The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1904-07-16

LomfnOuOEG NAthoAsoH8 VIM WAS Htst~
igafor Of the Old Powhatan, Tells Of
Sensation Japs Caused.
Commodore Nicholson (retired), who
was navigating officer of Perry's flag
ship, the Powhattan, when that great
naval commander opened Japan to the
world, writes as follows in the New Or
leans Times-Democrat:
AS navigating officer Of. Commodore
Perry's flagship, on the occasion of his
famous expedition to Japan, it was my
good fortune to play small part in a
very interesting historical episode. And
six years later, when the island empire
sent an embassy to the United States
which was, in fact, the first diplomatic
mission accredited by that country to
any foreign nation-I enjoyed another
opportunity of observing the progress
of commencing relations between those
interesting Asiatics and ourselves. For
at that time qS60) CHANGED to be on
duty at the navy yard in Washington,
and was one; of the receiving party
when the ambassadors We're landed
I4lEIC ny ill <al1lCIiSGllA Mea49AAlEs
The mission in question was Japan's
first step, as one might say, out of her
own domain. She, the Iatest-born off
spring of civilization, and as yet in
swadling- clothes, was trying to walk
alone, and we stood in anxious readi-
ness to help her, lest she come to grief.
Commodore Perry, in 1854, on a eere-
monial occasion at which I myself was
present, had signed in duplicate COM
mercial treaty with Japan. Four years
later, in the great fire at Yeddo, the
English copy of the document was de-
stroyed (although the copy in Japa-
nese was saved11, and the principal OBJ
ject of the embassy of 1860 was to re-
place the burnt piece Of writing with
a fresh one, signed by President Blu
cfanan.
The mission comprised no fewer than
seventy-one persons, and was headed
BY two full-fiedged ambassadors, both
princes Of the realm, though not, as /
understood, of royal rank. Senior of
the two in grade Though Junior in age)
was a nob1eman who called himself
sirmi- Booisen-no-Kam He was,
should Judge, about thirty-five years of
age, small of frame, and with a slight
stoop His colleague was perhaps
twenty years older, and not nearly SO
good looking, having lost many of his
teeth.
Next in rank were two personages Of
almost equal Importance. one of whom
was an officer Of the japanese treasury,
who it may be supposed, had charge Of
le "A ffo1s
these came five or six high dignitaries,
who appeared to act chiefly in an orna-
mental capacity, and the rest Of the
party was made up Of officers, aids, in
terpreters, cooks and physicians.
There was also youth who was called
Tommy by his numerous American
friends, but Of him shall have some-
what to say later on.
The princess and her train arrived by
a rather circuitous route, owing to the
comparative lack of facilities for travel
III those days. They We're brought as
far ais Panama by Commodore Tatnall
on the Powhatan Perry's old flagship,
on which 7 had served as navigator
and, after crossing the isthmus BY rail,
were taken on board Of the steamer
Philadelphia, which brought them up
the Potomac and landed them in Wash
ington on May IA, 1860.
Their arrival at the washington navy
yard was great and memorable event.
AS they approached the shore. the band
on the bow Of the Philadelphia struck
up the Stars pangled Banner" and
one Of the Japs, who was provided with
huge sheets Of colored paper, was OBJ
served to be busily sketching the scene.
Al detachment of marines, with the nil
litia of the District of Columbia, lent a.
martial air to the proceedings, and,
when the visitors had disenbarked, a
salute of twenty-one guns was fired by
the Dahlgren battery. Then, arm in
arm, with Captain (afterward AdmiraD
Dupont Sirmi- Boojsen- Ka1ni led
the way to the carriages which were in
waiting.
The procession through the city
which followed, under escort by a.
crowd Of rag-muffins, afforded spec.
tacle curious enough. 1t was headed
by Japanese men-at-arms, clad in ar
NOR of ancient pattern and bearing
spears. Then came the ambassadors in
carriages, followed by two American
policemen carrying on their shoulders
pole, from which was suspended an OBJ
ject somewhat resembling a moderate
sized dog-house with a pent roof. This
was, in fact, a receptacle containing
the treaty box as people chose to
call 1T, In which was Enclosed letter
from the Tycoon to President Buchan-
an and an unsigned copy of the treaty
between Japan and the United States,
III English.
Charge Of the embassy, after it's ar
rival, was given over to Lieutenant
David d. Porter lin later days Admiral
Of the Navy, who engaged for the ac-
commodation of the princes and their
followers sixty rooms of which twenty
were for reception purposes, at Will
lard's Hotel Plenty of bathrooms
were provided, in consideration of the
notable addiction of the Japanese to
the employment of water for additions,
and kitchens were set aside for use by
the cooks who accompanied the expedi-
ton. MY recollection is that the WISH
tors were greatly astonished by the
mirrors, extending from floor to ceiling,
the only looking glasses to which they
were accustomed being of polished
steel. a.