Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1882-08-17

lhe recent death Of Rear Admiral
David Stockton McDougal. of Us. Navy,
brought to mind the affair with the
japanese vessels and forts, in 1853, upon
which was based the celebrated japanese
indemnity fund of which so much has
been written and said of late years. In
lSbi, Capt. McDougai went to japan il
command of the steam sloop Wyoming
aiid was absent until 1854. He greatly
distinguished himself there in bringing
20 .ub3ection one Of the most powerful
and in1uentid Of the japanese dairaios
OF princes, the Prince Of NeRato. This
trinee, In his hatred Of foreigners and
N yioaation Of the treaty with our Gov
eminent, bad closed BY force the Strait
OK Simooad6, the chief passage to the
principal inland sea Of the empire. The
American bark Pembroke had been fired
upon and forced TO retreat. In this
crisis Capt. McDouRal received instxuc-
tons to proceed 70 the scene and redress
the insult to our flag. The engagement
that followed has added no little luster
to our naval exploits and We subioin an
Japan Commercial Ns,rs Of July 22nd,
1868.
Az ACCOUNT OF TIE xxoA0KNxNT.
I'm obedience to the order of the pro-
peFly constituted authorities of the Unit
ed States Government, the Wyoming
weighed anchor at kanakawa, on the
18th Of July, 1853. and set out on her
voyage to the Straits Of Simen n Xxi
She entered the Bay of Simonasiki on
the morning of the 10th of July. When
she approached the entrance Of the Bay,
the fort next to her fired a signal gun,
which was answered by all the forts and
by the ships in the harbor. At this time
the Wyoming bad no flag up, but upon
the signal being fred she hoisted he
flag and proceeded into the Bay. keep
ing as close as she could to the northern
shore, contrary to the expectation of the
Japanese. The first fort immediately
opened heavy FIRE upon her, and g.
did all the others, as she moved slowly
along, shelling the forts with such an
effect as to silence such Of them az re-
ceived her fire. Tie men in the forts
which r. -eived shells from the Wyoming
we're observed to rush out and jump
from the nights in such Il precipitate
manner as to lead to the belief that the
shells must have told with greater effect
and done more damage than the Japa-
nese anticipated. The bark and the
brig Laurick, the two vessels which fired
on the Pembroke, were still there and
another vessel also, the steamer Lance
field. These vessels lay close under the
town, the bark being inside, the Laurick
next to her and the Lanoe6eld outside
with steam up and a
0gEAr NUMBER OF MIN ON BOARD,
apparently making preparations to ap-
proach and board the Wyoming. Capt. |
McDouggal ordered the Wyonin2 to
be taken in between the Lancef;eld and |
the Laurick, and prepared to give each |
of them a broadsids in passing. The |
Laurjck fred frat, hut Immediately |
afterward the Wyoming delivered her |
broadside on the two Japanese, and sent |
a ball through the stern of the Laurick !
in such way as to leave her apparently |
The Wyoming moved on slow |
~. firing into the forts and the town as
she went and mixing Il curve to enable !
Ler to return to FIRE on the ships again; !
as she was turning, the Lancefield NOV
ed across the track of the Wyoming fur |
Their into the Bay to escape at the western !
outlet, but the Wyoming, while curviny.
brought her great pivot-gun to bear on |
the Lancefield in her new position, and
sent ball right through her boiler,
causing her to blow up and scattering
destruction through every part of the |
vessel. Steam, cinders, ETC., were blown |
out in every direction, and such of the |
crew who were not Immediately over
whelmed jumped over board. Tho Wy
oming returned under a slack fire from
the forts, and having done all that she
deemed necessary for that tine, she re-
turned to kanakawa to report what haG
taken place. The engagement lasted an
hour and ten minutes. The Wyoming
received eleven shots and had four men
killed in action and seven wounded"
The late'unapimOus report 0ftheSenate
Committee on Foreign Relations states
that the official accounts are even more
flattering to Capt. McDougal and his
men, since they show that the Wyoming
Was in a comparatively unknown chan
mel, and that the victory was due to the
highest skill and intrepidity. The Japa-
nese Government afterward paid three
quarters of million dollars to the Unit
ed States as indemnity, and Of which
sum &l40,0 went to the Wyoming rs
prize money, and the Americans resident
in Japan presented Comm snder Nc
DouQal with an elegant silver service.