Washington sentinel. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1855, 1854-06-17
From the Overland China Mail, Of February 25.
Opening Of japan.

We have very important intelligence from
japan, to the effect that the country will shortly
be opened to the commerce of all the world
The visit Of Commodore Perry in July last, ne
doubt, hastened the event, which his return
would probably have accomplished, but the &C
tual achievement is due to the Russians not to
the Americans.
While Commodore Perry deemed it the wis
est course, after delivering the letter of the
President of the United States in due form al
Uraga, to allow six months to elapse before
requiring an answer Admiral Pontiatine, with
out debating the place where he should hold
intercourse with the Japanese authorities.
went as directed to Nangasaki, and has sue
ceeded in negotiating, apparently without any
sacrifice of national dignity, and with the sori
of success which the world was more prepared
to expect from the practical republic than from
the Russian autocracy.
According to the information we have re.
ceived from an authentic source, some time
after the Russian admiral had intimated his
presence and objects at Nangasaki, two high
officers arrived, and after entertaining him at a
feast on shore, entered upon the objects of the
visit in q friendly and even cordial manner. IL.
substance, they stated very candidly that the
| japanese government, seeing the earnest de.
sire of foreign nations to hold intercourse with
them, and their own people being anxious to
trade, it had been resolved to open the COM
merce Of Japan to all nations. In this spirit,
| all the ports of japan might at once be con.
| sidered as accessible to foreign vessels requir
| ing to reft, or take in supplies of wood and
water; but, to avoid disturbances, the crews
must not be allowed to land. This, however,
is only confirming what foreigners have alread,
enjoyed, without always fairly acknowledging.
xy.al c1
Japanese officers stated that, after centuries Of
seclusion, some preparation was necessary, and
year must therefore elapse before any treaty
or privileges to trade could come into operation
We have no doubt as to the accuracy of this
information, and are further inclined to believe
that similar result might have been effected
long ago by Great Britain, if she had ever been
fortunate enough to have entrusted her interests
in this part of the globe to any one who did no,
look steadily and exclusively to his own for
tunes, and how to obtain honors without deserv-
ing them. DR.. Bowring may not be insensible
to either, but he is less likely than any of his
predecessors, or any admiral we have seen on
the station, to overlook an opportunity OF
achieving lasting reputation for himself.
Seven years ago an expedition to japan on
large scale was projected under Sir John
Davis, but was considered Of so little impor
tance, that Sir Thomas Cochrane preferred re.
moving the squadron to earn headmoney in
Borneo; and the scheme was never resumed.
subsequently sloop-of-war has visited Japan,
but without any important purpose in view, OF
any one likely to accomplish it: our inter
course, in short, since, in 1908, the then Cap
tain Pellew, in the Phaton, excited q fierce
hatred in the mind of the japanese" having
had tendency to confirm rather than remove
| prejudices against our country. Now, how
| ever, that Japan is likely to be opened with
out our aid, whether or not England may be
excluded from the arrangements. we trus,
| those upon whom they devolve will enter into
such stipulatons as shall best secure the true
and enlarged interests of commerce with the
| least chance Of creating Misunderstanding
with the Japanese and to that end many Of
the one.sided and sel6shly provisions Of the
China treaties ought to be avoided.
"A recent work published by Murray, compiled
from Sebold and others, states that, although no
trade, unnecessary intercourse with foreigners,
was permitted, foreign ships, in distress for pro-
visions other necessaries, were freely suffered
to approach the coast and their wants were cheer
fully relieved"-Japan and the Japanese ch. K.