The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-06-26

u, fearing that we would proceed a. once to Jedo
,efore any anangt mcnts had been made. They |
ben proposed to mike arrangements at once, ct tho
place whore we now lay, Yokahama.
shanan gave adinner 70 party Of Japanese ofcisis
on board the steamer Susquehanna, st viii seve-
ral Of the officers Of the squsdron were pre- SENT in
Guiding the interpreter. The dinner was OF stump
champagne and other wines, q which tie Japanese
are passionately fond Their assortment Of liquors
il very limited Of inferior kind and nspid TASTE
They are made from rice and called sGces but they
OF them that were undoubtedly" tight" or, to use
plain English, were gloriousy drunk. Harmony
and good feeling prevailed land the affair Terminated
In very satisfactory manner. Some little difficulty
81 kn ne% Ss ssns
ma, not being used ct the table. The food u pre-
pared for eating in the kitchen, and chop sticks are
used.
On Wednesday, the 9Th, pursusnt to appointment,
preparations were commenced for the landing and
interview. BY eleven O'Clock, the boats from the
different ships, twentysix in number, having on
board the armed escort Of marines, sailors, and the
officers of the Commodores suite, were formed in
regular order In one line, when the order was given
to pull for the shore. By twelve o'clock the whole
party were landed, and drawn up in proper form in
front OF the buildings erected for the interview and
treaty making. The retinue Of officers amounted to
. I'll,
to receive the Commodore when he landed. As he
left hs boat he took of his hat to return their ga
lutte and as he passed up between rs we formed in
behind, and followed him into the reception room,
where there were five Mandarins. or commissioners
sitting in o long box or bench covered with Grim
son colcred horse blanket. There was also large
number Of smaller try sitting with their legs under
them on the floor, which was covered with mats Of
straw. The interpreter on the part of the Japanese
was seated ON the floor, between the Commodore
and the native commissioners, and every time that
he received message from either side or delivered
one, he would bew his head down to the very floor,
In the most subservient and obsequious manner, al
though he appeared to be mandarin of cOnsidera-
bic standing and position. Such, however, is the
custom in this heather Countrywide few rule the
many, and exact the most rigid submission to the
most tyraDnical LAVE. The lower classes of people
are wItt,hedly POOR, some OF them being nearly in
state Of nudity The weather. too, is quite cold the
thermometer since our arrival here having been az
low as 2So. After the interchange Of few re-
marks the main functionaries retired into private
room for the transaction of further business. We
were furnished with refreshments in the true Japa.
mere style, of which shall speak in my next.
Doring the conclave we all took tramp over the
fields, to have a look at their soldiers, who were
stationed about quarter of mile OF. The police
officers attempted to prevent US from leaving the
immediate vicinity of the landing; but it was no use.
We pushed by them, Yankee like, and cruised until
we got tired. We examined their soldiers and wea-
pons thoroughly and came to the conclusion that
they were anything but military people, and were
much overrated in that respect. There were two
companies armed with matchlocks, one company
with bows and arrows, and two COM anies Of Ian
GERS, one of which took to be the royal guard.
Their spear or lance handles, were nlaid with pearl
their entire lengths; but they looked more like
party Of women armed with broomsticks than any
thing else that can compare them to. have not
seen any Of their Notifications and doubt very much
ifthey possess anything worthy Of that name.
There was canvass fence all round the place where
the negotiations were progressing, enclosing about
twenty acres OF ground erected the day previous to
the landing, for the purpose Of keeping the multi
tude from seeing us. About four o'clock the bust.
ness terminated for the day, and all hands reem-
baIked for their ships. The result of the interview
was very satisfactory; they produced chart Of
their sea coast and stated that could select such
ports as we wanted for trade and coal depots aud
that they could supply any amount Of that neces-
sary article. / have seen some inferior specimens
Of u, whose specific gravity was very light. We
saluted the japanese flag with twenty one Yankee
guns, and gave the commissioners salute Of sever
teen guns.
They have exhibited much interest in ships, loco
motives and telegraphs. The latter they have seen
in operation on board the Powhatan The ease and
about, in spite Of wind and weather, appear to till
them with wonder and delight They are very
anxious to have some machinists aud ship builders
to locate among them. Icoasi1er that at present.
this country offers the finest field for young mocha
nics 81 any other place in the world. Machine shops
and ship yards, under the direction of Americans
will do more towards making Japan what she ought
to be than any thing else.
On Monoay, the iath, the presents sent by our
government were landed, consisting of three of Fran
cs's life boats, ladies' and gentlemen's dressing
csses, perfumery, silks, velvets, books, arms OF
various kinds, whiskey, farming utensils, mnia-
ture railroad, locomotive tender and passenger car
Morse telegraph, and many other things too nu-
ner0us TO mention. The two latter are in process
of erection; the railroad Is Of circular form, about
1l6 feet in diameter; the telegraph Is to connect
TT bahama with X n n distance nj Guo los
the length Of the wire sent out being but four miles,
but the Japanese have promised to furnish the other
mile.
almost forgot to mention that the first American
burial in Japan took place on the 9th inst; the
meme Of the deceased was Robert Williams,
private Of marines on board the Mississippi.
On Friday, the 17th, at noon, the
Commodore visited the shore and had second au-
day two previously, by letter, to give port,
to be opened ut the expiration of twelve months,
and at the expiration Of five years from that time
they would give MS another Stating, at the same
time, that we could have the use OF Nagasaki until
they could prepare the first port for u.s. from which
tire Commodore very reasonably inferred that they
intended to make such arrangements as would en-.
tirely preclude any intercourse with the inhabitants
Of said port, except through the medium OF agovem-
meDt oficer or in other words It was their inteu-
tiOn 10 coop us up in tue same that they do
tie Dutch; but the Commodore ast0nished their
weak nerves, by informing then that must have
at least three portsonc north, south, and cen
trail one-sll OF which mnst be opened Within D rcar
sorsble time; also, that the Americans would not
submit to any such restrictions as the Dutch
were subjected to, and that any PROPOSE
ton Of the kind would be considered as
national insult, for the consideration Of which he
gave them Fix days. On Sunday, the 10Th, the store
ship Supply arrived from 6hanghae bringing us
letters ard papers from the United States, and to-
morrow morning the sloopof war vandalia and
store-hip Southampton leave for the port of
sbimoda, to examine it's suitableness as port for
American commerce, it having be IN recommended
by The japanese fOv our consideration. Steam has
been raised on the locomotive and It put In opera
ton; alarge number of our new acquaintance have
tesn wlirled around It's course with the velocity OF
lightning, filing the ignorant and unskilled passen
gers end by-standers with awe and admiration.
Az the 6usqnehanna will leave soon, l must close
this letter tonight. Yesterday an officer came of
10 ask for an extension Of one more day, In conse
uence Of which the meeting that would have taken
place to-day will not take place until tn
morrow, on which day the return pre-
sents ave to be delivered. On Monday, the 9th,
there Ia to be o grand dinner given by the Commo-
dore to the Japanese OH board the POwhatau. l