for them, and we soon left.
The two princes were rather old men, and had, one would judge from their looks, screwed their faces and figures into a certain fixed expression and position while the infliction lasted, which relaxed as soon as we moved away, just as it does when one arises from a Daguerreo-typists stall.
Capt. Buchanan was the first man ashore, and conducted the landing and embarkation without the least mishap.
The soldiers and spectators were so placed along and behind the curtains as evidently to prevent all attempt to ramble in the country, and no one made any movement of the kind.
My own feelings were of the triumphant sort, and I wished that others who were in the Morrison on July 31, 1837, had been at Gorihama on July 14, 1853.
It was satisfactory enough to me to see the proceedings I have sketched.
We left the bay three days afterward, having exchanged a few trifling presents with the Governor of Uraga (as we called him) and parted in good terms, with the promise to come and visit him next year. Perhaps he will manage to resign meanwhile, lest a worse evil come upon him.
The result of the expedition this year encourages one to hope that when it appears again off Uraga the demands made in th electors received at Gorihama by two high princes of Japan, in violation of long established usage and law (which were quoted, too, while they were broken) may be likewise granted in pursuance of the same plan of doing away with such antiquated laws and restrictions.
Commodore Perry unsnapped matters with great prudence and skill, and his force next year is likely to be nearly double what it was this, so that the impression which steamers and ships can produce will not be weakened.
At Lew Chew American politics and policy will give the islanders something to think about.
I see that Capt. Ingersoll has been remembered in Admiral Cecille's charts, in calling the patch of rocks seen southwest of Kagosima bay, Ingersoll Rocks. I was rather surprised to learn that the Morrison, according to Von Siebold, was the first foreign vessel that went up the bay of Yedo, as far as any record could be found. I was not previously aware that she was the pioneer up that magnificent bay.
The artist of the expedition is making a fine picture of the interview at Gorihama, and it occurs to me that if, in the multiplicity of ships and clippers, any shipbuilder of New York is in want of a name for either, Uraga or Gorihama might serve: Yedo and Japan will do for future use.
These regions are soon to come into more familiar acquaintance with the other peoples of the world, and I sincerely hope for their permanent good; in which change perhaps Commodore Perry is to be an important agent.
If one could judge correctly from imperfect data and information, the long time the expedition has been talked of and delayed was not without benefit in its reception by the Japanese, who seem to have made some preparation for a hostile reception, and then suspended them until they saw and knew more.
Perhaps the opportunities a few of them had of seeing the machinery and armament of this powerful vessel, and the ease with which she is managed, may lead them to conclude that peaceable acquiescence is their wisest course with such a neighbor; and if they grant President Fillmore's demands the door is unlocked and open to furnish others.
In a feudal government like that of Japan there must be conflicting interests respecting a war among the princes, whose private standing is likely to be weakened by it, while their purses would be enriched by trade on their borders.
Wow… brilliant. Here is a writer who seems fair in his writings, providing fact (albeit his view of things), rather than rambling on in a diatribe against one o both factions. He presents information as he sees it, and lets others make their own conclusions.
This is what a journalist should be - and this is what the writer has provided with a detailed look at the successful way Commodore Perry opened up Japan.
And… I had no clue that the Morrison trek of 1837 was an earlier attempt by the U.S. to make parley with the Japanese! What luck, in fact that this letter writer was aboard both vessels - the Morrison of 1837 and the Susquahanna of 1853!
So… in case you were wondering: Yedo is Edo, renamed Tokyo in 1868, which is of course the capital of Japan.
Uraga (浦賀) is a subdivision of the city of Yokosuka, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan and is located on the south eastern side of the Miura Peninsula, at the northern end of the Uraga Channel, at the entrance of Tokyo Bay.
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| Utagawa Hiroshige created this ukiyo-e in 1858 of Uraga in Sagami Province. |
Utagawa Hiroshige 1858, Uraga in Sagami Province.
Gorihama is a town about two miles south of Uraga. Gorihama is the site where the presidential letter was delivered.
Daguerreo - the earliest form of photography, it was the first commercially successful photographic process, invented around 1837 by Louis-Jacques-Mandé Daguerre. The physical daguerreotype itself is a direct positive made in the camera on a silvered copper plate. Like a lot of early photography, in order for the image to get onto the plate, the subject would have to remain immobile for a very long time - hence the letter writer discussing the 'screwed on faces' of the old princes.
By the way... the prince of Iwami - well, Iwami was an old province (prefecture) of Japan that is now a part of Shimane Prefecture.
And the Prince of Idza... well, the letter writer probably meant the Prince Toda of Iduzu or Izu.
Oh… and in case you were not aware - Lew Chew… it sure sounded Chinese to me - but no. I was wrong. Lew Chew is Okinawa.
Other things that impressed me was the fact that there was a band on board the ship! Probably full of musical instruments the Japanese had never heard or seen before - unless the Dutch, Portuguese or the odd British national brought some over earlier - as this letter does tell us that a British holy man is living in a Japanese temple.
Now… let me not be overly praiseful of this document - despite its well thought out nature.We still get to see that the U.S. is very proud of its armaments on its armada, and the bashful Yanks are aware that showing off its might is key in impressing upon the Japanese that the United States is not a country to be trifled with.
Let's just call it a not-so-veiled threat of diplomatic intimidation.
I also think it's pretty ballsy for the US to go to Japan and start naming things - like Ingersoll Rocks... since I could find no mention of it in 2013, I can only assume the Japanese themselves renamed it. Geez guys - couldn't you have just asked the Japanese what the heck they called those shoals? That would have been the polite and diplomatic thing to do.
Hope you all learned something! Later in the day, I'll show you what the letter from U.S. President Filmore said, what the Emperor replied and another letter issued by Perry to another Japanese diplomat, too.
Cheers,
Andrew Joseph
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