Weekly national intelligencer., 1851-01-11
CRUISE OF THE UNITED STATES SHIP pREBLE.

This ship, commanded by Commander JAMES GLIsS,
arrived New York Thursday from San Francisco She
sailed for California in September, ls46, convoy Col
Sevensons regiment of volunteers Serving on the Pacific
coast during the Mexican war; she dispatched at its
conclusion China. Her arrival there contributed largely
the restoration of harmony which had been impaired by
the difficulties between the Governor of Canton and the
American Commissioner ....... .-
Information being obtained of the detention in Japan Of
sixteen American shpwrecked seamen the Prebe sent
hher in February ls49 procure their release She had
just sailed when the smallpox broke out among the crew,
and she compelled Hong Kong where she
suffered detention Of three weeks before she
pronounced free from the contagon On her way Japan
she touched the Loo Choo islands, the inhabitants Of
which are dgnied intelligent and advanced in the arts.
and by far the interesting and enlightened islanders
in the Pacific. The Preble is the first American shp-of
that visited them
As the Prebe neared the coast of Japan, signal guns
fired from the prominent. headands to give
ing to the surrounding country, afterwards
taned of the appearance Of strange ship AS she entered
the harbor of Nsgasak the Prebe met by number Of
large boat which ordered her off, and attempted oppose
her further ingess But by standing steadily in with fine
breeze their ranks broken, and desirable posi-
ton selected ancoring. Fleets Of boats crowded
soldiers shortly began TO arrive, and from that time until the
Prebe left they poured in in ncessant stream day and
with distinctive symbols and Devices which transferred
with the troops their encampmens the elevated chores
surrounding the anchorage Of the Pebe From these heights
intervals unmasked batteries Of heavy artillery
numbering in all upwards OF sixty guns, which trained
upon tie Prebles decks in the face Of this array,
and with Gordon Of boats drawn around the ship that
gotatons carried for the release Of the American
citizens from ignominious and cruel imprisonment Of
nearly months. Against these the Japanese
urged the slightest charge, except the difficulty they had
building prisons and cages strong enough to hold them
yet they treated with inhuman barbarity
The demand for their release at first treated with
well affected naughty indifference by the Japanese author
ties This subsequently gave place eyasve diplomacy
but upon being peremporiy told by Capt GLHNS in Inn
guage that could not be misunderstood that they must imme-
diately deliver up the would be found to
pei them and that the American Government always knew
how and protect its cizens when improperly de-
tanned abused any nation whatever they quickly changed
their and deprecatng any excitement the
subject the Governor (wh0 bad conducted the
interview behalf f the Japanes promised that they should
be off the ship in two days from that time This
strictly fulfilled.
The Prebe on her return Hong Kong stopped the
consular ports of Shanghai and Annoy, The Of
China and, Notwithstanding delay of two days at Loo
Choo nine at Japan, seven at Shanghai two at Wo
and at Annoy, she arrived at Hong Kong in ffyn
days from the time Of starting.
Three wears having now nearly expired since the Prebls
left the United States, preparations made for her
home by the way Of the Cape Of Good Hope but when
the Of sailing orders were received from the Navy De-
and in obedience to these, she sailed the 10th Of June,
ls49, for San Francisco.
On the 18th (sea accouni) Of the same month, h. 50
M p. M land discovered which afterwards proved
be large island.' Its extent however, could not be
tained the Peblc did alter her from that
which she standing when the land first made On
this e. N. she thirty miles parallel with
the before began to trench off from her trsck The
island is mountainous and rises remarkable peak
southwestern extremity The position of this peak, de-
ermined by the Peble, is in latitude 2so II NJ and long
ude 1899 80 E. The ship passed quite the and but,
owing the extreme haZness of the atmosphere i'm
possible temine whether it inhabited not There
four different charts board Of this part of the
English French, ard two Of American compilation
yet of them bad this island laid down, and from subse
quent inquiry it is very satisfactorily determined that the
credit Of its first discovery justly due to the Preb, and
believed that Commander GLYSN has given the of
Prebk Island All on board desrous of making a
cnnosance Of this unknown land but the malignant type
which the dysenery had assumed among the entirely
forbade any delay This epidemic had made is appearance
the day before sailing from Macao and there had already two
died of it. and foytwo others upon the sick re-
port Its ravages fearful that, apart from the
Der who had the early part August there up
wards of fifty officers and in their hammocks under me-
dca treatment In addition TO this the system of per-
in the ship ompregnaed with the disease that there
telling what moment any portion Of the whole ships
company might be Frustrated with it. Under these circnm
it deemed advisable not 10 venture into the un-
genial climate Of western coast but to bear away for the
Sandwich Islands. On the arrival Of the Peble a. Honolulu
i
valds all removed but unfortunately late for several
| Of the poor fellows.
While the Preble laid Honolulu, difficulty occurring
between the Consul General of France and the Hawaiian
Government detachment Of soldiers and seamen were
thrown on shore from the French men-owar and the port
taken possession of and after having dsnouned the guns
destroyed the ammunition, they retired The Prebe, IN
the n stood ready to protect and shelter the Ameri-
can residents n Of any collision bombardment.
was till December that the fragment left OF the crew
well enough permit the Prebe to leave for San Fran
cisco With few loaned from the squadron, she
taken that place. and Afterwards to Benca-ihry five
men having been left behind in the hospital at Honolulu
There the OF service OF the having expired, they
schlged fast they recovered. The health Of
many Of the officers being much impaired, they home
by the way of the Thmus. The ship therefore without
crew, and being much of repair she patched up,
and many officers and could he spared from the
squadron put in her. by whom she brought home,
leaving San Francisco for Valparaiso Sd August She
detained there month for repairs.
On the secood arrival of the Peble at Honolulu she had
been absent from this country years and eleven months,
and had sailed 49, s33 milesunequaled is believed, in
the space of ine by any owar of any natcn.
Up to her to the port Of New York she has sailed
l00 600 miles, and been in commission four years and four
months She has visited ell important ports in the North
Pacific and China seas and of South America
Mexico and California; and made Of the most interesting
voyages and certainly the longest bo in time and distance,
ever made by an American n-of-waI.
Thirty five deaths occurred amongst the during the
cruise .. .,.
The Philadelphia American mentions TIE fact that long
the 9Th of Apr of last year published
Of the discovery OF large island in the japanese seas by
Capt. WILLIAM McMIcmAKL, OF the ship Mortsuk, during
his voyage from Sydney, New South Wales, to Shanghai,
=. E.AF 80 60