Welcome to my review of The Japan Expedition via old newspaper articles pointed my way via Vinny, who sent me this information via the Newsbank/Readex database of Early American Newspapers (www.readex.com). Vinny also provided me with extra help in editing my typing and helping with words I could not properly read. Thanks, buddy!
This is Part 10 - taken from the December 7, 1853 edition of the Daily Democratic State Journal published in Sacramento, California. and every part can be read on its own. However, should you wish a complete education on U.S. Manifest Destiny taking strides across the Pacific Ocean, you can get your schooling here, and there are a few more articles to go.
Part 1 - Alexandria Gazette, September 13, 1852
Part 2 - Plattsburgh Republican, November 20, 1852
Part 3 - Charleston Courier, November 22, 1852
Part 4 - Weekly Herald, January 1, 1853
Part 5 - Alta California, May 16, 1853
Part 6 - Daily National Intelligencer, November 3, 1853
Part 7 - President Fillmore's Letter To Japan, November 13, 1852
Part 8 - List Of Presents From The US To Japan, July 14, 1853
Part 9 - National Aegis, November 9, 1853
This article, Part 10, is a spectacular and invaluable resource for anyone wanting a better look and feel as to what went on during the lead-up to Commodore Perry's meeting with high-ranking Japanese officials during his first visit to convince the Japanese why they should open up trade relations with the U.S.
This is a letter written by Bayard Taylor (that's him in the photo above), who was part of the expedition - and he provides a wonderful look at what Japan was like in the 1850s - granted through the eyes of a gaijin - but, I can't say enough wonderful things about how much I learned from reading THIS article - this letter.
In 1853, Bayard Taylor received an appointment as master's mate in the United States Navy in order to travel to Japan with Commodore Perry on the U.S.S. Mississippi.
Background
The Japan Expedition was the United State's attempt to open up isolationist Japan back in the 1850s for a number of reasons.
- To provide a place where it could purchase wood and coal for its ships traveling throughout Asia;
- Provide a safe haven for shipwrecked sailors and the cargo, as in the past Japan simply claimed all lost cargo and did not go out of its way to rescue crew for any nation other than its own. And, I'm being polite there;
- To provide economic benefits for itself by trading with Japan;
- And, as we have seen through various newspaper articles - possibly converting the Japanese to the ways of Christianity - though I should point out that that was never an official decree of U.S. President Millard Fillmore or of his intrepid ambassador Commodore Perry, a naval man so extraordinary that the U.S. created the post of Commodore just for him (as he deserved further accolades after already being named an admiral).
At this time, we are going to look at the December 7, 1853 article contained within the Daily Democratic State Journal published in Sacramento, California.
At this time, Perry has returned home from Japan after presenting a letter to the Emperor of Japan with America's requests - backed up with an impressive set of weaponry aboard a small naval armada meant to impress, if not scare the Japanese.
Also, U.S. President Fillmore is no longer in office, having been replaced by President Franklin Pierce, who isn't as convinced of the necessity of The Japan Expedition.
As you may or may not know, I can not simply photo copy the article and present it, but can indeed retype it - which is what I have done. My eyes are bleeding from trying to read the faint copies, but I think I have faithfully presented exactly what was written in the original 1853 article, including misspellings, archaic spellings, and old style names. For the record, the country of Lew Chew (also Loo Choo, and various other spelling variations), is Okinawa, then a separate country, and one to whom the U.S. has JUST set up a trade agreement with in 1853. Sort of.Yedo is Edo, now known as Tokyo. To the untrained ear, Edo as pronounced by the Japanese, would certainly sound like Yedo.
I am not italicizing any copy in the article, and present the bolds and CAPS as seen by myself in the article. The same with paragraph creation.
Here we go - the following is what was first presented Daily Democratic State Journal, and I dare say that few people alive today have had the opportunity to learn from this, you lucky, lucky people:
Japan--Commodore Perry's Visit
As everything connected with this almost unknown country and people cannot, in the present state of our relations towards them, fail to be interesting, we publish the following account of our reception of our squadron, from the pen of Bayard Taylor, the Oriental correspondent of the N.Y. Tribune.
The Shores of the Sagami are exceedingly picturesque and beautiful. They rise in abrupt bluffs, two hundred feet in height, gashed with narrow dells of the brightest verdure, which slope steeply down into the water, while the country behind rises in undulating hills, displaying a charming alternation of groves and cultivated fields. In the distance rose mountain ranges, receding behind each other until the vapor hid their farthest summits. The eastern coast, belonging to the province of Awa, now came in sight of us, for we were entering the narrowest part of the bay, leading to the upper Bay of Yedo. The distance from shore to shore here varies from five to eight miles, but afterward expands to twelve or fifteen.
We kept directly up the Bay, and in half an hour after doubling Cape Sagami saw before us a bold promontory making out from the western coast, at the entrance of the Upper Bay. Within it was the Bight of Uraga, and we could plainly see the town of the same name at the head of it. The Plymouth and Saratoga [Ed. note: ships in Perry's expedition] were cast-off, and we advanced slowly, sounding as we went, until we had advanced more than a mile beyond the point reached by the Columbus and the Morrison [Ed. note: two boats that were part of a previous U.S. incursion into Japan]. We were about a mile and a half from the promontory, when two discharges of cannon were heard from a battery at the extremity and immediately afterwards a light ball of smoke in the air showed that a shell had been thrown up. An order was immediately given to let go the anchor, but as the lead still showed twenty-five fathoms, the steamer's head was put towards the shore, and in a few minutes the anchor was dropped.
NEGOTIATIONS--THE EXPRESS OF YEDO--Another shell was fired, after we came to anchor, and four of five boats filled with Japanese, approached us. The rowers, who were all tall athletic men--naked save a cloth around the loins--shouted lustily as they sculled with all their strength towards us. The boats were of unpainted wood, very sharp in the bows, carrying their greatest breadth of beam well aft, and were propelled with great rapidity. The resemblance of their model to that of the yacht America struck everybody on board. In the stern of each was a small flag, with three horizontal stripes, the central one black and the others white. In each were several persons, who by their dress and the two swords stuck in their belts, appeared to be men of authority.
The First boat came alongside, and one of the two-sworded individuals made signs for the gangway to be let down. This was refused, but Mr. Wells Williams, the interpreter, and Mr. Portman, the Commodore's Clerk, who is a native of Holland, went to the ship's side to state that nobody would be received on board, except the first in rank at Uraga. The conversation was carried on principally in Dutch, which the Interpreter spoke very well. He asked at once if we were not Americans, and by his manner of asking, and showed that our coming had been anticipated. He was told that the Commodore of the Squadron was an officer of very high rank in the United States and could only communicate with the first rank on shore. After a long parley, the Vice-Governor of Uraga, who was in the boat, was allowed to come on board with the Interpreter, and confer with Lieut. Contee, the Flag Lieutenant. The Japanese official, a fiery little fellow, was much exasperated at being kept waiting, but soon moderated his tone. He was told that we came as friend upon a peaceable mission; that we should not go to Nangasaki [Ed. Note - I am sure this should be Nagasaki], as he proposed, and that it was insulting to our President and his special minister to propose it.--He was told, moreover, that the Japanese must not communicate with any other vessel than the flag ship, and that no boats must approach us during the night. An attempt to surround us with a cordon of boats, as in the case of the Columbus and Vincentes, would lead to very serious consequences. They had with them an official notice written in French, Dutch and English, and intended as a general warning to all foreign vessels, directing them to go no further, to remain out at sea, and send word ashore why they came and what they wanted. This Lieut. Contee declined to see or acknowledge in any way. The same notice was taken to the Plymouth by another boat, but it was ordered off.
Commodore Perry had evidently made up his mind from the first, not to submit to the surveillance of boats. The dignified and decided stand he took produced an immediate impression upon the Japanese. They were convinced that he was in earnest, and that all the tricks and delays with which they are in the habit of wheedling foreign visitors, would be used in vain. Several boats having followed the first one, and begun to collect around us, the Vice-Governor was told that if they did not return at once, they would be fired into. One of them went to the Mississippi, and after being repulsed from the gangway, pulled forward, when some of the crew tried to climb on board. A company of boarders was immediately called away, and the bristling array of pikes and cutlasses over the vessel's side caused the Japanese to retreat in great bustle. Thenceforth all the Japanese boats gave us a wide berth, and during the whole of our stay, none approached us except those containing the officials who were concerned to the negotiations. I may here remark that our presence did not seem to disturb in the least the coasting trade which finds its focus in Yedo. Without counting the hundreds of small boats and fishing smacks, between sixty and seventy large junks daily passed up and down the Bay, on their way to and from Yedo.
The Japanese boatmen were tall, handsomely formed men, with vigorous and symmetrical bodies, and a hardy manly expression of countenance. As the air grew fresher, toward evening, they put on a sort of loose gown, with wide hanging sleeves. As the crew of each boat were all attired alike, the dress appeared to be a uniform, denoting they were in Government service. The most of them had blue gowns with white stripes on their sleeves, meeting on the shoulder, so as to form a triangular junction, and a crest, or coat of arms upon the back. Others had gowns of red and white stripes, with a large lozenge upon the back. Some wore upon their heads a cap made of bamboo splints, resembling a broad, shallow basin, inverted, but the greater part had their heads bare, the top and crown shaved, and the hair from the back and sides brought up and fastened on a small knot, through which a short metal pin was thrust. The officers wore light and beautifully lackered hats to protect them from the sun, with a gilded coat-of-arms upon the front part, in most of the boats I noticed a tall spear, with a lackered sheath for the hed, resembling a number or characters referring to the rank of the officer of board.
After dark, watch-fires began to blaze along the shore, both from the beach and from the summits of the hills, chiefly on the western side of the bay. At the same time we heard at regular intervals, the sound of a deep-toned bell. It had a very sweet, rich tone, and from the distinctness with which its long reverberations reached us, must have been of a large size. A double night-watch was established during our stay, an no officers except the purser and surgeons were exempt from serving. But the nights were quiet and peaceful, and it never fell to any lot to report a suspicious appearance of any kind.
The next morning, Yezemon [sic], the Governor of Uraga, and the highest authority on shore, came off, attended by two interpreters who gave their names as Tatsonoske and Tokshiuro. he was received by commanders Buchannan and Adams and Lieut. Contee. He was a noble of the second rank. His robe was of the richest silken tissue, embroidered with gold and silver in a pattern resembling peacock feathers. The object of his coming, I believe, was to declare his inability to act, not having the requisite authority without instructions from Yedo.At any rate, it was understood than an express would be sent to the capital immediately, and the Commodore gave him until Tuesday noon to have the answer ready. Sunday noon passed over without any visit, but on Monday there was an informal one.
From Tuesday until Wednesday noon, Yezaimon came off three times, remaining from two to three hours each time. the result of all these conferences was that the Emperor had specially appointed one of the Chief Counsellors of the Empire to proceed to Uraga and receive from Commodore Perry the letter of the President of the United States, which the Commodore was allowed to land and deliver on shore. The prompt and unlooked for concession astonished us all, and I am convinced it was owing entirely to the decided stand the Commodore took during the early negotiations. We had obtained in four days, without subjecting ourselves to a single observance of Japanese law, what the Russian Embassy under Rexanoff failed to accomplish in six months, after a degrading subservience to ridiculous demands. From what I know of the negotiations, I must say that they were admirably conducted. The Japanese officials were treated in such a polite and friendly manner as to win their good will, while not a single point to which we attached any importance was yielded. There was a mixture of firmness, dignity and fearlessness on our side, against which their artful and dissimulating policy was powerless. To this, and our material strength, I attribute the fact of our reception having been so different from that of other embassies, as almost to make is doubt the truth of the accounts we have read.
HOW THE JAPANESE RECEIVED THE PRESIDENT'S LETTER--Yezaimon and the interpreters preceded us, in order to show us the way. The distance from the jetty to the door of the building was so short that little opportunity was given me for noticing minutely the appearance of the Japanese, or the order of their array. The building into which the Commodore and suite were ushered was small and appeared to have been erected in haste. The timbers were of pine wood and numbered, as if they had been brought from some other place. The first apartment, which was about forty feet square, was of canvas, with an awning of the same, of a white ground with the Imperial arms emblazoned on it in places. The floor was covered with white cotton cloth, with a pathway of red felt, or some similar substance, leading across the room to a raised inner apartment, which was wholly carpeted with it. This apartment, the front of which was entirely open, so that it corresponded precisely to the divan in Turkish houses, was hung with fine cloth, containing the imperial arms, in white, on a ground of violet. On the right hand was a row of arm chairs, sufficient in number for the Commodore and his staff, while on the opposite side sat the Prince who had been appointed to receive the President's letter, with another officer of similar rank. Their names were given by the interpreter as: Toda Idzu-no-Kami," Toda Prince of Idzu; and "Ido Iawami-no Kami," Ido, Prince of Iwami. The Prince of Idzu was a man of about fifty, with mild regular features, an ample brow, and an intelligent, reflective expression. He was dressed with great richness, in heavy robes of silken tissue, wrought into elaborate ornaments with gold and silver thread. The Prince of Iawmi [sic] was at least fifteen years older, and dressed with nearly equal splendor. His face was wrinkled with age, and exhibited neither the intelligence nor the benignity of his associates. They both rose and bowed gravely as the Commodore entered, but immediately resumed their seats and remained as silent and passive as statues during the interview.
At the head of the room was a large scarlet-lackered box, with brazen feet, beside which Yezaimon and the interpreter Takaonoske, knelt. The latter then asked whether the letters were ready to be delivered stating that the Prince was ready to receive them. The boxes were brought in, opened, so that the writing and the heavy gold seals were displayed and placed upon the scarlet chest. The Prince of Iwami then handed to the interpreter, who give it to the Commodore, an official receipt, in Japanese, and at the same time the interpreter added a Dutch translation. The Commodore remarked that he would set sail in a few days for Loo Choo and Canton, and if the Japanese government wished to send any dispatches to those places, he would be happy to take them. Without making any direct reply, the interpreter asked, "When will you come again?" The Commodore answered, "As I suppose it will take some time to deliberate upon the letter of the President, I shall not wait now, but will return in a few months to receive the answer."
He also spoke of the revolution in China, and the interpreter asked the cause of it without translating the communication to the Prince. He then inquired when the ships would return again, to which the Commodore replied that they would probably be there in April of May. "All four of them?" he asked. "All of them," answered the Commodore, "and probably more. This is but a portion of the squadron." No further conversation took place. The letters having been formally delivered and received, the Commodore took his leave, while the two Princes, who had fulfilled to the letter their instructions not to speak, rose and remained standing until he had retired from their presence.
There you go... pretty interesting, isn't it?
Cheers
Andrew Joseph
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