The Washington times., 1905-06-12
MARFLANDER WAS
WITH PERRY IN '53
DR.. Steele Recalls Famous
Japan Expedition.
TELLS OF HIS IMPRESSIONS
Lived in the Far East Over Half a
Century Ago-Praise for
Brown Men.

Thomas Buchanan Steele, one of the
seven known surviving officers OF Com
modore Perry's expedition to Japan In
1858. is passing his declining days in this
pretty little Eastern Shore town. He is
now eighty-three years old, and his
once vigorous form shows the signs of
time. He is confined to his room under
the care of his son. DR.. Guy Steele. He
pines for the familiar scenes down In
the town. and all the children miss this
courteous gentleman Of the old school
DR.. Steele is prominently connected In
Baltimore and other sections of the
State, besides the Eastern Shore. He
is son OF the late John hewitt Steele,
member of Congress in 1835-18SI and
Wing candidate for governor Of Mary
land in 1910 against William Grason. Of
Queen Anne's county. His mother was
Anne Ogie Buchanan, daughter Of Thorn
as Buchanan, Of Eagerstown, and
through her he is descended from Sam
uel ogle, twice proprietary governor Of
Maryland between 1881 and 1752. Before
his recent decline In health DR.. Steele
was full OF delightful experiences OF his
visit TO Japan, many Of which he re-
lated to his friend, Col. Clement Su1li-
van. OF Cambridge, who in turn related
1t to the correspondent.
Was Surgeon in Navy.
In 1886 DR.. Steele was appointed as
sistant surgeon Of the United States
Navy. and joined the feet 10 the Gulf
of Mexico then assisting IN the Amer
lean invasion Of Mexico. In 1850 he
sailed on the United States sloop Sar-
atoga for China and remained on the
Eastern station until the successful
close of Commodore Perry's expedition
to Japan, returning home in August,
1854 Previous to sailing on the Sar-
atoga he had married his cousin, Isa-
bella z. Henry, daughter Of John
Campbell Henry, Of Hambrooks, and
granddaughter OF John Henry of Yves
ton, Governor OF Maryland, and later
United States Senator, he and Charles
Carroll. OF Carrollton. having been the
first two Senators sent from this State
to the national councils.
AS Colonel sullivan remembers Dr.
Steele in his youth he was splendid
specimen Of physical manhood and was
considered one Of the handsornest Of
remarkable resemblance to the Bona
parties, IL being so extraordinary that he
was frequently accosted as member Of
that family while serving in the Medi-
terranean.
As He Recalls Japan.
DR.. Steele was much interested in the
Japanese-Russian war. and he frequent
~ discussed the outcome with Colonel
Sullivan and other friends. This led
upon a recent occasion to his referring
to his own visit to japan. He said:
Though over fifty years have passed
since sailed with Perry into Yeddo
bay and bore an humble part in open
ing Japan to the civilization Of the
West the events of those days. SO long
ago, come wildly before me as our talk
recalls them While my eishtythree
more recent occurrences. l can still see
very plainly and clearly and remember
well my snipmates and comrades Of
Perry's expedition.
his relentless harvest, and ] am one of
the six or seven surviving officers Of
the whole sQuadron-the last of my own
ship-and l must soon, in the course of
nature, follow them to the bourne
whence no traveller returns / was mar
FED in June. 1850. and in August of the
States "sloop Saratoga, then at Norfolk
fitting out for the China station
No Suez Canal Then.
Shortly after joining her we sailed
for the East. via Rio and Cape Town.
OF course. the Suez canal was I'M
thought Of in those days. and all cruises
~ SHud were ny way VI the CapeS-
Cape Of Good Hope or Cape Horn. The
Saratoga was a sloop of war, of twenty
two guns. commanded by Capt. william
8. Walker-1Old West-Sou'-Wes the
sailors used to call him from his In
itais, w. s. W. on each piece of his
numerous baggage. John r. Colds
borough, William S. Maury and William
Wayne were Heutenants, DR.. Thomas L.
Smith was surgeon, assistant surgeon
ana j. George Harris was purscr. Our
cruise out was long, though not without
member our pleasant sojourn at Cape
Town and our bear and ostrich hunt into
the interior OF Cape Colony while there
In the spring OF 1853 the fleet rendez-
yoused at the Loo Chow islands, and
thence sailed direct for Yeddo bay It
consisted of the Mississippi (flasship)
and the sloops of war Saratoga and Ply
mouth, and in three or four days we
cast anchor in the bay of Sagami Point
AS we sailed up the bay we could only
ton would be, bat We knew that the
Japanese were a brave and warlike peo-
pie, intensely patriotic. and ready to de-
fend their country from what was to
was peaceful, and we were instructed TO
carefully avoid giving ofense. and use
oil our arts and wiles to win their IA
vor, still we took no chances of attack,
and sailed II with officers and men ct
their stations and ships cleared for &C
ton"
DR.. Steele in letter written in May,
1888, 20 his bride of 1, short time, gave
his impressions Of the new country in
the following interesting manner:
What He Wrote His Bride.
May 1Q-The feet Is lying about one
ana half to two miles from the shore.
in good range for our great guns. The
coast, or shore, for some distance is
ekirted with houses which make one con-
tlnIous town. In the wav of boats they
can beat any people. save at Canton,
that / ever saw. None Of them, how
ever, appear armed They have not hon.
ored US as they did Commodore BiddIe,
for then they so completely surrounded
the Columbus and Nincennes that IL
was difficult matter to get through
them. The commodore told the lieuten-
ont governor that he didn't want the
boats around him, and the governor said
he would send them away-and now
there are none at all around US. l hope
things will go right, and there will be
no bloodshed.
From on deck the country looks
very pretty. The high hills are COW
cred with trees and shrubbery, and
every available SpOf seems a ia c,Il-