The daily Minnesota pioneer. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1854-1855, 1854-05-10

Our readers have been apprised from time to time
that the Russians have been rapidly augmening their
fleet on the coast OF China during the past year, evi.
IDENTITY with the view Of keeping watch upon our
japanese Expedition in those waters. 1t was
shrcwdy suspected that they intended to interfere III
some way with efforts to obtain footing in Jap
an, or perhaps TO steal march and yet the ear
OF the Emperor in advance. Through our East In
dia files received yesterday, we have hate information
regarding this movement, from which it appears that
the Russian fleet visited Japan several mouths after
Commodore Perry's Expedition had left, and were
received with great onp by the Japanese authorities,
and that the Admiral sent up an important letter TO
the Emperor at Jeddo.
From the Java (Duch) papers of December 9Th,
learn that the Dutch East India Company $ shin
ficndr'ka arrived off the roads Of Batavia the
18th OF December, direct from japan:
o" .i.' Ooh Of A5,~s, there had arrived i'm the
roads OF Nangasaki-ihe Japanese fort, at which Is
located the Ouch factory-(dnd were still lying there
when the liendrika left for the roads of Papenbrrg
Russian trIgate, a corvette, steamboat and
transport ship, under the command of the Admiral.
Pontiane, conveying letter from the ChancrIIcr OF
Russia to the Emperor Of Japan On the 2lst Of
cciehDer the Admiral, with great number Of Or
icers was received. with great pomp and honors, b,
the Governo- of Nansasak. The letter was then
received, and forwarded TO the cari,al, Jeddo,-
However, the departure Of the Hend, ika the Rus
SLAMS were still waiting for an answer. or the
American affairs nothing further WAS known than
what NC have before stated in our ournn!-viz that
the n'ted States shrsof had arrived, in June,
AT Jeddo, and were cOurteously received. Having
delivered letter for the Emperor, they took their
departure, promising TO return in the beginning Of
next year, for an answer.
The Hendrka confirms the report heretofore re .
eyed b, way Of CT ina Of the death Of the Enpcr r
OF ia! an. AT the time she left his successor, the
r''nce Royal, had not yet been crowned Accor-
ding to this account of the Dutch the Russian fl. ct
bad been lying at NansaSaki from the Goth of Al
gust to- 10Th OF Nov, and was still hcrc when tie
henfrlka lett. This would go 10 show an uu,,su;
consideration towards them by the japanese author
tues, and an intimauy never before permitted to for
eigners. How much longer they stayed there, and
what their subsequent proceedings were, we have no
means OF asccl tanning; but next hear of the fleet
at Loo Choo. dependency of Japan and in its i'm
mediate vicinity. The ship Robina, which arrived
yesterday from China, touched at Loo Choo, where
the Russians had been at anchor Cor some time prev-
Gus, but from which they had sailed on the 10Th of
February, on cruise, but to what point was I'M
known. 1t was without doubt for Japan, to be at
Jeddo about the time the American fleet, (Which
eit Hong hong about the middle of January, might
be expected there To receive the answer Of the En-
pcror to the letter delivered in June last.
We may add here, in this connection, that the
British have their eyes this fleet of the Russians
and the very moment war is declared in Europe the
news will be expressed to China, and the British
cruisers on that station will swoop down upon it and
make prizes Of the whole expedition before it has the
least intimaicn Of danger.
rs Since the above written we learn from
the Captain of the ship Roiina that Commodore
Perry's fleet consisting Of the war steamers Missis-
s'pp', Powhatan and Susquehanna; the lriyate Mac
ed""'an; the soop-ofwar Plymouth, Vandaa and
Saratoga; and The storeshils Supply, Lexington and
Southampton had arrived at Loo Choo some time in
January from Hong Kong, all well.
1t will he recoeccd the Commodore purchased on
I1OO A la nd far M.
val depot. and for such other uses as the American
Government might desire to put it to. Upon this
tract, lying upon Nappa Roads, it seems a fort has
been erected by the Americans. Perry left AN officer
and twelve men in charge of this fort, and sailed
again on the l7h of January for Jeddo. Loo Choo
is about half way between Hong Kong and Japan,
and Perry probably reached bis destination about the
18th of January.