The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1854-06-15
OPENING TIE JAPANESE PORTS
HIGHLY INTERESTING NARRATIVE


sent full nara tive Of the proceedings in Japan,
copied from the China Mail of April 5. The pre-.
| else terms OF a Commercial Treaty had not been
dehnitively arranged when the Susquehanna left
Yedo (or Jeddo) on the 2i,h of March; but enou,b
| had been done to establish friendly feeling be
tween the two countries. The opening qt three or
@orf parts 10 tte Commerce Of 4nerico and the fur
a's'g Of Goals for is steahgerS may be considered
as Ea0itcrS Settled. and Captain Adams held himself
in readiness to proceed in the Saratoga to bear
the intelligence to the Government at Washing.
ton.
Commodore Perry, in the Susquehanna left the
| harbOr OF Hong hong on the lith of Janusrv ar
companied by the Powhatan and the Misssissinni-
| the sailing vessels Fandaia, SOUTHAMPTON. Sunnlv
| and Lexington having some time before proceed
ed TO the rendezvous at Napakiang in Loo Cboo
| where the squadron met on the q of January
| Nothing OF importance occurred at Loo Choo he.
yOnd visiting the capital Shuidi with the tenpI,s
aud FORTS and admiring, as others have done the
picturesque and surprisingly beautiful scenery of
| the island
| The sailing vessels despatched for japan
on the last day of January under command OF
Captain Abbot the steamships following on the 7rh
OF February and, along with the sioOp- ofwar Sara
toca, from Shanghae Joining the sailing vessels in
the waters of Japan the 18th, without accident
| beyond the temporary grounding of the Macedo.
nian which was li2htened and speedily got off
| The whole squadron then proceeded and anchored
IN the bay OF edo passing Uraga where last wear The
interview and the delivery OF the Presidents letter
took place. few small forts, mounting ten or
twelve guns each, were observed, but made no
hostile demonstrations. Boats were not allowed
to come alongside until the vessels had taken their
stations, and then the government officers were d-
rectcd to the Powhatan TO which the Comrlodore's
flag had been remOvGdD where they had an inter
| view on the 18th with the feet Captain Adams TO
| whom, alter the exchange OF compliments the Ja-
panese stated that in few days special high off
Ger would be sent from Yed0 to meet the Com
modore and arrange everything in courteous
frank, and friendly manner; but they objected that
the vessels had come too far up, and recommended
| their return to Uraga, where the Emperor desired
the meeting should be held before and that point
they considered OF more importance than talking
| about the weather. which subject seemed to be the
Pis alter of conversation in Japan in all the rest
OF the world. We believe this was nearly all that
| passed during the first interview, and the deputa
ton took leave in good humor, which grew to mer.
! riment upon Captain Adams suggesting that in
| stead of returning to Uraga, perhaps a more favo-
rable anchorage might be found higher up and
nearer the capital, which would also be more con.
veDient for the high officers to be sent from Yedo
az well as in accordance with the customs of other
| nations.
The following day Qft!) another interview was
| held on board the Powhatan, when the Japanese
| renewed their urgency about the meeting being
| held at Uraga, where the previous occasion
| everything had passed in amicable and pleasant
manner, and to which the Commodore had said
| he would return. Finding that Uraga was still OBJ
| jected to, they then proposed kamakura where
| the Macedonian had got ashore, and which they
| held to be much more convenient place than Ka-
| nagawa, between the present anchorage and Yedo,
| as suggested by DR.. S. w. Williams. But after
much talk on the subject the japanese at length left
| it to the Commodore TO select place for the in
terview. Before taking leave, the deputation sad
it the ships needed water provisions boats would
be sent with supplies; but they were told that ex
cept water nothing else was likely TO be required
| After mature consideration, Commodore Perry
decided to send Captain Adams in the Vandalia to
meet the Governor otthe Province at Fraga Capt
| Adams was there informed by the Governor that
everything ready for considering the terms of
! treaty between Japan and the United States and
| il the Commodore (Or, as he was termed the Admi
| RAD would come to uraga, it would be concluded
before the going down of the sun. It is supposed
! however, that what was here meant by atreay was
| favorable reply from the Emperorto to the Presi-
dents letter the subject But Captain Adams
reiterated that the Commodore would not come to
Uraea, where he had found the anchorage to be iu.
different but would meet the japanese Commis
| sioners at Yokohama, oh the present anchorage of
the flagship, ten to twenty miles from Uraaa Cant
Adams rejoined the squadron on the 24h February
and the following day the Japanese officers visited
the flagship settle the place of meeting when the
| Commodore amOngst other things. told them that
| having been entrusted with SO many ships which
| were seventeen thousand miles from home he WAS
| reasonably anxious about their safety. and eXDe
rience had proved to him that Uraga did not offer
| so secure an anchorage as where they now lay
some discussion ensueu, out hnally It arranged
| that the meeting should be held at Yokohama
Eleven days afterwards the meeting took place
and in the interval, entertainments were nerchepg
ed by the American and Japanese oficers At one
OF two given by Captain Buchanan, the Governor OF
| Uraga as we have seen III keyiDg and other biob
Chinese officials at once fell in with foreign obser-
vances in toasting and speechiying CAPTAIN Bu
chanan proposed the health ofthe Emperor OF Japan
which was drunk standing with all the honors -
and was acknowledged by the Governor OF Urega
who in return similarly proposed the health of the
President Of the United States The Japanese took
their liquor freely, especially champagne and H.
queurs greatly admiring the glassware that contain
cd them: and expressed hope thar The time aoas nt
hand tea they coHtd be Ot liberty 10 cisit foreign
countries in steamers and ships ofthree zaasis
| twas during this interval that an officer of the
squadron approached Yedo, and if he did not ac-
tuay enter it, at least enough to Judge OF
It's appearance, and to ascertain what however we
believe surveying party had done before, that
close TO the shore there five fathoms of water 80
that il can be approached by large ships The city
is in the form OF a crescent, and stands an ex-
tensive plain with magnificent background OF
mountains and wooded country; but il seems to
possess no striking public buildings, while the
dwelling houses are generally OF one story, and
therefore present nothing imposing in their appear
ance except their vast numbers and the space they
occupy. The population OF the capital has, how
ever, been greatly exaggerated for though it is
tanly great the Japanese officers themselves placed
Yedo third among the cities OF the world London,
they said, being the first, and Paris the second.
On the sth, the preparations were completed Tor
the reception OF the Commodore who, by the bye,
insisted upon the removal of the screen-work which
extended from the shore 10 the hall, and which
shut out the public gaze. Between IL and u
o'clock, the marines having been mustered by Ma
or Zeilin and the sailors by Lieutenant PegraIn,
the whole in twenty nine boats under command OF
Captain Buchanan, who conveyed the cortege TO
the shere, and waited the arrival OF the Comn,o-
dore and suite, consisting of Captain Adams the
Secretary, Mr. o. Ii. Perry and the interpreters.
Dr. S. w Williams and MIR. ]. =. c. Portman, who
landed about poon under salute Of seventeen
guns irom the Macedonian, the men in the boats
standing up, and the officers on shore being un-
covered The procession then moved toward the
band playing "Hail Columbia" and the "Presidents
| March"
On entering the hall, the Commodore was re.
ceived by four Commissioners. appointed for the
purpose They were:
First Hsyashi, with the title of Daisaka no
| Kama, or Prince Councillor.
| Secona, lido, Prince OF Tsus-sim (the group OF
Islands lying between Corea and Japan1
Third, Idzums, Prince of Mimasaki Ia Principal
ity lying west of Miseo)
Fourth, Udono, second assistant OF the Roar6