The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1901-02-04
Japanese Society
Is Soliciting
Funds.
MONUMENT FOR
AMERICAN SEAMAN
Laudatory Circular Issued by the
Association in Charge of
Memorial.

TOXIC, Jan. 20.-The Bei-yu Kyo-kai.
which is at the head of the movement
TO erect Perry monument" at Kuri-
hama, has issued in the name of it's
president, Baron Kentaro Kancko, a
lcircular, translation of which follows
! and is self-explanatory:
/ Forty-seven years ago on the sth of
July, in the sixth year of Kayei, an
American envoy arrived in Japan on a
mission which was destined to become
an epoch-making event in the history
OF Japan. This envoy was none other
than Commodore Perry, u. S. N, who
| by order of the President of the North
American Republic, came to this coun-
try for the purpose of concluding a
treaty of commerce and friendly inter-
course between the two nations On the
14th of the month above mentioned the
envoy landed at Kurihama Miura-
gori, in the province of Sagami, ana
there held conferences repeatedly with
the officials of the Tokugawa Regency.
The object of his mission successfully
accomplished the Commodore sailed
home shortly after.
This visit of Commodore Perry was
in word the turning of the key which
opened the doors of the Japanese Err
pfre to friendly intercourse with the
United States, and subsequently, to the
rest of the nations of Europe on SINH
lar terms, and may in the truth be re-
garded as the most memorable event
in our annals-an event which paved
the way for and accelerated the intro
duction of new order of things-an
event that enabled the country to enter
upon the unprecedented era of national
a in WI, ,iob 1;rr:r
There is reason then-a strong rea-
son-that this visit of Commodore Per-
ry, no less than the spot where those
memorable conferences took place,
should be perpetuated in the memory
or the Japanese people.
True, Japan has not forgotten-nor
will she ever forget-that next to her
reigning and most beloved sovereign,
whose high virtues and great wisdom
are above all praise, she owes in no
small degree, her present prosperity to
the United States of America in that
the latter rendered her the great and
lasting service already referred to.
After the lapse of these forty-seven
years her people have however, come
to entertain but an uncertain memory
of kurihama, and yet it was there that
Commodore Perry first trod on the soil
of Japan and for the first time awoke
the country from a slumberous seclu-
sion of three centurieS-there it was
where first cleaned the light that has
ever since illuminated Japans way in
her new career of progress. Even writ
ers seldom mention the place now that
the spot where the American envoy
landed and which should forever be re-
menlbered in our history threatens to
be forgotten altogether
Last fall we had the pleasure of meet
ing Rear Admiral Beardslee, Z. S. N.
who as naval cadet and member of
the crew under Commodore Perry
landed at Kurihama on the historical
occasion, and who after these forty
seven years once more came back to
pay visit to this country. Beckoned
by the memories of the past, the Ad-
miral went to Kurihama Immediately
after his arrival in Japan. but he was
only able to ascertain the spot where
the envoy and his party had landed
half a century ago by the help of an
old survivor of those by-gone days We
We're greatly moved by his account of
his second visit to Kurihama and we
set on foot movement to
erect fitting monument which may
perpetuate the place in question in the
memory of our posterity. We have
since made such progress with this
that site for the monument
has already been selected. It is our
determination to accomplish the end in
view with all possible promptitude and
to hold the ceremony of unveiling the
on the coming anniversary
of the landing of the American envoy
at kurihama, the 18th of July this year.
We hope that those who are interested
in the matter will favor us by endorsing
our undertaking in a substantial man
ner.