The Red Cloud chief., 1877-12-06
The Ram StonewaH.

History of It's Safe tn the Japanese Gov
ernment---A Curious story.
Rev. +. II. Hendrix, i'm his highly in
t4esting letter on the japanese, men
toned the fact that the celebrated ram
"StOnewall" was at present owned by
the Japenese Government.
There being a little tale connected
with the arrival of the "Stonewall" in
Japan, which may interest the readers
OF your paper, | will relate it.
The Confederate irOnclad ram stone
wall" after the uDpleasantness, into the
hands of the United States Navy DE.
partment, and was, in 1861, sold TO the
Tycoon of Japan for $~1,5OO,OO0. The
money was paid Outof the private funds
eOf the Tycoon, and one of the most trust
worthy officers of the United States Ma
Wy, Commander Brown, was granted
one year furlough to accept the position
OF commander of the "StOIewall" and
convey her to the Japan empire.
This was a very hazardous undertake
ing, but it was nevertheless ACCOMPLISH
ed, and the voyage around the Cape of
Good Hope, if properly told, would fill a
volume.
In 1865 the Southern DaimOis of ia
pan, jealous of the prominence the fam
lily of the Tycoon had enjoyed in the
empire for many generations, captured
the MikadO, then at Toxic mot the pres
ent Toxic which then was called Jeddo)
and declared war against the Tycoon,
who at that time resided in Osaka. The
Tycoon escaped from the city, and his
castle was fired by Satsuma'S army. To
give you an idea of the cOnstruc-
ton of said castle, / will Say
that some of the stones composing the
wall around it were of the following di-
mansions:
Slxty feet long by forty broad and
twenty thick. There being no stone of
that description found within fifty miles
OF Osaka, ii is impossible to understand
IN what manner they We're conveyed to
Osaka at the building of said castle.
The Tycoon fed to the northern prov
inceS of the empire, and the Daimios
tiVii oiutu nun Will dill dIInt. hEnlS
and munitions of war were sold to both
parties by English and American resi-.
dents of Japan, Well, the War was IA,
ging nicely; nobody could tell wht
would win, when, II fine morning, the
Tycoon's iron-clad, "~Stonewall," steamed
into the baTbor of Yokohama, nyins ..,
Tycoo: 5 ensign on the peak. and t.,
Star Spangled banuer on the fore.
- OF course everybody in Yokaham;
knew of the sale and departure of tn
"~StonewalI," by the American papers
and expected she would be turned owe
to the Tycoon's agents, who alread.
were awaiting her arrival. But the,
were not diplomats. and did not see tn,
grease in this arrival.
The American ambassador then il
Japan saw his opportunity and i'm
proved it. The agents Of the Tycoon
were told that, rs the "Stonewall" hat
not yet Japanese papers, she was yet al
American vessel, and the American En-
bassador would take charge of her 70
the time being; lust wait a few days
and all would be satisfactory" etc.
American man-of-waI's- men too
clnarge of the ram and the Southern
Daimios were privately informed f.
course, not by the EmbassadorO that til
"Stonewal" was in Japan. An Amer
can missionary Mortified at the prospe'
of the war being prolonged by the add
ton of the Stonewall to the Tycoon
forces, anxious that the sacrifice of HI
man lives should be stepped, and mo-
anxious still to get his finger in the p
i'm the hope of finding a pl&m. BEGAN
the go-between in the case, ard the d
plomatic brain of the American Emba
sador being properly creased by the a
plication of S150.OOO worth of lubric
ting material, Vattell on Information
Law was opened and the Tycoon 10
the ram "Stonewall." The ship laid
tie harbor of Yokohama for some tim
and when the grease was dried up al
the Missionary had sent his dripping
$4,000 WORTH home, the vessel f
which the Tycoon had paid with his ON
private money was turned over to b
enemies and aided in giving him Il
finishing blow in the battle OF Haked
dist. Joseph Ne,rs.