The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-12-16

"a EARLY half a century has elapsed
since Commodore Perry canclud-
ed a treaty of commerce and
navigation with Japan, and now
i h Admiral Beardslee tretiredl. who
as a cadet accompanied the American
squadron, is revisiting the scene of the
negotiations. Recently he was in Yoko-
hama. where he was interviewed by
representative of the Jill. Asked about
his impressions of Japan, the admiral
remarked:
1.-The progress which Japan has attain
ed during the past forty-seven years is
tremendous everything is like dream
AS soon as | reached Yokohama ! visited
the old site of the magistracy in Uraga.
and also Kurihama, where Perry met
the representative of the Shotgun and
where they exchanged credentials.
was utterly at loss to identify the
places, for everything had been complete
ly metamorphosed during the Intervening
period. Fortunately | came across one
old gentleman, Mr. Sukehichi Hirai. 50
wears old who stili remembered many
things that happened long ago, and who
kindly took me round the old historic
spot Under his direction, and gazing
at the bay of uraga. | could call up TO
memory what had taken place there
fort y-seven years ago. This recollection
gives me without doubt great pleasure,
but the pleasure is not unmixed. Be-
fore | had seen Uraga and Kurikama.
/ had thought that some suitable monu-
ments must be standing to mark the
places where the scenes that revolution
ized Japans destiny were enacted.
was painfully disappointed. The result
of my visit to the two places Is that
am led to believe that the Japanese peo-
pie have forgotten all about the Perry's
epoch-making mission And yet the
frwx.x $50 -
the art of commemorative events worthy
of being handed down 10 posterity. AS |
was travelling from Uraga to kurihama
l noticed by the roadside of a cutting
stone monument with minute inscrip-
lions engraved upon It. l asked the
gentleman who accompanied me whether
the stone was connected with Perry's ar
rival, and was disappointed when ] was
answered that IL was memorial setting
forth the philanthropic act of certain
gentleman who had ieveled the road at
his own expense. Well nothing In the
shape of monument Indicating the spot
where Perry's negotiations with the
shogun's representative had taken place
could | find In Kurihama. and but for
the unalsered aspect of the natural sur
roundings should have failed to recog-
nize the place.
Far is 1t from my Intention, however,
to attribute to Perry alone the phenome-
nal progress Japan has made In her civill-
zation. Shut up for centuries. she had
been maturing in her strength and power.
and Perry's nilsson had merely afforded
her an opportunity to break loose from
this seciusion and to join In the great
arena OF the worlds competition. But 1t
must not be forgotten at the same time
what great pains the commodore under
went In concluding a treaty with Japan,
and especially in endeavoring to remove
any cause OF anxiety on the part of the
shogunate and to conclude the business
in peace and friendliness. Japan. there
fore, must be said to owe much to The
commodore. and II she admits this point
she must surely acknowledge that some
suitable monument should be erected st
UraEa and Kurihama TO perpetuate his
memory. Even II | were speaking from
the side of Japan. my remarks would be
equally applicable. should think. for was
not the arrival of Perry's expedition a
signal for her to emerge from her seclu-