Daily Kennebec journal., 1914-01-15
WITH PERRY IN OLD JAPAN.
How United States Opened the Land
to Commerce of the World.

and intercourse were. concerned, a
veritable terra incognito. Efforts had
long been made by the commercial ma
tions to penetrate the wall of national
isolation, but without avail. The
nearest approach was gained tenn
porarily by Holland, which succeeded
in obtaining restricted trade privi-
leges at two ports, but under condi-
tions said to be somewhat humiliating.
1t was under such conditions that
the United States government dis
patched Commodore Perry with
small squadron to Nippon to obtain
some definite stipulation in the form
of treaty for mutual commercial
profit to the two countries. In order
to impress the Japanese with the seri-
Gus character of the movement the
squadron was composed of the finest
and most noteworthy ships in the
American navy at the time, carrying a
large number of sailors and marines
and more than the usual complement
of guns, mostly heavy ordnance. Com
modore Perry sailed from the United
States in the steamship Mississippi in
November, 1852, touched at Madeira
and the cape of Good Hope, reached
Hongkong in the month of April, 1853,
and thence headed for Japan.
In the veterans home, Napa county,
Cal, still survives at the age of SO
years, John A. Lewis, who sailed with
Perry on this historical voyage. Lewis
was a sailor on board the United
] States sloop st. Mary, patroling the
Mediterranean at the time the gold
rush was on to California in 40. A
! few sears later Perry began preparing
his ships in New York harbor for the
expedition to Japan and Lewis was
among the first to join. In narrating
his experiences, Lewis said:-
After uniting all the vessels Of the
squadron Perry led in the flagship
Mississippi and we made Cape Idzu in
July, 1853. The first anchorage and
intercourse with the natives was near
the town of Uraga. In the same
month a Japanese prince gave Com
modore Perry a formal reception on
shore. Our commander was clothed
with diplomatic powers and handed
the prince a letter written by Edward
Everett, then secretary of state, and
signed by President Fillmore.
Japanese authorities to decide upon
what course they would pursue. the
American squadron, which had tenn
porarily withdrawn, now appeared in
the Bay of Yeddo. As soon as the
vessels had anchored a number of
Japanese officers came on board to
welcome Commodore Perry and his
officers and to inform him that prep
arations had been made for his re-
ception at Uraga, where an answer
from the emperor to the presidents
letter would be delivered to him, and
they begged that he would move his
fleet down to that place. Some dis
cussion arose over this meeting place
and 1t was finally agreed that the con-
ference should be held in the then
village of Yokohama, on account of the
excellent shelter afforded by its har-
} bor The squadron present consisted
of the steam frigates Powhatan, Sus-
quehana and Mississippi; sloops Of
war Macedonian. the vessel / was
aboard and which was captured from
the British during the war of 1912. and
the vandalla, with its store ships
Supply and John P. Kennedy.
1--WE anchored In line off the town
and the Japanese set to work with a
will to erect suitable buildings for the
conference. AT the end of q month,
the accommodations being complete.
the commodore, by appointment, land
ed with a suite of officers and an es-
cort and was received by five COM
missioners appointed by the emperor
| fa
supreme counselor, the prince of Tsa-
Sima, the prince of Himi- Saki, a
member of the board of revenue, and
one other officer of high rank. The
seamen and marines were all armed,
and with drums beating, colors flying,
bands playing at intervals and the
salutes fired on the arrival of the Of
ficials, the scene was a striking one.
Thousands of Japanese soldiers
crowded the shore and the neighbor-
ing heights, looking on with curious
interest
"The audience building was plain
frame structure containing one large
ROOM the audience hall, and several
smaller ones for the convenience of
the participants. The floor was COW
/ tT6u WIN mats Will PlClliiy pdiHtCN
wooden screens adorning the sides.
Long tables and benches covered with
wooden stuff placed parallel to each
other, with three handsome braziers
filed with burning charcoal on the
floor between them and few violet
colored crepe hangings suspended
from the ceiling, completed the furni-
ture of the room.
"The Americans took their seats at
one end of one table, and the Japanese
commissioners placed themselves at
the other table opposite. while between
them seated on the floor on their
knees, their usual position, as they did
not use chairs, was a crowd of Japa-
nese officers forming the train of the
commissioners. The business was
carried on in the Dutch language,
through interpreters.
i after an exchange of compliments
the commissioners of Japan stated that
it was the determination of the en-
j peror to make certain modification in
their laws of seclusion; he relied upon
the friendly dispositions of the Ameri-