Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1896-06-17
FIRST SHIP TO JAPAN
THE WILMINGTON SAILED FROM NEW
LONDON IN 1855.
The Yankee Received the Marble Heart at
Hikdata, but the Owners of the Ship
Got Big Sum From the Japanese Gov
a,.x,r,or,f For Violcfion of TreafH.

The Yankee Received the Marble Heart at
Hikdata, but the Owners of the Ship
Got a Big Sum From the Japanese Gov
errment For Violation of Treaty.
In the early fifties, shortly after the
first treaty was made between the Unit
ed States and Japan, a little group of
New Londoners got together and secret
ly planned trading voyage to that far
off and at that time almost unknown
land. The pros and cons were carefully
discussed, and the verdict, which was
unanimous, can be best expressed in the
language of Colonel Sellers, "There's
millions in it. -
Accordingly the topsail schooner Will
mington was secured, and clothing and
provisions bought and loaded aboard the
little craft that lay impatiently waiting
to be off.
Every detail finished, the hawser was
cast off on the 23d Of January, 1866,
and the Wilmington, with saucy little
toss of stern, stood out toward the race.
The Wilmington was owned by Thorn
as Fitch, Captain William Brown and
George Fitch. all of this city, and was
differed as follows: William Brown,
captain; Thomas eager, first mate, and
George Fitch, second mate. In addition
to these were cook, colored steward
and four able seamen.
Fairly clear from the harbor, the
course was laid for Cape Town, and she
made the run in So days, remarkably
good running for any craft. But for
this little schooner the run was consid-
cred marvellous
The rest of the story is best told by
George G. Fitch. He said: "We ran in
to Cape Town and traded for about two
weeks Or ten days, and had fair success.
Then we ran up to Ange point, on the
island of Java, and traded at the Dutch
settlements for week or so, and from
there we ran up to Batavia, which was
quite large city, and did very well
there. After laying there for short
time, as long as the natives would
trade, we sailed for Hongkong.
''The Malays were very friendly to
us, though there were lots of pirates all
around there, but they never molested
US. We watched them pretty closely,
and I guess maybe that had as much to
do with it as anything else.
"We had intended to stop at the is
lands of Borneo, but we heard of an
English bark that had been there but a
short time before and had all hands
murdered
1--WE gave that place the go by and
went on up to Hongkong, as I before
stated. We ran into the last port leak
ing, and discharged cargo for repairs.
After we finished repairs, we reloaded
what we had not sold of our cargo, and
started fer our objective point, as origi-
nally planned. That was Hikdata, ia
pan. We ran into the harbor about
midday. and were Immediately boarded
by lot OF Japanese officers. gesticula-
ting wildly and swinging their arms
like SO many crazy people.
After awhile and after mighty
bad lot Of pigeon English had been
spoken we began to understand what
they wanted. They were forbidding us
to land, and all around were lots of
Japanese in boats, and as they looked
anything but pleasant we took I'D cur
anchor and cruised back down to Shang-
hal, China.
1.-The action Of the japanese was en-
tlrely unlocked for on our part, as
trading treaty had just been made be-
tween them and our government, and
their refusal to allow US to land serious
" lnterfercd with cur plans and caused
US a great loss of money. l don't know
as you know it, but ours was the first
American ship to enter japanese port
Tor trading purposes At Shanghai we
discharged our cargo and got the most
we could fer it and then chartered our
vessel for 81, 2G0 month TO the Eng
hsh government for cruising purposes
Captain Brown entered protest
against the actions OF the Japanese au
thorities. and the officers and crew scat
tered and worked their different ways
back to New Lc,iacn the best they could.
A short while after the English had the
Wilmington, she was caught in a ty-
phcon in tho China seas and torn M
bacly. She was run back into ,,ort, re-
paired 81: 81 j fully sold to pay the bill