The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1935-08-15
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Back in the little town of Sandusky the in
habitants listened TO the roar of battle that came
across the waters with anxious fear and wonder.
II Perry won, it meant peace and security for
them If the British won it meant a British
invasion and the onslaught of their savage allies
LED by Tecumseh against the towns of Ohio So
there was rejoicing when the arrival of Mid
shipman Page brought them the news of glori
Gus victory. One by one the British ports on
Lake Erie fell into the hands of the Americans
and hostile arms no longer yexed Eries broad
expanse and forest-fringed borders
The news of Perry's victory thrilled nation
which had begun to resign itself TO news of
nothing but disaster and defeat in the West
Congress gave him vote of thanks and awarded
him gold medal in commemoration Of his vic
tory. He was promoted from commander to
captain and at the close of the war he was
placed in command of the Java, frst-class
frigate. In 1919 he made a commodore and
given charge of a squadron sent TO the West
Indies to suppress piracy. But he soon fell i'll
of yellow fever and died in Port Spain, Trinidad
He was buried there but in 1896 the American
government sent sloop of war to bring his body
back TO his native state.
He was buried at Newport with all the honors
due him and a tall granite shaft erected over
his last resting place. Out on the shores of
Putin-Bay an even taller monument Gin fact, the
Dedicated in 1881, it is not only memorial TO
Perry's victory on Lake Erie but it is also a
monument to the peace which has prevailed be-
tween the United States and Great Britain for
more than century. In recent years also the
brig Niagara, his flagship when his victory was
won, has been restored by patriotic citizens of
Pennsylvania and Ohio and has been maintained
as floating museum, and in Wakefield, r. L,
the Perry homestead was recently thrown open
cit r;o%;o ehr
lack of memorials to keep vivid in the memory
of his fellow-Americans the name of Oliver
Hazard Perry should they ever forget his
deathless message, I'VE have met the enemy and
they are ours"
Matthew Calbraith Perry was nine years
younger than his brother Oliver Hazard and
served as a midshipman under him on the Re
yenge. While he never attained such distinction
by Sne brilliant feat of arms as had his brother.
his life was one of continuous action. 1t is
summarized by a recent biographer as follows:
He conveyed the first colony of negroes from
this country to Africa his ship regulations for
use on the African station were a model long
followed in the navy; he fought pirates in the
West Indies, voyaged to Mexico protected COM
merce from Greek pirates in the Mediterranean
founded the first United States naval apprentice
system. commanded the North Carolina, the
finest warship in the world took John Randolph
dS envoy 10 car IN the first American war
ship TO enter Russian waters, was entertained
by the founder of the khedival dynasty in Egypt,
made brilliant naval demonstration in the
harbor of Naples, served 10 years shore duty
at Brooklyn navy yard where his work caused
him to be called the chief educator of the navy,
studied lighthouse illumination and went to Eu-
rope on one of the first regular steamships, en-
forced the Webster-Ashburton treaty in Africa,
had oversight of the steam navy in the Mexican
war and preached the walls of Vera Cruz with
naval guns when SCOTS light artillery failed.
and visited the waters of Newfoundland to set
tie the fisheries dispute"
But the thing for which he is most famous
is the fact that he organized and commanded
an expedition in 1854 which was TO have world
wide significance. For centuries Japan had cut
herself OF from contact with the nations of the
western world and had steadfastly refused to
have either trade or diplomatic relations with
foreigners" Under the excuse of making ar
engagements for protecting American sailors, en-
gagged in the Pacific whaling industry who might
be shipwrecked on the coasts of Japan, Perry
proceeded there with four warships Despite
the suspicion and thinly yelled hostility Of the
japanese the American commander conducted
his negotiations so automatically combining
hrmness with the politeness so dear to the
heart OF the Oriental, that on March 81. 1854
Japan signed treaty of peace. amity and com
merce with the United States
Western III