Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-06-14
WITH PERRY IN JAPAN
Chief Engineer ROBBIE Tells of
Famous Visit.
HAS INTERESTING CAREER
Describes Voyage Around the World
by Fleet in 1925.
TAKES FIRST PICTURE IN EAST
Assists in Building a Steam Rail-
road-Incidents in a Notable
Naval Career.
TAKES FIRST PICTURE IN EAST

Chief Engineer Edward Durham Robe.
L. 8. NJ. ranking as rear admiral on the
retired list. and who celebrated his golden
wedding anniversary Wednesday Of last
week, is an interesting figure in one OF
the most memorable naval expeditions
that ever set out from this country. He
Is one OIL the five surviving officers Of the
200 who accompanied Commodore NJ. c.
Perry in the famous expedition which
opened up Japan to the civilized world in
1S52-1S54. 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 peo-
pie of the United States of America than
all the rest of the world combined.
Admiral ROBBIE was born in Burlington.
VT. September II, 1881. and is a son of
Jacob Carter and Louisa Durham ROBBIE.
He was educated at the Binghamton
Academy. Binghamton. \. Y, where he
won the scholarship prize. and was subse-
quently warranted an assistant engineer
In the United States navy. He was one OF
the naval engineering class of nineteen. in
1852, which. after competitive examina-
ton, was evolved from 100 contestants
He won his way to the head of that class
and became its ranking officer.
/ At the early age of thirty he was COM
missiOned by President Lincoln chief en-
gineer in the United tSates Navy. his COM
mission 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 September II. 1893
with the rank of commodore. being the
only one of his class to attain that rank
and in 1905. by act of Congress, his rank
was raised to that Of rear admiral for his
creditable record in the civil war.
Expedition to japan.
Admiral ROBBIE. however. prefers to find
the great pleasure of his later days in the
recollections of that memorable expedition
to Japan.
1.-THE expedition he explains. under
Commodore Perry sailed. in 1852. on its
everto-be-forgotten trip around the
world. and returned to New York city in
April. 1855. after having successfully cir
COMMUNICATED 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 Pow
hatan. They were Old-fa ShiOned side
wheel steamers. with wooden hulls. and
boilers built of copper plate 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 hour. There were with the
fleet several slOOps of war, the Plymouth,
the Saratoga and others, numbering In
all fifteen vessels.
I'VE sailed from Hampton roads in
November. 1852. via CapetOwn, touching
en- route at Madeira. the Azores and ST
Helena. Leaving CapetOwn we touched
at Mauritius. in the Indian ocean. and
then Point de Gale. CeylOn. 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. June g.
1853. The country was revelation to
every one was sketching what he saw
even the common sailors doing it as best
they could.
Find a Walled City.
"At Shut we found walled city and
Commodore Perry signified to the Japan
csc officials. through interpreters, that he
wished to visit it. They were appalled,
and told him that under no circumstances
would that be permitted. The commo-
dore however. whom we affectionatelS
dubbed the 'I-rsa Major. in his quiet
forceful way. informed them that on the
following day he would land and visit
the city. and would expect its gates tc
be opened to him. The Japanese were
courteous and polite. hut We were evident
| ly not to their liking. They would,
think have crushed us had they dared
but were wise enough to recognize OIL
superior strength. and so. when, on the
morrow the commodore, accompanied
with about 1000 sailors and marines. to
whom fifty rounds of ammunition hat
been furnished for guns and our dozer
| howitzers appeared at the gates of the
walled city he found them open and We
entered and marched all around the city
| i'm which no white man had ever set foo
before.
From Shui we went to the Bay Of
Yeddo and Yokohama. The waters of the
| bay had never been charted. and we die
not know how far or to what extent they
were navigable. We had to chart then
and the work was begun at once. Imag
| inc the surprise of the natives We were
told that no steamship had ever been seer
| in those waters before.
"The Japs came down to meet US II
/ forra in hundreds ~ hoofc 3aAap r,tks