, 1854-12-09

Late News from japan


Letter from an officer on hoard the U.
s. steam frigate " Susquchanna, !" homeward
bound, via Japan, Sandwich Islands and
San Francisco.
We take great pleasure in publishing
the following extracts from letter, written
by an officer 10 one Of his friends, giving q
running sketch Of the Susquehanna's trip
to Simoda, (Japan), and Honolulu, (Sand-
wich ISlands), and San Francisco
"On the 4ih of September, the U. s.
steamer Susquehanna, commanded by Capt.
F. Buchanan, left Hong Kong with the
U. S. store ship Southampton, commanded
by Capt. J. BOyh, in tow, bound for the
port Of Philadelphia. via Japan, Sandwich
Islands and California. As she passed out
Of the harbor Substituted Com. Perry with
thirteen guns, which was returned by the
U. S. steamer Mississippi with nine guns,
and was cheered by the United States and
English men.of-war in the harbor.
Nothing Of Importance occurred during
the passage from Hong Kong. (Chinn, J, to
Simoda, (Japan), worth recording save the
death Of Passed Assistant Surgeon jas.
Hamilton, late Of the U. S. Navy, who was
Q passenger on board, and who departed
this life at sea on the morning of the 9th
inst; and his body was preserved until the
ship anchored of the port Of Smodn, OH
the 18th, when aud where he was buried,
with the usual honors due his rank in the
service. He is the first American officer
that has found grave in Japan, and leaves
young wife to mourn over the departure
Of him who frightened her world-path y
his presence, and darkened it by his alb
sence. May the Husband of the widow
and the Father Of the fatherless comfort
her desolate heart in her deep sorrow, so
that the monrner shall become lost in the
believer--for God is TOO wise>to err, and
too good to be unkind.
The party detailed by Captain Buchanan
for paying the customary honors to the re
mains Of our brother officer, and who &c
companied them ashore, consisted Of q
number Of officers and men, who formed al
escort and bore the body to the city Of the
dead, which for outnnmbers the city Of the
living, where it awaits the trumpet blas
Of the resurrection, when the earth and thu
sea shall give up their dead. Two boat
left the ship, one containing the officers ant
the other the coffin and the escort; as sool
rs they had reached the shore, they wer'
met by several Japanese officials, who wer'
ready to conduct the procession TO th'
cemetery, which is most eligibly situated
on the elevated point Of land above th'
Susquehannas anchorage, overlooking til,
surrounding country, Simoda and its beau
tiful bay. When the body had been re
ceived with the usual honors, HE process
ion was formed by the officer in command
frst, the ships band Of music, then tn
body borne by four seamen, Oh either sid
Of which was an escort Of officers, then tn
chaplain Of the ship and the surgeons, to
gether with the other officers and mum
ber Of men bringing up the rear. In thi
order, with the band playing dead march
the procession moved through the street
of the town to the cemetery, which crown
. beautiful bill. close by a JapaE saafI
and burying ground, filed with monnAenta
stones erected to Friendship and Virtue
valor and Truth. Men women and chi
dren thronged the way from the sea shor
to the grave, attracted from all quarter
to witness a scene altogether new to ther
in their native land. When we had reach
I'd th1 tomb, and the chaplain, surrounds