The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1855-06-23
Our shanshae Oorrespondcnce.
q. g. STEAMSHIP PowHArAN,
SHlHGUAr March ID IRkk

-
q. g STEAMSHIP PowHArAs,
SHAEGHAE, March H. 1856.
Further DetaiIs Of the Earthquake at Simoda-Errads
from the Lsgbook of the Russian Ffigate Diana-Ap-
paling Details of the Casasrophe-Leter Of Sympathy
from Captain AcCzumey 20 ne Russian Vice Admiral-
HIS Reply Further Shocks Of Earaquake-TAe Rus
sian Treaty -Sagular Conduct Of the japanese 10 Some
Of Their Shipurecked Counrymes-R Ratification of tie
american Treaty, dc, dc.
avail myself Of private hand to send you an
account Of the recent visit made by this ship to
Japan, which, if it has not been anticipated from
other sources, hope you will think Of interest
enough to the friends Of the officers and crew of the
Poxhatan, and your readers generally, to give it
place In your paper. We left Hong Kong on the
18th of January, bound to Simoda, in Japan, carry
was appointed commissioner for exchanging ratacg
tions Of the treaty made by CON- Perry last year OF
Kausgawa. The passage was rough one, and for
great part of the way we had to contend against
strong northeast monsoon and heavy head sea-
But the ship performed wsll and we arrived ct our
port Of destination in ten days.
Immediately after anchoring we were boarded By
an officer from shore, who informed us that the
whole town OF Simoda was in ruins, having been
destroyed by an earthquake and the OVERLOOKING of
the sea, on the 23d Of December last. Soon after
this, We were surprised to see an officer in the Rus
sian naval uniform coming on board. He intro.
duoed himself as Lieut. Capt. Fosseit, of the Ras-
sian Navy, stating that he had belonged to the
Diana frigate, the flag ship Of Vice Admiral Pou.
tatain, who had como here for the purpose of
making . treaty with Japan. They were in the
harbor at the time Of the earthquake, when the
ship had suffered so much that she was subsequently
k.k.1 tx.I r1k fwrvr thns srwsn nkan oknsn
Capt. Fosseit Informed us that the Japanese had
received them very kindly, giving them houses to
live In, and providing literally for their wants. The
cew and officers were still at Heada, living upon
rice and vegetables with occasionally little Dish,
and without Any means Of getting away. On hear
ing Il is story Capt. NcCluney, VINO shayed fully in
the sym pashy felt by all his officers for these ship
wrecked men, Immediately addressed the folio wing
letter to Admiral Poutatain =
U. s. SHIP PowHATAN, SIMopA, Jan. 81. 1855.
beg leave to to you the great regret fel at
learning on my arrival at this place. of the loss CT your
beautiful frgats, by misfortune which human pru
dence could oresee, against which all human efforts
useless You must naturally, desirous to leave
BILE that is for the want Of suitable vessels respect
fully oIer to YOURSELF your officers and crew, passage
10 the powhstan to shspshas 70 which place am ua
pleasure to me can in this or any other way, CON
which you ars placed by your recent calamity
have the honor 70 BE- VERY Ins,NPsS9y your obs
10 Vice Admiral PouTarAlSE &C. &C., &C., Russian
Imperial Navy.
To this letter the Admiral replied
sIMoDA, Feb. 1, 1855
sion Of your sympathy at misfortune and the kind
offer to to Sharghae. Such pro posal was
be expected from the high minded citizens OF the United
States republic but in the present state OF with
England and France it would alter very little our stua
ton Our desire is to reach as soon as possible
ofour ports in the Pacific, hut this canuo be ef
eced before the end Of April If you consider it no
breach Of neutrality, as suppose it is not, convey
Of their country would request from your Gem
mandng officer in this part of the world send us
one Of your large fine steam frsstes to take at the
chatka Such an act of humanity will be greatly sp
preeiaed by our government, and would only rebound
With great confederation and regard have the honor
to be, cir, your obedient servant,
Vice Admiral Roy al Imperial Navy Of Russia.
To Capt. WIN. J. MccIusEY, u. 5. steam frgate Pow.
hatan.
Capt, McCIuney next made an offer Of what pro-
visions he could spare, which was gratefully accept
ed, and large supply OK bread, beef, pork, a.,
were supplied with everything that could bs spared
the wsrdrobss Of the P0whsssn's officers. The
Russian treaty was concluded while we were there.
It was, as we were informed tie same - that made
panese refusing to grant anything further and the
Only difference being that they, the Russians are to
have NaDgasaH for port instead OF Nata Kesnp,
In Loo Chico. This. OF course. opens Nangasaki to
us also. 1t was reported Dy the Japanese that the
earthquake by which Simoda had suffered 80 much,
had caustd great injury In other parts of Japan.
Jeddo itself wss much Injured, and Osaka, one of
was entirely destroyed. Several shocks we're fell
during our stay at Simo6a-some of them quite
heavy. During their continuance the ship shook
and trembIed as If she were Running over abed IF
coral rocks.
While we were lying here French wbalssap ap.
peared off tho haibor, wishing to land two Japan
ese seamen who bad been taken off wrecked junk
al see, about three years since. BY an American
ship. Tie japanese authorities refused to receive
Them or to allow them to land, ssying they I'd no
treaty with France, and French ships ha no right
to come there. Upon the earnest remonstraucs,
thsse men were first put on board the Powhasan,
they would receive them from her IS coming from
an Am. rican ship. TDis was done, but the welc3ms
OF these lost sheep among their countrymen was
not very fatteriDg. Their money was taken away
from them, and they were Obliged to shave their
heads and resume the national costume. After this
they we're not allowed to 60 to their homes, but
placed under strict surveillance, and in fact kept
prisoners, being told that they should be taken to
Jeddo after the New YEARS. holidays, to give an ac-
count of themselves. Five commissioners were ap-
pointed by the Japanese government to meet Capt.
Adams for the exchange Of ratfcatiors. After q
board the ship and on ehore, which were rendered
necessary by their ignorance of such matters and
their habitua caution and after repeated references
to Jeddo for Instructions everything was settled in
the most satisfactory manner and on the 2lst of
March the rRtificatiops were exchanged with all
proper ceremony, the Powhasan firing y salute with
the Japanese fsg at the fore. The commissioners,
with large retinue then visited the ship, and were
entertained In the cabin and sardroom. The next
morning we got under way for Sbanghae, and ar
rived at the mouth of the Yang tse Keapg after an
extremely boisteIous passage Of nine days. viag,
first to the want Of pilot and after wards TO thick
fogs, we were nearly five days in thIs dangerous
river before we reached the city. The Powhatan