The Black Hills union and western stock review. [volume] (Rapid City, S.D.) 1904-19??, 1904-02-26
AMERICA SHOWED
JAPAN The WORLD
Commodore Perry's Visit Re.
called by the Death of
Admiral BeardsIee.
THE a SPOT MARKED
Old Sailor Tells the Story of the Firs
Landing of the Americans Dec
AIDES Ago in the Mikado's
Empire.

Eliza r. Scidmore's Toxic letter in
the Chicago Tribune: The japanese
newspapers have published Mandatory
notices of Admiral Lester Beardslee,
who died recently in Georgia, for to
them he vas a historical figure and a
figure in their own history. AS a mid
Shiplnan in Commodore Perry's fleet he
twas a witness Of the opening OF Japan
ito the world. He revisited it as a ships
commander in 1870, when the country
was torn with the Satsuma rebellion,
n after his retirement from active
service he gratified his long desire and
| spent a year in leisured ease on the
shore of the far east.
Adlniral Beardslee hunted up, with
the aid Of a yachting American friend,
the exact spot where the boats landed
Commodore Perry, and where the presi-
dents letter was delivered to the un-
willing Japanese officials on the beach
OF the little village of Kurihama, forty.
miles below Yokohama.
At the next banquet given him by the,
many societies INC associations Of.
Toxic, eager to honor the survivor of,
the Perry expedition, he demanded to-
know why there was no to-
mark such an important spot, since
Japan Is dotted with monuments and
memorial stones from one end to the
ether. Forthwith, the Society Of Those,
Who Have Been in America, as
BeiyukuWai might be translated, prom
1scd to erect a If Admiral
Beardsley Would wait to dedicate 1t. |
The committee Of enthusiastic young
] men headed by Baron Kaneko, that
Harvard graduate and degree man.
who stands for good government, purJ
jty and reform in municipal matters,i
went with the admiral to the spot. They
planted trees, marked the monument
site, and in a little over six months
had the memorial completed and I'M,
yelled with great ceremony on the,
forty-eighth anniversary of the land
Ing. .
Admiral Beardslee had a strong
sense of humor and dearly loved to tel
how he first set foot on Japan. When
the string Of ships boats had landed
Commodore Perry and his staff and his
files Of marines Midshipman Beardslee
was told off to command one Of the
boats n told not 20 leave it. While
the mysterious proceedings went on,
in the draped Enclosure time dragged on,
the hands Of the lively young midshipi
man, and, wearing his boat closer in
shore, he determined to step off on the
beach for only a minute, Just to say
liS q bCCll III III CdpdIl. III
cautious foot had just gone over tho
,gunwhale and touched the soft sandj
when the other officer in command
spied him and roared out: Get into
your boat Immediately, Mr.. Beardslee,'1
and his experience on shore went no
further. J
Equally joyful was the old admirals
memory Of his first and last interview
with Commodore Perry. At tina time
grog was regularly served in the Amer-
lean navy, and on great occasions a
special ration was given to seamenl
One of the officers on the ship to which
M~idshipman Beardslee was attached
WAS a hard drinker n had with diff
ficulty been brought out Of an attack
of delirium tremens on the way uni
from Canton.
His ships commander feared hat
the order for extra grog on the night
OF the delivery Of the presidents let
ter might be his undoing, and, not to
make it an affair Of official record and
correspondence, he sent Midshipman
Beardslee to the flagship to verbally
state the case to Commodore Perry
and ask that that particular ship be
omitted from the order.
1t was a no night in mid-July. The
commodore sat at his desk, collarless.
writing. The little midshipman was
1lshered in and tWirled his cap a few
minutes, waiting. The commodore's
quill pen scratched on and on, came to
a stop, and the handsome old head was
Taised. An eagle glance shot from the
rye, n the naval diplomat said,
"Eigh?" 1902
The midshipman repeated the message.
gave the explanation, and stopped, The
hadsome old commodore meditated a min
ate ana said: "Umph!" and resumed
writing, and the midshipman slipped
through the cabin doorway and breathed
freely on deck after the brief interval
in the commanders presence.
And that was my first and last inter
view with the commodore during the
whole cruise" Admiral Beardslee used to
say with a chuckle Of delight.
The emperor had a special interest in
receiving Admiral Beardslee, and the au-
dience was not the formal, impersonal af-
fair of set speeches that such affairs
usually are. There We're difficulties in
arranging for the presentation, however.
rs Admiral Beardslee had no naval uni
form with him in Japan. When he re-
tired from the navy he retired, he said.
He was a private citizen only, and the
gold lace and buttons were not for him
any more.
But you must wear the uniform of
your rank at the palace" said the de-
spa.ring minister.
'Did General Grant wear uniforms in
Japan?' asked the retired admiral, and
the vanquished chamberlain arranged for
the presentation at a garden party, where
civilian dress was permissible.
After he had seen the Japan of 1900 Adj
miral Beardslee In reality retired and set
tied down to an active life on his place
AT Beaufort, N. c., in an old colonial
mansion, crowded with the trophies and
accommodations of a busy life in many seas.
Japanese servants and gardener went
to America with him. and the ~tireless old
admiral had a little Japan on his place Of
every green and growing thing he had
Peen able to send. Seeds, roots, bulbs and
Fpecimens from Japan, chrysanthemums
and morning glories, iris and lilies madd
splendid show for him in a first season,
and his mulberry trees nourished silk
worms that netted their Japanese tenders
seventy pounds of shining, glossy skeins
at the first trial. His was a happy old
age, full of honors and activities. and tina
japanese mourn him.
Japan has never failed to recognize the
debt she owes to the United States. It
was the fleets Of the latter power that
showed Japan the oper door of the world
Pnd started the. chrysanthemum kingdom
bn Its surprising march toward the front
rank among the great powers of the
world.
The United States mint at San Fran
| cisco is the largest institution of the
S23ad lE the world.