The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1854-08-23

| U. S. STEAM FIR PowHATEK Corr KANAGAwA)l
| 80 BAY OF YEDo. Friday, March 81. 1854. ! g.
The squadron under Commedore Per
ry's command has been in this magnif
ieent Bay since the 18th ult., and he ol
some of his suite have been in daily
communication with the Japanese au.
thorities since that time. We have
found them kind and courteous-many
of them disposed to be friendly; and all
apparently pleased at the prospect of q
more extended intercourse with their
fellow men than the few Dutch and
Chinese living at Nagasaki have hith-
erto afforded them. On the Commo-
dore's arrival, he was informed that a
Commissioner would soon be appointed
to confer with him, and soon after, lay
ashy one of the Imperial Council at
7 edo, (whom we have called Commis-
sioner Lin, as that is the. Chinese char
acter for his name, ,was reported lat
Uraga, as desirous to treat on our laf-
fairs. Some delay took place before a
location was found for the interviews,
mutually agreeable to both parties, and
near safe anchorage for the ships, and
this interval was spent in surveying the
bay and its adjacent shores near the
squadron On the 8th of this mouth
the Commissioners, of the two nations
had their first meetiRg5 onsawhieh occa-
sion about $50. men left the eight ships
then in the bay, and escorted the Com
modore to a village south~of Kenagawa,
called Yokohama where temporary
dwelling had been put up for this pur-
pose The Japanese Commissioner had
four associates with him, though wheth-
er equal powers, has not Eeen learned: :
They were lido, prince of. Tsus sima,
small principality consisting of a group
of islands lying between Corea and ia
PAM lava, prince of Mimasaki, large
principality lying west of Mako Udo-
nc, member of the Board Of Revenue;
and Matsusaki Michitaro. Your read
ers arc already aware that the Empire
of Japan is composed of number (66
or 6S) of hereditary principalities the
princes of which reside much of their
time at Yedo, and many of them. as
sist in the central government.
At this meeting very little was done,
but subsequently to it, other meet
figs for the transaction of business were
held, in which the various points con-
nected with tie demands of our Presi-
dent, and the new relations arising in
consequence, were discussed, The ia
panese furnished four interpreters who
could speak Dutch, and one of them
good deal of English, and thus there
was no difficulty in our iutercommuni-
cations; a limited knowledge of Japan,
enabled others to- converse more widely
with the people, so that, in one way and
another, there has been considerable ac-
quaintance formed. - ad- s't s<=s
On the 9th, Commodore Perry and
his officers gave dinnerto the Japan
eses Commissioners and their 'subordi-
mates, the latter number being over six
ty, with which they were much enter
tanned. Escorted by Capt. Adams, the
Fleet Captain, they first visited the
1zacedlOnla1e, wkerek kthey saw the crew
at general disposition of the men, and
examined the ship, with which they
were evidently pleased. About an hour
was spent in this review, when the party
left the ship, under a salute of IL guns,
for the steam frigate PoaojEata'a. They
were received on the quarterback by
the Commodore and Capt. McCluney,
and shown over the ship Her size as
tenished them, and the fitting up of
flags, of every hue and country, inclosing
the deck like room, their various COL