Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1908-06-30
Mistellaneuus Rsaaing.
WITH PERRY IN JAPAN.
Rear Admiral Z. D. Robie Gives Some
"reminiscences,

Rear Admiral Z. D. Robie Gives Some
"reminiscences.
Chief Engineer Edward Dunham Ro-
bic, U. s. n, ranking as rear admiral
on the retired list, and who celebrated
his golden wedding anniversary on
Wednesday of last week. Is an interest
ing figure in one of the most memora-
BILE naval expeditions that ever set out
from this country. He is one Of the
five surviving officers Of the 200 who
accompanied Commodore M. c. Perry
in the famous expedition which opened
up Japan to the civilized world in 1852
1854, and thus did more toward the
rapid advancement Of that progressive
nation to the first rank Of powers, and
to cement its people in friendship to
the people Of the United States Of
America than all the rest Of the
world combined.
Admiral Robie was born in Burling-
ton, VT, September IL, 1881, and Is
son of Jacob Carter and Louisa Dun
ham Robie. He was educated at the
Binghamton academy, Binghamton, N.
Y, where he won the scholarship prize,
and was subsequently warranted an
assistant engineer in the United States
navy He was one of the naval engin-
eering class of nineteen, in 1852, which,
after competitive examination, was
evolved from 100 contestants. He won
his way to the head o. that class and
became its ranking officer.
At the early age Of 30 he was COM
missioned by President Lincoln, chief
engineer in the United States navy,
his commission being one Of the very
few which President Lincoln signed
with his full name, Abraham Lincoln,
instead Of with the familiar signature,
| "a. Lincoln"
After an eventful life, rich in accom-
plishment and full Of exciting incidents,
he was retired for age on September
II, 1893, with the rank of commodore,
being the only one of his class to at
tain that rank; and in 1906, by act OF
congress, his rank was raised to that
Of rear admiral for his creditable rec
| ord in the civil war.
Admiral Robie, however, prefers to
find the great pleasure Of his later days
in the recollectlons Of that memorable
expedition to Japan.
1.-THE expedition" he explains, under
Commodore Perry sailed in 1852, on
it's never to be- forgotten trip around
| the wor d, and returned to New York
city in April, 1855 after having sue
cessfully circumnavigated the globe,
being the first instance in the history
Of the American navy for a steam
frigate to accomplish that feat
II was attached to the flagship Mis-
sissippi," he said, lone Of the three
steam frigates in the fleet, the two
others being the Susquehanna and the
Powhatan They were old-fashioned
side wheel steamers with wooden hulls
and boilers built Of copper plate a
quarter of an inch thick to sustain a
steam pressure of eight pounds to the
square inch and maintain a speed, the
wonderful speed. of eight knots an
fhour: There were with the fleet sew
eral ~sloops Of war, the Plymouth, the
Saratoga and Others numbering In all
fifteen vessels.
1--WE sailed from Hampton Roads In
November 1852, via Cape Town, touch
ing en- route at Madeira the Azores
and st. Helena. Leaving Cape Town
we touched at Mauritius, in the Indian
ocean, and then Point de Gale, Cey-
lon, and after 1000 miles or more of
voyage reached Singapore. Hongkong,
China, came next in our itinerary and
| then Japan.
"The first point we touched in Japan
was Shut, capital of Lew Chew, on
June 6, 1853. The country was a reve-
lation to US, and when we went ashore
almost every one was sketching what
lie saw, even the common sailors doing
II as best they could.
"At Shut we found a walled city and
Commodore Perry signified to the ia
panese officials, through interpreters,
that he wished to visit 1t. They were
appalled,, and told him that under no
circumstances would that be permit
Ted. The commodore, however, whom
we affectionately dubbed the 'Ursa
Major in his quiet, forceful way, in
formed them that on the following day
he would land and visit the city, and
would expect it's gates to be opened
| to him. The Japanese were courteous
and polite, but we were evidently not
to their liking. They would, 1 think
have crushed us had they dared, but
were wise enough to recognize our su-
perior strength, and so, when on the
morrow the commodore, accompanied
with about 1000 sailors and marines,
to whom fifty rounds Of ammunition
had been furnished for guns, and our
dozen howitzers appeared at the gates
CO the walled city, he found them open
and we entered and marched all around
the city, in which no white man had
ever set foot before.
From Shut we went to the bay or
Yeddo and Yokohama. The waters or
the bay had never been charted, and we
did not know how far or to what eX-
tent they were navigable. We had to
chart them, and the work was begun
at once. Imagine the surprise of the
natives. We were told that no steam
ship had ever been seen in those wa
ters before.
THE Japanese came down to meet
us in force, in hundreds Of boats laden
with men armed with swords and
spears, bows and arrows, escorted by
their best battleship, an old one-sall
Junk. Just think of it, and this only
ffty-five years ago. Well, as our cut
ters moved ahead in their work or
sounding and charting the waters, the
Japs would steer their boats In front
Of ours and endeavOr to obstruct our
way. A show of muskets by our men
and a determined attitude, however,
soon induced them to get out of the
way, and in this way the bay Of Yed-
do was sounded and charted by US.
II wish to say" he added, that the
Japanese were never really offensive.
They were ALWAYS polite, but they want