The National tribune., 1908-04-23

terview had not lasted 80 minutes.
Perry's Second Visit.
| Perry and his squadron sailed away,
to the immense relief Of the Japanese,
but in November, while in China, he
learned that some French and Russian
ships were contemplating d visit to To-
kio. Without any notion of having his
plans interfered with, he decided to
forestall them and to return to Japan
at once, making a Midwinter voyage.
On Feb. "a. 1854, he therefore appeared
in the bay of Toxic with the steamers
lSusquehanna Mississippi and Powhatan
and the sailing vessels Macedonian.
Northampton, Lexington Vandalia,
Plymouth and Saratoga. After consid-
cradle alteration and discussion with
the japanese officials as to where he
should land Yokohama was finally de-
cided upon, and on March the Ameri-
cans came ashore with muchspomp and
ceremony and began negotiations These
lasted several days, but finally the terms
of the treatry were agreed upon, and
Simoda and Hakodate We're opened to
| the Americans for commerce under cer-
tain restrictions. On July 20, 1853, the
main treaty between the two countries
was signed, and on Feb. 13, 1860, a
| japanese Embassy of IL persons left
Yokohama in the Powhatan for Wash
ington.
Thus was peacefully and successfully
terminated a very delicate and impor-
tant international matter, requiring the
most finished diplomacy Commodore
Perry had received no special training
as a diplomat; he had had only the
experiences of naval officer. But he
was a man or rare good sense, firmness
and indomitable perseverance, with a
remarkable insight into character. while
his intelligent management of this
proud, spirited people showed him to
be possessed of natural gift for nego-
tiations of any kind requiring tact,
shrewdness or skill. He won laurels
never accorded any other American ma
val officer, and his name will go down
the ages in q blaze of glory. ~ -......
Our First ImperiaIfst.
William S Rossiter, whose able con-
tributions appear from time to time in
our best magazines, published an arti-
Gle in the North American Review sew
eral years ago, in which he presented
Commodore Perry as our first imperial
ist. In speaking of this expedition to-
Japan, the story of which we have just
told. Mr.. Rossiter says that of all the
persons in the employ of the Govern
ment at that time Commodore Perry
was probably the best fitted for the i'm
portant mission. He had entered the
Navy at the age of 13. at 1S was Lieu
tenant, and % saw him in command of
a 12-gun schooner When he was Sc
lected to command the Japan expedi-
tiOn he was 40 Years of age, and had
seen much important service, showing
always a conspicuous fidelity and at
tc:tion to detail in the accomplishment
Of each duty assigned him. In his in
structionS regarding this expedition
from the Navy Department was a com
munication from the Acting Secretary
of State. setting forth the objects of the
expedition. These were. first, to make
some permanent arrangement with ia
pan for the protection of our seamen:
second, to gain permission for our ves-
sells TO enter one or more japanese ports
for the purpose of obtaining supplies oTi
refitting; and. third. the permission of
our ships to enter port or ports for
the purpose of disposipg of their careo-Si
by sale or barter If, after exhausting
ali pacific measures to obtain salts |
factory reply to these requests. the |
Japanese Government refused to relax
their system IF exclusion or tn;iYge1
their methods connected with II. thel
Commodore was 10 change his tone AMI /
inform them in no uncertain lausuaset 1
that any future acts Of cruelty practcni |
by the japanese on Our people should |
be at once avenged by bur Government /
The peculiar nature of the expedition
and the remoteness offhe Scene of op-
erations made ii necessaFy'po leave all
The details to the gooH bftlgfilent OF the I
Commodore, who was assured that anyt
mistake he might make would be view
ed with leniency by the Government
At first Perry was not very hopeful
OF the success of his undertaking. and
on the outward voyage he spent long
hours in his cabin thinking and plan
ming, going over and over each step
trying to prepare for all possible conf
tingencies. g.. Naturally. the question
which occupied the larger part of his 1
thoughts was what action he ahoulif
iaioe.in case the Japanese refused 10 re
ceive the Presidents communication or
to treat with him in any way. In his
nuremelY thoro. methodical way Perry
began to formulate a mode of action ihl
the face of such probability, and the
idea of seizing some island conveniently
near Japan and of holding it until the
United States should bid him let it go
struck him as the best solution of the !
problem. Thus Perry became our first )
imperialist, and President Roosevelt is
completely exonerated of this charge
which has so repeatedly been laid at
his door. The taking of such an island
would create harbor of refuge for
Americans stranded in that far-away
region, and would also form center of
influence for American trade to coun-
Perry Proposes TO Seize the Lew Chew
Islands.
Full of this idea, Perry wrote the De-
partment frGn Madeira, outlining his
plans. He proposed selling the Lew
Chew Islands Casually spelled LoochOo),
which were dependencies of Japan, sit
uated to the south of this country, and
belonging to the Bonin group. In reply
to this letter Edward Everett, Secre-
tary of State, informed him that Presi-
dent Fillmore was in entire sympathy
with his plan; that If Japan refused to
open port of refuge one must be
sought elsewhere, and that the Lew
Chew Islands, from their position and
friendly character of their natives, made
them especially desirable for this pur- .
pose. Later on Perry writes more of
the advantages to be derived from hold
ing port in the East, aside from the
Japanese question, and says:
Every day of observation strength
ems the opinion SO often expressed in
my communications to the Department
that the large and increasing commercel
Of the United States with this part of
the world makes il not only desirable
but Indispensable, that ports of refuge
should be established at which vessels
In distress may find shelter"
Perry was inclined to seize Peel Island
Of the BONN group also, and wrote en- j
of Port Lloyd, which he ,
said was admirably adapted for coal {
lepot and a stopping place for steam I
ers; its geographical position is conven- I
N. hnr fs.t n ~ ..~I~a l..