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19th Century American Whaling

Bonin Islands

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MESSAGE

OF THE

PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES,

TRANSMITTING

To the Senate of the United States:

Commodore Perry to the Secretary of the Navy.

[No. 15.]

      Sir: Availing of a period of unavoidable detention of the squadron at this place, wailing the return of a coal vessel sent to Shanghai, as well for coal as to procure a competent Chinese interpreter, (the one brought by Mr. Williams from Canton being very ill and in a dying state,) I thought I could have no more favorable opportunity this summer to visit the Bonin islands; and, accordingly, leaving the "Mississippi" and "Supply" at Napa, I sailed, with the Saratoga in tow, for Peel island, and anchored at Port Lloyd on the morning of the 14th instant.

      As my instructions direct me to seek out and establish ports of refuge

and refreshment for vessels traversing these distant seas, I have, from the commencement of the cruise, kept constantly in view the port in which we are now at anchor, and the principal harbor of the Bonin islands, as well lor general convenience of resort as to furnish connecting links, or suitable stopping places, for a line of mail steamers, which I trust may soon be established between some one of our Pacific ports and China, an event so much to be desired, and, if accomplished, one that will be distinguished, even in the history of these remarkable times, as of the highest importance to the commerce of the United States, and of the world.

      The mails from the United States and Europe, by the way of Egypt, the Red Sea, and Indian ocean, arrive regularly at Hong Kong almost to a day, twice a week in each month. From Hong Kong to Shanghai, five days may be allowed for the passage. To this point the British government would doubtless extend its mail if it were taken up by us, and continued on to California.

      Its transportation, by steam, from Shanghai to San Francisco, via the Bonin and Sandwich Islands, would occupy thirty days, allowing three days for stopping for coal, etc. Thus, the distance from San Francisco to Honolulu, in the Sandwich Islands, is roughly estimated at 2,093 miles; from Honolulu to Peel Island, 3,301 miles; and from Peel island to the mouth of the Yang-tzsc-Keang, or Shanghai river, 1,081 miles; in all 6,475 miles; and allowing 240 miles per day, the time at sea would be twenty-seven and the time in port three days; from San Francisco to New York – days would be required, making from Shanghai to New York – days.^*

      The usual time occupied in transporting the mail from England to Hong Kong, via Marseilles, (the shortest route,) is from forty-five to forty-eight days; add to that two days detention at Hong Kong, and five more to Shanghai, would make the time required to reach the latter place from fifty-two to fifty-five days.

      Shanghai might be considered the terminus of the English and the commencement of the American mail; and thus an original letter could be sent west by way of Europe, and its duplicate east by way of California, the first arriving at Liverpool about the time its duplicate reaches New York.

      But apart from the advantages, and, I may add, the glory of perfecting a scheme so magnificent, this line of steamers would contribute largely to the benefit of commerce. Already many thousands of Chinamen are annually embarking for California, paying for their passages each $50, and finding themselves in everything, excepting water and fuel for cooking their food.

      These provident people are the most patient and enduring laborers, and must, by their orderly habits, add greatly to the agricultural interests of California.

      But Shanghai is now becoming the great commercial mart of China; already does it outrival Canton in its trade with the United States, and when it shall be considered that the fine teas and silks, and other rare and valuable commodities of that part of China can be conveyed

by means of steam to California in five, and to New York in eight weeks, it is impossible to estimate in anticipation the advantages that Hong may grow out of an intercourse so rapid and so certain.

      I cannot, in the space of a letter, give a full description of the Bonin islands, and, therefore, beg to refer to the accompanying extracts from my rough journal. It is enough to say that Port Lloyd is admirably adapted for a coal depot and stopping place for steamers; its geographical position is convenient either for a route to Shanghai or Hong from the Sandwich Islands.

      The climate is salubrious, and the harbor commodious and safe, and perfectly easy of access, either by night or day, and the soil is excellent for cultivation, and is capable, with an increase of labor, of furnishing all the supplies of meat, poultry, fruit, and vegetables, that any number of vessels would require.

      But there is one, and only one, difficulty in the way of investing American capital in these islands, and that difficulty lies in the uncertainty of the right of sovereignty of the soil, which has never yet been established, though the most prominent claimant is the queen of England, with no other right, however, than that which may have grown out of the performance of a ceremony (perhaps not expressly authorized by his government) by Captain Beechey, commanding the English surveying vessel "Blossom," who, in 1827, formally took possession of the group and gave English names to all the islands.

      The year following, a Captain Lütke, of the Russian navy, went through the same ceremony; and four years before the visit of Beechey, a Captain Coffin,^* whose nationality is not mentioned, but from the name the probability is he was an American, visited the group, and gave his name to one of the islands. – (See further particulars in extracts from my journal.)

      There is no_doubt that the Japanese were the first discoverers of , these islands; that they were settled by them and subsequently abandoned; that the Spaniards, Portuguese, and Dutch, in thejr early voyages to the east may have seen them; and in later years they have been known to the Americans, English, and Russians; but neither of the European nations have, up to this day, made the slightest attempts to settle them.

      Taking all these considerations into view, and in consideration of the pertinacity with which nations upon mere points of honor hold to claims of sovereignty, however valueless they may be, I trust I may be pardoned in suggesting that an understanding may be had with the British government through our minister at London, that Port Lloyd or Peel Island, whether under the flag of the United States or England, or a local flag, may be considered a free port and a place of resort to vessels of all nations, and especially a stopping place for mail steamers, under such regulations as may be agreed upon.

      This course would prevent all future difficulties and mutually benefit the commerce of both nations, though there are but few English vessels traversing this part of the Pacific; the object once accomplished, Port Lloyd would become a place of the highest importance to the com-

merce of the Pacific ocean, and more especially to the American trade to China.

      Should the department, however, deem it desirable for me to take possession of the islands in the name of the United States, I will do so and adopt the best means of holding them.

      I am now only waiting the return of a coal vessel from Shanghai, with the interpreter sent for from that place, when I shall sail for Yedo with this ship, the Mississippi, Saratoga, and Plymouth.

      But in consequence of the lateness of the season, owing to the detention of the vessels upon the coast of China, and the non-arrival of any of those ordered to join me from the United States, I do not expect to accomplish more this summer than to make a reconnoissance of the bay of Yedo and some other parts of the coast, and to ascertain the temper and feelings of the Japanese government with respect to our visit, deeming it more wise to make my principal demonstration in the following spring, when I shall be able to exhibit a more imposing force, for I cannot anticipate a willing reception; on the contrary, from all I can learn, they are prepared to throw every difficulty in the way of amicable negotiation. I must, therefore, be careful to secure and keep the right side of the question, and if they determine on hostile acts, to put them in the wrong by reasonable forbearance.

      I conceive, however, that we have already effected a great deal in securing two of the desired ports of refuge, Port Lloyd and this; and in quietly establishing ourselves upon this island we have already made considerable progress in conciliating the people. Interchanges of visits and entertainments have taken place, and exhibitions of the Daguerreotye, the magnetic telegraph, the submarine armor, and other scientific apparatus have been made to the utter astonishment of the people. All these incidents are duly recorded and transmitted to Japan.

      Parties from the ships traverse the island without molestation, and are kindly received; and payment is now taken in money for supplies furnished to the squadron. In truth, Lew-Chew is a direct and valuable dependency of Japan, and we have even now all the control over it necessary for our present purposes.

      And were it not that the authorities and people are kept in constant dread of the consequences that would be visited upon them by the government of Japan, or rather the prince of Satsuma, to whose province the Lew-Chews belong, they would be delighted at our coming amongst them, and this makes it a duty with me to protect them as far as I can against the vindictiveness of their cruel and unnatural rulers; hence I shall keep a ship here whenever one can be spared.

      With great respect, I am, sir, your obedient servant,

The Hon. Secretary of the Navy,
                                    Washington, D. C.

ton," which left home seven months since has not yet made her appearance.

      I also deem it my duty to say that there are not a sufficiency of officers attached to the several vessels of the squadron to perform the many duties devolving upon them, of which an important department, is that of surveying.

      The climate of this station is very enervating, and we have large sick lists; and I fear, unless recruits, especially of passed midshipmen and midshipmen, are sent out, many of those who are now zealous in the performance of their duties will break down. The service of good officers are, in the present lax state of discipline of the navy, still more necessary.

A.

Extracts from the rough Journal of Commodore Perry.

      The Bonin islands extend in direction nearly north and south, between the latitudes of 26° 30' and 27° 45' north, the centre line of the group being in longitude about 142° 15' east.

      The principal islands, and, indeed, all of them, have been named by Captain Beechey, of her majesty's ship "Blossom." The northern cluster he called Parry's Group; to the middle cluster, consisting of three larger islands, he gave the names respectively of "Peel," "Buckland," and "Stapleton;" and the southern cluster he called "Baily's Islands."

      ^* "The southern cluster is evidently that in which a whale ship, commanded by a Mr. Coffin, anchored in 1823, who was the first to communicate its position to this country, and who bestowed his name upon the port. As the cluster was, however, left without any distinguishing appellation, I named it after Francis Baily, esq., late president of the Astronomical Society."

      These islands are evidently volcanic, the internal fires being still at work, as Mr. Savoy, the oldest surviving settler on the island, informed me that they experienced two or three tremblings of the earth every year.

      The islands, headlands, and detached rocks present the most grotesque forms, exhibiting the appearances of castles, towers, animals, and almost every hideous thing conceivable to the imagination.

      These geological formations must be of great antiquity, as we noticed numerous canal-like passages in the cliffs, as one might suppose hewn out by the work of the chisel, but they have evidently been dykes produced by the overflowing and cooling of the lava, and then smoothed by the abrasion or attrition of the torrents which are precipitated in the rainy season down the sides of the mountains towards the sea.

      These dykes in many parts of the island where the action of the water courses, assisted by the atmosphere, has not produced any material change, still retain their peculiar step-like formation, and the observer might imagine that he was gazing upon a series of steps cut by the hand of man in the solid rock, to facilitate his descent and ascent to and from the summits of the mountains.

      Indeed I know of no part of the world which can offer greater interest to the researches of the geologist than these islands present; they are of trappean formation, as naturally connected with their volcanic origin; but I am not sufficiently acquainted with mineralogy to distinguish the several varieties of which the masses are composed, though specimens have been procured for the examination of the scientific.^*

      Port Lloyd is situated on the western side, and nearly in the centre of Peel Island. It is easy of ingress and egress, and may be considered a safe and commodious harbor; though of deep anchorage, ships usually anchor in from 18 to 22 fathoms.

      The port is laid down on Beechey's chart to be in latitude 27° 5' 36" N. and 142° 11' 30" east longitude. This position is, I conceive, erroneous, as by two sets of observations made by the master of the Susquehanna the longitude was found to be 142° 16' 30" east, five miles more to the east than Beechey makes it.

      The safest anchorage is to be found as high up the harbor as a ship can conveniently go, having regard to depth and room for swinging and veering cable. Strangers can easily discover, by examination, the proper position to which they can warp their ships.

      Beechey's directions for entering the port are sufficiently correct; Castle island, which he speaks of, is easily distinguished and furnishes a good mark. The starboard shore or Southern Head should be kept aboard, clearing it one or two cables to avoid a small rock, lying about 150 or 200 yards from the bluff, and having upon it only eight feet at low water.

      I have caused the letter (S) in a circle to be painted upon the bluff of Southern Head, to mark the bearing of the rock due north from said mark, (S.)

      Wood and water can be obtained in abundance, though the former must be cut by the crew, and, of course, taken on board green. The water is obtained from running streams and is of good quality.

      The few settlers still remaining on Peel island, the other islands being uninhabited, raise considerable quantities of sweet potatoes, Indian corn, onions, taro, and a few fruits, the most abundant of which are water melons, bananas, and pine apples; a few pigs and some poultry are also raised. For these they find ready sale to the whale ships constantly touching at the port for water and other supplies. During the four days we were at anchor at Port Lloyd, three whalemen – two American and one English – communicated by means of their boats with the settlement, and carried away many supplies procured generally in exchange for articles, of which ardent spirits are me most acceptable to many of the settlers.

      Were it not for the scarcity of working hands a much greater extent of land would be cultivated; at present there cannot be more than 150 acres under cultivation in the whole island, and this in detached spots, generally at the seaward termination of ravines furnishing fresh water, or upon plateaux of land near the harbor.

      The soil is of excellent quality for cultivation, very much resembling that of Madeira and the Canary islands, (the latter being in the same parallel of latitude,) and consequently is admirably adapted for the cultivation of the vine, and of wheat, tobacco, sugar-cane, and many other valuable plants. Of sugar and tobacco the settlers already cultivate enough for their own consumption.

      Timber for building purposes is rather scarce, and would soon be exhausted if any increase of population were to call for the erection of many buildings. The best kinds are the tamana and the wild mulberry. The former is similar to the red-wood of Brazil and Mexico, and is very enduring.

      I caused the island to be thoroughly explored by two parties of officers, and their reports will be duly filed with other similar papers. The masters of this ship and the "Saratoga" also surveyed the harbor.

      The scarcity of sea and land birds has been noticed by every one as singular; not more thnn five or six varieties of land birds have been seen. Of these the common crow and the pigeon are the largest; the others are of small size. Of gulls and other sea birds we saw very few, the booby being the most numerous. I noticed before reaching the islands a lew petrels; these were of unusually large size and of singularly brilliant plumage.

      Of quadrupeds we may enumerate hogs, goats, deer, bullocks, and sheep, with any number of cats and hogs. Many of the cats and hogs having strayed to the jungle, are honored with the appellation of wild cats and wild boars, and are hunted accordingly with dogs. A few deer and goats were, some years ago, placed upon North or Stapleton island by the settlers, and the goats have multiplied prodigiously.

      Bulls, cows, and sheep, and a few goats, were landed from the Susquehanna in view of their increase. Two bulls and two cows being put on shore at Sand bay, on the north side of Peel island, and two rams and five Shanghai broad-tailed sheep, with six goals, on North island.

      On Buckland island there are a good number of hogs; and the settlers have recently stocked two others of the smaller islands with goats, so that in the course of time they will increase to many thousands.

      The harbor of Port Lloyd and the neighboring waters furnish excellent fish, which may be taken by the hook or seine, though the places tor hauling the seine are few, owing to the coral which in many parts lines the shores.

      The best place for hauling the seine in Port Lloyd is upon a sandy beach, in Ten-fathom hole, where there is a small clear spot. The varieties of fish are not very numerous; of those taken in the seine of the Susquehannah, I noticed but five: the mullet, (the most numerous,) two varieties of perch, the gar, and the common ray.

      Sharks are very numerous, and, when quite small, they frequent the shallow places amongst the coral rocks near the shore, and are there pursued by the dogs, seized upon, and dragged ashore.

      Of edible shell-fish there are none, that I could learn, excepting the chama gigas, (tridacne,) which must be very tough and indigestible. Of other varieties of the testacea there are many, but none of any rarity. The family of Crustacea is, however, more extensive, but the kinds are chiefly confined to the land-crab, which are of every variety of size, form, and color. A most numerous kind is what is generally called the pirate. These are seen in every direction, near the shore, travelling about with their ridiculous domicils upon their backs, which they seem to have selected more by chance than choice.

      The waters of the Bonin islands furnish abundance of fine crawfish, as also green turtle, of which we obtained a good supply.

      According to Kempfer, these islands were known to the Japanese as early as 1675, and they described them under the name of Bune Sima, and as abounding with fish and crabs, some of which were from four to six feet long. From this description of the crabs, I am led to believe that they mistook the enormous green turtle, which are so common here, for crabs. Other accounts give a much earlier date for their discovery by the Japanese.

Extract from Kempfer.

      "About the year 1675, the Japanese accidentally discovered a very large island, one of their barks having been forced there in a storm from the island Fatsicio, from which they computed it to be 300 miles distant towards the east. They met with no inhabitants, but found it to be a very pleasant and fruitful country, well supplied with fresh water, and furnished with plenty of plants and trees, particularly the arrack tree, which, however, might give room to conjecture that the island lay rather to the south of Japan than to the east, these trees growing only in hot countries. They called it Bune Sima; and because they found no inhabitants upon it, they marked it with the character of an uninhabited island. On the shores they found an incredible quantity of fish and crabs, some of which were from four to six feet long."^*

Extracts from Klaproth's translation of San Kokj) Tsoir Ran To Sets.

      "The original name of these islands is O-gasa-wara-sima, but they are commonly called Mon-nin-sima, (in Chinese, Wu-jin-ton,) or the islands without people, and this is the name which I have adopted in my work. That of O-gasa-wara-sima, or the O-gasa-wara islands, was given to them after the navigator who first visited them and who prepared a map of them. In the same manner has the southern part of the New World been called Magalania, (Magellan,) who discovered it some two hundred years since.

      The Bonin islands are found 270 ri to the southeasterly of the province of Idsu. From Simoda in that principality, it is 13 ri to the island of Myake; from thence to Sin-sima or New island, seven ri; from Sinsima to Mikoura, five ri; from thence to Fatsicio or Fatiho, (Fatsisio,) 41 ri; and lastly, from this to the most northern of the uninhabited islands, it is reckoned to be 180 ri; and to the most southerly 200 ri.

      "This archipelago lies in the 27th degree of north latitude. The climate is warm and makes the valleys lying between the high mountains, watered by rivulets, to be very fertile, so that they produce beans, wheat, millet, grain of all kinds, and sugar cane. The tree called Nankin – faze or tallow tree (Stillingia sebifera) grows there, and likewise the wax tree. The fishery is good and might be made very productive.

      "Many plants and trees grow in these islands, but there are very few quadrupeds. There are trees so large that a man cannot embrace them with his arms, and which are frequently thirty Chinese fathoms in height, (or 240 feet.) Their wood is hard and beautiful. There are also some very high trees resembling the siou-ro-tsoung-liu, or chamarops excclsa, cocoa nuts, areca palms, that tree whose nuts are called pe-eouan-tsy in Chinese, the katsirau, the red sandal wood, the tou-mou, the camphor, tub figs of the mountains, a high tree whose leaves resemble those of the ground ivy, the cinnamon tree, mulberry, and some others.

      "Among the plants the smilax China, (or China root,) called san-kerei, the to-ke, a medicinal herb called assa-ghion-keva, and others are to be reckoned.

      "Among birds there are different species of parrokeets, cormorants, partridges, and some resembling white sea-mews, but more than three feet long. All these birds have so little wildness, that they can be taken with the hand.

      "The chief productions of the mineral kingdom in this archipelago, are alumn, green vitriol, stones of different colors, petrifactions, &c.

      "Whales are found in the sea, also huge crawfish, enormous shells and echineé, which are called 'gall of the sea.' The ocean here is unusually rich in various products.

      "In the third year of the reign Ghen-Fo (1675,) Simaye Saghemon, Biso Saghemon, and Simaye Dairo Saghemon, three inhabitants of Nagasaki, took a sea voyage to the principality of Idsu. They were embarked in a large junk, built by a skillful Chinese carpenter. These three men were well acquainted with astronomy and geography, and accompanied by Fatobe, the chief ship carpenter of the port of Yedo, who dwelt in the lane of nets. Their vessel was managed by thirty sailors. Having obtained a passport from the imperial marine, they left the harbor of Simoda, the 5th day of the 4th moon, and steered for the island of Fatsio. From thence they sailed towards the southeast and discovered a group of eighty islands. They drew up a map and an exact account of them, in which are some curious details respecting the situation, climate, and productions of this archipelago. They returned the 20th day of the 6th moon, in the same year, to Simoda, where Simaye published an account of his voyage.

      "It is singular that this writer makes no mention of the swift current, kuro-se-gaw, which is experienced between the islands of Mikura and

      Fatsio. Its breadth exceeds twenty matze, (about half a ri,) and it flows with great swiftness from east to west^* about one hundred ri. This omission would be inexplicable if this current was not much less rapid in summer and autumn than it is in winter and spring. Simaye, in his passage to the Bonin islands, passed it in the first part of the intercalary month, which succeeds the fourth moon; on his return, the latter part of the sixth moon, he should have found the currents less rapid, and thus his attention was not called to this dangerous passage."

      "The largest of the eighty islands is fifteen ri in circuit, and thus is a little less than Iki island in size. Another is ten ri in circumference, and about the size of Amakusa island. Besides these two there are eight others, which are from two to six and seven ri around. These ten islands have flat plateaux which could be made habitable, and where grain would grow very well. The climate is warm and favorable to cultivation, one might infer from their geographical position. They afford various valuable productions. The remaining seventy islets are only mere steep rocks, and produce nothing."

      "A colony of condemned criminals has been sent to these islands, there to labor; they have tilled the earth and planted some patches. They are collected in villages, and have brought together the same things found in other provinces of the empire. One can visit these islands and bring back its products in the same year. In this way a trade would easily spring up, and the benefit to be drawn from it would be considerable. This must be plain to all."

      "In the reign Au-Yei, (from 1771 to 1780,) I was sent on a commission into the province of Fisen, where I became acquainted with a Dutchman named Aarend Werle Veit, who showed me a geography in which mention was made of some islands lying 200 ri to the southeast of Japan, called Woest Eiland by the author. The word Woest means desert, and eiland, (or yeirand, as the original reads,) island. He remarks, that these islands are not inhabited, but that many sorts of herbs and trees are found there. The Japanese might establish a colony on one of these islands on which grain and other productions would thrive. In spite of the length of the voyage thither, the establishment would be useful to them for these purposes. The Dutch company would derive very little advantage from the possession of these islands, they being too small and too remote for their use."

      "I have thought proper to repeat these words, which deserve to be borne in mind, and with them I bring to a conclusion all that I have to say respecting the Bonin Islands."

      But upon the subject of the early discovery of these islands, I shall have more to say. It is only necessary now to remark, that the description given in the two preceding extracts correspond exactly with the present appearance of the islands. The arrack, or areca-tree, is found upon Peel island, as well as many other tropical trees and plants.

      And in further confirmation of the accounts given by Kempfer, of the accidental visit of a Japanese junk, in 1675, I was informed by Mr. Savory, that about thirteen years ago a small Japanese vessel, of about forty tons, came into Port Lloyd, having been driven by stress

      of weather from the coast of Japan. She had on board nothing but dried fish. Remaining during the winter, she sailed on her return home in the spring, being provided gratuitously, by the settlers, with provisions.

      Again, about five years ago, a French whaling ship, cruising off Stapleton island, discovered a smoke on shore, and sending a boat to the spot, there discovered the wreck of a Japanese junk, and five of her crew, the only survivors, in a most helpless condition. These they took on board, and conveyed to Port Lloyd, and they were subsequently taken away by the humane Frenchman, with the intention, as he avowed, of landing them upon one of the Japanese Islands.

      A party of officers from the Susquehanna, on a visit to Stapleton island, accidentally saw the wreck of this vessel, and the following is the account given by one of them, Mr. Heine:

      "In the little bay where we landed, we found the wreck of a junk, kept together with large copper nails, and having nailed on it several pieces of sheet copper. From these materials, I concluded that it was a Japanese junk. The wreck could not be very old, as the edges of the boards were little rubbed or damaged."

      Of the settlers who came from the Sandwich Islands in 1830, accompanied by several natives of those islands, male and female, there are but few left. The names of the whites, who were the leaders in this adventure, were as follows: Mattheo Mazara, a Genoese; Nathaniel Savory, and Aldin B. Chapin, of Massachusetts; Richard Mildlchamp, of England; and Charles Johnson, of Denmark.

      Of these, Nathaniel Savory is the only one at present on the island. Mazara is dead, and Savory has married his widow, a pretty native of Guam, (one of the Ladrone islands,) and still quite young, only twenty-five. Mildtchamp is alive, and residing at Guam.

      Having long been satisfied of the importance of these islands to commerce, my present visit has been induced by a desire to examine them myself, in view of recommending Peel's island as a stopping place for the line of steamers which, sooner or later, must be established between California and China. To this end I have caused, as before mentioned, the island to be explored, and a few animals to be placed upon two of the group, as a commencement of a provision for future wants. I have also distributed garden seeds, of every description, to the present settlers, and have held out hopes to them that I may furnish them with implements of husbandry, and a greater number of animals. Indeed, I have gone so far as to secure a suitable spot for the erection of offices, wharves, coal-sheds, &c.

      Napa, Great Lew-chew, June 24, 1853.

Secretary of the Navy to Commodore Perry.

      Sir: Your dispatch, No. 15, dated at Napa, island of Lew-Chew, June 25, 1853, has been received and perused with much interest. Be pleased to accept the thanks of the department for the valuable extracts from your rough journal touching the "Bonin islands."

      Your No. 16, of the 28th of June, has also received consideration. The department discovers nothing to disapprove in the course pursued by Commander Kelly of the Plymouth, and relies, with great confidence, upon the good disposition of the commanding officers under you to extend watchfulness and protection to our citizens residing in China.

      Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

      Commodore M. C. Perry,
            Commanding United States squadron
                  East India and China seas, Macao, China.

Commodore, Perry to the Secretary of the Navy.

[No. 17.]

      Sir: My dispatch, No. 16, dated at Lew-Chew, the 28th of June last, will have informed the department of the transactions of the squadron up to that time. Since then I have visited the bay of Yedo, in Japan; have had an interview with a first counsellor of the empire, under circumstances highly satisfactory; have delivered, with all due ceremony, to that personage the letter addressed by the President to the Emperor, as also my letter of credence; have approached, in the "Mississippi," within seven miles of the city of Yedo, and surveyed,

with the ships and boats of the squadron, the bay twenty miles higher than any foreign vessel had ever before reached.

      As an account of all the interesting events which transpired during the short stay of the squadron upon the coast could not well be narrated in a formal letter, I have prepared a series of notes, herewith enclosed, which will fully explain to the department the course and policy of my proceedings.

      When the additional force which I have been daily expecting shall join me, I may hope, at the proper season, to make still further progress in the difficult task of bringing this impracticable government to a rational understanding of its obligations to other nations, and especially towards the United States.

      Every day of observation strengthens the opinion, so often expressed in my communications to the department, that the large and increasing commerce of the United States with this part of the world makes it not only desirable, but indispensable, that ports of refuge should be established at which vessels in distress may find shelter.

      To this end I have adopted every possible means of conciliating and bringing into some degree of social intercourse the authorities and people of Lew-Chew, and have made considerable progress, though they are almost identical in appearance, language, religion, customs, and, last of all, in consummate deceit with the Japanese.

      A former communication (No. 15) will have informed the department of my transactions at the Bonin islands, and it is my intention to cause the southern cluster, called Coffin's Group, to be surveyed; charts having already been made of Port Lloyd, Peel Island, and of the ports of Napa and Melville, in Lew-Chew, and materials collected for the construction of a chart of the bay of Yedo as far as the squadron penetrated.

      I have experienced most seriously the want of a small steamer, not only in surveying service, but in the operations of the squadron upon the coast of China and Japan.

      On my next visit to the bay of Yedo, one will be absolutely necessary to enable me to complete the survey of the head of the bay, and to penetrate as near to the city as the depth of the water will allow.

      Under these circumstances I shall avail myself of the authority granted in my instructions "to employ dispatch vessels," &c., &c. and endeavor to hire for a short time a steamer of very light draft, the employment of which will save the necessity of keeping the large steamers so much under steam to cover, the surveying boats, and thereby save, in the greatly reduced consumption of coal, more than the actual cost of the hire of the extra steamer.

      Should the department, however, not approve the temporary employment of such a vessel, there will be time to inform me by the overland mail before it will be necessary to enter into any engagement for the charter, though I trust that the necessities of the peculiar service in which I am engaged will induce a full authority for me to act according to my best judgment in the matter.

      Indeed it would be a measure of economy to purchase or permanently hire a small steamer for this station, as she could perform much of the service now necessarily required of the larger vessels, thus largely

saving in the consumption of fuel, a very important consideration when we take into view the difficulty and cost of transporting coals so far.

      With great respect, I am, sir, your most obedient servant,

      Hon. James C. Dobbin,
            Secretary of the Navy, Washington, D. C.

Commodore Perry to the Secretary of the Navy.

[No. 20.]

      Sir: In connexion with my previous communications, Nos. 18 and 19, I now have the honor to inform the department of the condition of the vessels of my command, their present employment, &c.

      Susquehanna, present flag-ship, at Cum-Sing-Moon, Canton river, not in good condition, but with care and watchfulness, will answer for another season on the station.

      Mississippi, at Whampoa, for the protection of the merchants in Canton, in good condition, and ready for any service.

      Powhatan, now at Hong Kong, just arrived from Lew-Chew, and ordered to Cum-Sing-Moon for repairs of engine and boilers, which will require a period of two months, and will be done by workmen of the squadron. This vessel is not in good condition, but I hope on examination to give such instructions as will remedy some of her many defects.

      Macedonian, just arrived from the United States, at Cum-Sing-Moon, in readiness to proceed to any point where her services may be needed.

      Vandalia, just arrived from United States, the same.

      Saratoga, protecting American interests at Shanghai, and undergoing repairs; having, by examination of her bottom by sub-marine apparatus, discovered an injury to her forefoot, occasioned by the vessel getting on shore before my arrival on the station. I have thought it unsafe to send her home without these repairs.

      Plymouth, in good condition, at Lew-Chew, to sustain the position assumed by me with respect to the authorities of those islands, and to look after a small depot of coal I have established at Napa, preparatory to ulterior movements.

      Commander Kelly has also instructions to continue the surveys previously commenced of Great Lew-Chew, and to proceed after the typhon season is over, to the survey of the southern group of the Bonin Islands. – (See copies of accompanying instructions to, and report of, Commander Kelly, lettered A B C.)

      The storeship Supply, just arrived from Lew-Chew, via Amoy, in good order; she being the only vessel of the squadron of sufficiently light draft to ascend the river as far as Canton, has been ordered to take her station opposite the city for the protection of merchants, in case of an outbreak, hourly expected; she will have a guard of marines temporarily attached to her.

      The Southampton, in good condition, just arrived from Valparaiso, is now discharging.

      It is impossible to predict with any certainty the issue of events in China, each day may bring about some important change, and months may elapse without the occurrence of a single event of moment.

      I may well hope, however, that something may transpire to calm the present alarm of the merchants at Canton, before it will be necessary for me to proceed with my whole force again to Yedo, in accordance with the intentions expressed by me in writing to the emperor.

      The ultimate success of this mission will depend entirely upon the

means I may have of keeping up the moral influence upon the government of Japan, which my first visit imposed.

      It is only by working upon the fears of the rulers (for the people are friendly enough) that the least particle of justice can be obtained from them; hence my anxiety to carry with me the most imposing force I can collect, not so much for actual coercive purposes, as for an object strictly diplomatic; not only because it will hasten, but make more certain a favorable result.

      To this end I shall retain the three storeships until after my visit to Yedo. These being armed, will answer the double purpose of adding to the number of ships, and of carrying coals and provisions; thus enabling the steamers to remain upon (he coast until the Japanese government can have no longer an excuse for not coming to terms.

      One or more of these, together with the Saratoga and Plymouth, I propose to dispatch by May or June to the United States, direct from Japan, thus establishing the first communication by ships between the two countries.

      However I may regret the causes which have made it necessary to withdraw the Vermont and Alleghany from my command, it is my duty to do the best I can with the means placed at my disposal.

      And I trust that there will be no change in my instructions that will divert me from this great object of my life. I had the assurance of the former administration, especially of Mr. Webster, that I should act alone in this responsible duty, and such was the understanding when I assumed command.

      As the service is one strictly naval, and must be managed by naval means, the free and uncontrolled command of my whole force is absolutely necessary to secure anything like success; a pursuance of the rules of ordinary diplomacy cannot have the least effect upon these sagacious and deceitful people.

      I beg to be excused for the voluminous character of my communications by this mail; my long absence from the mail route has occasioned an accumulation of matter to be communicated.

      With great respect, I have the honor to be, your obedient servant,

Honorable J. C. Dobbin,
                  Secretary of the Navy, Washington, D. C.

A.

Extracts from instructions to Commander J. Kelly.

      As you are familiar with all the circumstances connected with our relations with the authorities and people of this island, and of my object in bringing about a greater degree of confidence and a more extended social and commercial intercourse with them, I have to request that you will avail yourself of every means of conciliating their friend-

ship and good-will, exercising towards them a kind but firm bearing, insisting on their fulfilment of all the stipulations agreed upon yesterday, and being careful to receive no aid or benefit from them which in other countries are paid for, without constraining them to receive compensation for the same.

      And it will be indispensably necessary, to the attainment of the objects in view, that the officers and crews of the several vessels of the squadron should conduct themselves with great circumspection in their intercourse with the people, to the end that they may gradually relax in their unsocial habits, and become more familiar with our more friendly customs.

      It will be necessary that two strong boats (scow shape) should be built, purchased, or hired, for the landing and shipping of the coal. This you will please attend to.

      It will be optional with yourself to remain at Napa with the Plymouth or other ships that may arrive whose commanders may be junior to you, and whose vessels are not otherwise disposed of, or remove to Port Melville. And should you adopt the latter course, it will be necessary that you leave a competent officer, with a boat and boat's crew, to occupy the house hired on shore, to be in readiness to board vessels arriving, to pilot them in, and to watch and keep in their proper position the buoys which will be this day placed to mark the south channel.

      When the weather promises to be fine, and you have leisure, you will employ two of the ships' boats in surveying the eastern side of the island; enjoin upon the officers in charge to run no risk, and to be careful to secure at night a good harbor for their boats and camping places on shore.

      The reef's and islands which make off from the eastern side of Lew-Chew are dangerous, and it is desirable that they should be carefully explored. Perhaps there may be some ports of refuge in bad weather that may be discovered by this examination.

B

Instructions to Commander Kelly to remain at Lew-Chew.

      Sir: When you may have considered the hurricane season to have passed, say about the first of October, you will (unless strong public reasons require your continuance at the island) proceed with the Plymouth under your command to Port Lloyd, Peel island, one of the Bonin group.

      You will, on arrival, inquire into the condition of the settlers at that place; and especially with respect to Nathaniel Savory and John Smith, two persons rated on the books of this ship, and rendering to all the settlers at that place such aid as you can proffer consistently with the nature of the service in which you are engaged.

      Obtaining the services of one or more of the settlers as pilots and guidees, you will proceed, either with your ship or boats, as you may deem most advisable to the cluster of islands lying to the southward of Peel island, and improperly called on Beechey's chart Baily's group, they having been discovered and so named, before Beechey saw them, by a Captain Coffin, most probably an American, judging from the peculiar name.

      Therefore the name is to be retained, and will be so noted on the chart which you are to make.

      To the principal island of the group, or that which has the best and most commodious harbor, you will give the name of "Hillsborough," and to the port the name of Newport.

      You will cause the shores of the islands to be thoroughly surveyed, in view of discovering ports and convenient anchoring places, especially with respect to a port suitable for a coal depot, the construction of sheds and wharves.

      The interior of the islands will be fully explored; in which duty you will call into action the talents of the civil as well as the other officers of the ship.

      It is desirable that you should obtain information respecting the geological formation of the islands, the character of the soil, its suitableness for cultivation, the indigenous timber and plants, the quality of its timber for mechanical purposes, the animals, birds, reptiles, the kinds and description of fishes in the neighboring waters, including the families of cetacea, testacea, and molusca; the convenience of obtaining wood and water, the quality of the water; in fine, to obtain all and every information which may contribute to a full knowledge of the entire group.

      Charts are to be made of the coasts and harbors, with such explanations and meteorological observations as may the better enable you to report upon the subject.

      When these duties are accomplished, you will return to Napa and await further orders.

      During your absence you will leave at Napa an officer with a boat and boat's crew, suitably armed and equipped, whose duty it will be to look out for the hired house on shore, the coal sheds, and to board outside and pilot into port such vessels as may appear off the harbor; also, to watch and keep the buoys in their proper places.

                  Respectfully, &c.

      Commander John Kelly,
            Commanding United Stales Ship Plymouth.

      P. S. – I will thank you to make inquiries as to the cattle and sheep I placed on Peel, and the sheep on Stapleton island.

Commodore Perry to the Secretary of the Navy.

[No. 30.]

      Sir: The operations of the United States squadron in these seas, and more particularly with reference to Japan and the neighboring islands, have attracted much attention from all quarters, and I have found myself considerably annoyed by the mysterious movements of the Russian and French ships of war.

      Of the French commodore I have heard nothing since he sailed under sealed orders from Macao some weeks'ago; the Russian admiral, from whom I recently received a letter, asking for another supply of coal, now openly avows his desire to join my force, and enter into full co-operation with me. – (See copy of his letter, marked A.)

      This I shall positively, though courteously, decline, as inconsistent with our policy of abstaining from all alliances with foreign powers; and for reason, also, that his co-operation cannot advance the interests of the United States, however it might benefit the object of the Russian emperor, of the nature of whose designs I am utterly ignorant.

      I learn from undoubted authority, that during the stay of the Russian admiral at Nagasaki he effected nothing; nor did he receive any reply to his application, further than to be informed that the emperor had recently died, and, in consequence, no foreign business could be transacted for a certain period of time. He had no intercourse with the Dutch at Nagasaki, excepting in the presence of Japanese spies, who insisted that at the conferences the Dutch language, with which they were acquainted, should only be spoken.

      The admiral proposed to the Dutch a forced intercourse, but they declined, in the apprehension of offending the Japanese; and when the single vessel of the Dutch of the present year was about sailing from Nagasaki, only partly loaded, the Dutch, as well as the Japanese, refused to allow the Russians to send letters by her.

      Having thus spoken of the French and Russians, I now refer to an interview and correspondence recently had with Sir George Bonham, H. B majesty's plenipotentiary and superintendent of trade in China.

      Sir George came on board two days ago to see me upon the subject of a dispatch he had received from Lord Clarendon, which instructed him to make inquiry as to the object of my movements respecting the Bonin islands.

      After a long conference he departed apparently satisfied with my replies, and promised, in compliance with a request of mine, to address me a written communication upon the subject, to which I would reply, that thus we might have the means of furnishing to our respective governments an account of all the circumstances connected with the inquiry. The papers marked contain all the information, excepting a copy of Lord Clarendon's letter, which was not sent to me, though the original was submitted to my perusal.

      In connexion with the correspondence with Sir George Bonham, I beg to call attention to my dispatch, No. 15, bearing date June 28, 1853, and especially to the paragraph which is here copied, as follows:

      "But there is one, and only one difficulty in the way of investing

American capital in these islands, and that difficulty lies in the uncertainty of the right of sovereignty of the soil, which has never yet been established, though the most prominent claimant is the queen of England, with no other right, however, than that which may have grown out of the performance of a ceremony (perhaps not expressly authorized by his government) by Captain Beechey, commanding the English surveying vessel 'Blossom,' who, in 1827, formally took possession of the group, and gave English names to all the islands."

      I shall in no way allow of any infringement upon our national rights; on the contrary, I believe that this is the moment to assume a position in the east which will make the power and influence of the United Stales felt in such a way as to give greater importance to those rights which, among eastern nations, are generally estimated by the extent of military force exhibited.

      Considering that I am acting very much upon my own responsibility, I should desire to be instructed as to the policy, which I do not hesitate to recommend, of continuing the influence which I have already acquired over the authorities and people of the beautiful island of Lew-Chew; an influence, in truth, acquired without the commission of a single wrong upon the people, but rather contributing to their advantage.

      The department will be surprised to learn that this royal dependency of Japan, tracing its royal genealogy in regular succession from the twelfth century, is in such a state of political vassalage and thralldom, that it would be a merit to extend over it the vivifying influence and protection of a government like our own.

      It is self-evident that the course of coming events will ere long make it necessary for the United States to extend its territorial jurisdiction beyond the limits of the western continent, and I assume the responsibility of urging the expediency of establishing a foothold in this quarter of the globe, as a measure of positive necessity to the sustainment of our maritime rights in the east.

      I shall continue to maintain the influence over the authorities and people of Lew-Chew which I now command, but it is important that I should have instructions to act promptly, for it is not impossible that some other power, less scrupulous, may slip in and seize upon the advantages which should justly belong to us.

      The progress of the revolutionary war in China is, as I have all along predicted, tending to the overthrow of the present reigning dynasty. The insurgents have reached the neighborhood of Pekin having seized upon the entrepot of grain of the metropolis, and no one now doubts their ultimate success.

      But some time will elapse before any new government can be formed. When such power is organized, it will be desirable to urge, on the part of the United Stales, a revision and enlargement of the provisions of our treaty with the empire. – (See last report of Commander Walker, herewith sent and marked E.)

      With great respect, I am, sir, your obedient servant,

Hon. James C. Dobbin, Secretary of the Navy.

A.

      Sir: The approved manner in which the government of the United States received the communication of the object of the expedition intrusted to me, and the orders of my government to be on the most friendly terms with your excellency and the officers of the American squadron cruising in these seas, emboldens me to trouble you with a request.

      Not being able to procure coals at Shanghai, and being pressed for time, I would be grateful to your excellency if a supply of eighty tons of coals from the stores of the United States at this port could be spared for our use.

      It would give me great pleasure to have the honor of your personal acquaintance, and I trust when we meet we shall, by mutual co-operation, attain more easily the end that both our governments have in common.

      With great consideration and respect, I have the honor to be your excellency's most obedient servant,

      Sir: With reference to my interview with your excellency, respecting your visit to the Bonin islands, and to your proposal that I should address you officially on this subject, I have now the honor to enclose, for your information, copy of a letter and its enclosures from a Mr. Simpson, wherein it is staled that you have purchased ground from a resident there for a coal depot, for the use of the government of the United States of America.

      After our conversation yesterday your excellency will, I am sure, clearly understand that it is not my desire nor intention to dispute your right, or that of any other person, to purchase land on the Bonin islands; but as it is generally understood that this group was some time ago taken possession of in the name of the government of Great Britain, I think it desirable to acquaint your excellency therewith, in an official form, that you may, should you see fit, favor me with an explanation of the circumstances referred to by Mr. Simpson.

      I have the honor to be, sir, your excellency's most obedient humble servant,

      His Excellency Commodore Perry, U. S. Navy, n&c.,
                                    U. S. Steamship Susquehanna.

      My Lord: I observe it stated in the public prints that the officer commanding the United States Japan expedition had touched at the Bonin group – that he had made purchase from a resident there of land for a government coal depot.

      Permit me to call your lordship's attention to the fact that this group of islands, so advantageously situated for opening up intercourse with Japan, really appertains to Great Britain.

      Having had some connexion with it while acting temporarily for her majesty's government in the South seas, its importance was impressed upon my mind; and I respectfully bring under your lordship's notice the particulars which will be found narrated in the enclosure herewith.

                        I have, &c.

      True copy:

      Lord Clarendon, &c. &c. &c.

Extract from a pamphlet published by the writer in 1843.

The Bonin Islands.

      "This small but interesting; and, from its situation, valuable group of islands lies in latitude 27° north, longitude 146° east, within five hundred miles distance from the city of Jedo, in Japan.

      "It appertains to Great Britain, having been discovered by an English whaling vessel, in 1825, and formally taken possession of by Captain Beechey, of her majesty's ship 'Blossom,' in 1827. There were no aboriginal inhabitants found on the islands, nor any trace that such had ever existed.

      "Their aggregate extent does not exceed two hundred and fifty square miles; but their geographical position – so near to Japan, that mysterious empire of which the trade will one day be of immense value – gives them a peculiar importance and interest. The climate is excellent, the soil rich and productive, and there is an admirable harbor, well fitted for the port of a commercial city.

      "The first colonists of this eastern group were two men of the names of Millichamp and Mazarro, who, having expressed to Mr. Charlton, the British consul at the Sandwich Islands, their wish to settle on some uninhabited island in the Pacific ocean, were by him recommended to go to this group, of the discovery and taking possession of which he had been recently informed. They sailed accordingly, in 1830, took with them some Sandwich island natives as laborers, some live stock and seeds; and landing at port Lloyd, hoisted an English flag which had been given to them by Mr. Charlton.

      "The little settlement has been visited by several whaling vessels since that period, and also by a vessel from the British China squadron. Mr. Millichamp returned to England, and Mr. Mazarro, anxious to get additional settlers or laborers to join the infant colony, the whole population of which only numbers about twenty, came to the Sandwich Islands, in the autumn of 1842, in an English whaling vessel. He described the little settlement as flourishing, stated that he had hogs and goats in abundance and a few cattle; that he grew Indian corn, and many vegetables, and had all kinds of tropical fruits; that, in fact, he could supply fresh provisions and vegetables to forty vessels annually.

      "Mr. Mazarro, who, in virtue of his first arrival, receives the appel-

lation of governor, finds the task of governing even this little colony no easy matter. He applied to me for assistance in this task, and thankfully received the following document, which I drew up for his assistance and moral support.

      "'I hereby certify that Mr. Matthew Mazarro was one of the original leaders of the expedition fitted up from this port, under the protection of Richard Charlton, esq., her majesty's consul, to colonize the Bonin islands; and I would intimate to the masters of all whaling vessels touching at that group, that the said Mazzaro is a sober and discreet man, and recommend them to support him by all means in their power against the troubles of the peace of that distant settlement, recommending, also, to the settlers to receive Mr. Mazarro as their head, until some officer directly appointed by her Britannic majesty is placed over them.'

      "God save the queen.

      "A small body of enterprising emigrants would find this group a most admirable place for settlement. Its colonization, indeed, I consider to be a national object."

      True copy:

      Sir: Referring to the conversation which I yesterday had the honor of holding with your excellency, as also to your written communication, with accompanying papers, this moment received, I beg to remark that the account given by Mr. Simpson is far from being correct.

      That gentleman has omitted to name all the white persons who embarked in the enterprise to form a settlement upon Peel island. The names and places of birth of these men may be enumerated as follows:

      Mateo Mazarro, the leader, a native of Genoa; Nathaniel Savory, born in Massachusetts, United States; Alden B. Chapin, also a native of Massachusetts; John Millechamp, a British subject; and Charles Johnson, a Dane.

      These five men, accompanied by about twenty-five or thirty natives of the Sandwich Islands, male and female, landed at Port Lloyd in the summer of 1830. Of the whites, Nathaniel Savory is the only one remaining on the island. Mazarro, Chapin, and Johnson, are dead, as I am informed; and Millechamp is now residing at Guam, one of the Ladrone group.

      It would, therefore, appear, that so far as the nationality of the settlers could apply to the question of sovereignty, the Americans were as two to one, compared with the three others, who were subjects of different sovereigns.

      Since the first occupation of the island, the early settlers have been occasionally joined by white persons landing from whaling ships, some few of whom have remained; and, at the time of my visit there were, I think, about eight whites in the settlement.

      These people, after my departure, met together and established a form of municipal government, electing Nathaniel Savory their chief magistrate, and James Mottley and Thomas H. Webb councilmen.

      With respect to any claim of sovereignty that may be founded upon the right of previous discovery, there is abundant evidence to prove that these islands were known to navigators as early as the middle of the sixteenth century, and were visited by the Japanese in 1675, who gave them the name of "Bune Sima." – (See enclosed extracts.)

      In 1823, three years before the visit of Captain Beechey, in H. M. ship "Blossom," the group was visited by a Captain Coffin, in the American whaling ship "Transit."^*

      Thus it is plainly shown that the government of her Britannic majesty cannot claim the sovereignty upon the ground of discovery, and it only remains to determine how far this right may be derived from the ceremony performed by Captain Beechey.

      But these are matters only to be discussed by our respective governments, and I refer to them now merely in explanation of our conversation of yesterday.

      With respect to my purchase of a piece of ground from Nathaniel Savory, though conceiving myself in no way bound to explain such arrangement, I do not hesitate, in all due courtesy, to say, that the transaction was one of a strictly private character.

      In acquiring the fee of the land, I had not the slightest idea of personal profit, but made the purchase for a legitimate object, and to withhold the only suitable position in the harbor for a coal depot from the venality of unprincipled speculators, who might otherwise have gained possession of it for purposes of extortion.

      And now let me assure your excellency, that the course pursued by me has been influenced solely by a settled conviction of the necessity of securing ports of refuge and supplies in the north Pacific for our whaling ships, and a line of mail steamers, which sooner or later must be established between California and China.

      I have no special instructions from my government upon the subject, and am yet to learn whether my acts will be approved.

      The recognized sovereignty of these islands would only entail an expense upon the power undertaking their occupancy and protection, and whether they may ultimately fall under the American, the English, or a local flag, would be a question of little importance, so long as their ports were open to the hospitable reception of all nations seeking shelter and refreshment.

      And I may venture further to remark, that it would seem to be the policy, as well of England as the United States, to aid in every possible way in the accomplishment of an arrangement that would fill up the remaining link of the great mail-route of the world, and thus furnish the means of establishing a semi-monthly communication around the entire globe.

      With great respect, I have the honor to be, your most obedient servant,

His Excellency Sir I. George Bonham, Bart.,
            H. B. M. Chief Superintendent of Trade, Hong Kong.

Extracts from the Journal of Commodore Perry.

      P. F. Von Siebold, in his "History of Discoveries in the Japan Seas," published in 1852, in Europe and in America, says that the Bonin islands are first mentioned in a map published by the Dutch hydrographer Ortelius, in 1570, and therein reported as first to have been seen in 1543 by Bernardo de Torres, who gave them the name of Maloabrigo los dos Hermanos.

      In 1595 these islands were visited by Captain Linchoten, of the Dutch East India Company.

      Hondius, Dutch hydrographer, notices the same in his map of 1634.

      In 1639 they were visited by Messrs. Quast & Tasman, who, according to Kempffer, were sent by the Dutch East India Company in search of an island described in the Japanese books as containing vast quantities of gold and silver.

      They have been subsequently mentioned as follows: In 1643, by Vries and Schaep; in 1650, by J. Jansonius, Dutch; and in 1680, by Van Keulen, Dutch.

      From this time up to 1734, no mention is made of them by European hydrographers; in that year they were seen by the Spanish or Portuguese Admiral Cabrero Bueno, who gave them the name of "Islas del Arzobispos."

      According to Von Siebold, the Japanese visited the group between the years 1592 and 1595, and they again visited and explored the islands in 1675.

Extracts from Klapioth.

      "About the year 1675 the Japanese visited a very large island, one of their barks having been forced there in a storm from the island Fatscio, from which they computed it to be 300 miles distant towards the east. They met with no inhabitants, but found it to be a very pleasant and fruitful country, well supplied with fresh water, and furnished with plenty of plants and trees, particularly the "arrack" tree, which, however, might give room to conjecture that the island lay rather to the south of Japan than to the east; these trees growing only in hot countries. They called it "Bune Sima," and because they found no inhabitants upon it, they marked it with the character of an uninhabited island. On the shores they found an incredible quantity ot fish and crabs, some of which were from four to six feet long.^*

Extract from Klaproth's translation of "San Kokp Tson Ran To Sets."

      "The original name of these islands is "Ogasa-wara-Sima," but they are commonly called "Mow-nin-Sima," (in Chinese Wu-jin-ton,) or the islands without people, and this is the name which I have adopted in my work. That of "Ogasa-nara-Sima," or the "Ogasa-wara islands, was given to them after the navigator who first visited them, and who prepared a map of them. In the same manner has the southern part of the New World been called "Megalania," (Magellan,) who discovered it some two hundred years since."

Commodore Perry to the Secretary of the Navy.

[No. 39.]

      Sir: I have tbe honor to transmit herewith a copy, with a translation appended, of a communication received on the 14th instant, from the governor general of the Dutch East Indies, and also a copy of my reply thereto.

      I had previously heard, through officers of the Russian squadron, of the reported death of the Emperor of Japan, and that similar reasons had been assigned to the Russian admiral for a non-reply to a letter from his sovereign, which he had sent to Yedo from Nangasaki.

      It would seem to be singular that the Emperor of Japan, who, as we understood, was in good health at the time of our visit to Yedo Bay, in July last, should have died immediately after the appearance of the American and Russian squadrons upon the coast; and it is also singular that the law of protracted mourning, and consequent delay of public business referred to, should not have been mentioned in any of the books describing the manners and customs of the empire.

      The laws of China require the eldest son of the highest classes to abstain from pleasure, company, or business, for seven weeks; but the successor to the Imperial throne assumes the government immediately, and public business is never interrupted.

      The intelligence will not, however, deter me from prosecuting the plans which I had previously proposed to myself; and as this letter, together with others, will be sent by the store-ship Supply to Shanghai, there to take the mail for the United States, probably offering the last opportunity I shall have for a length of time of communicating with the department, it is proper that I should avail of the

occasion to make the government acquainted with the nature of those plans; of the successful issue of which, however, there is, of course, much uncertainty.

      It is known that one of the leading objects of my mission was to demand explanations of the Japanese government respecting its treatment of American citizens, who have been accidentally thrown upon its shores, and to make declaration that the United States government will no longer tolerate such acts;

      To endeavor to obtain the opening of one or more Japanese ports to American vessels;

      And to negotiate, if possible, a treaty with the empire, upon a basis just and equitable.

      There will, I imagine, be little difficulty in bringing about suitable explanations and apologies, with assurances of kind treatment to all strangers who may hereafter fall into the hands of the Japanese, as also friendly treatment and supplies to whaling ships anchoring in the ports of the empire; and this result would alone repay the United States government for all the expenses of the expedition.

      With respect to the accomplishment of the two other objects in view, there is in my mind some doubt, unless force is resorted to; and the adoption of this alternative, if not brought about by the acts of the Japanese themselves, would probably put us in the wrong.

      It will, therefore, become necessary in the absence of specific instructions, for me to assume certain responsibilities, and to act according to circumstances, and as my best judgment may dictate.

      To this end it is my intention, should the Japanese government refuse to negotiate, or to assign a port of resort for our merchant and whaling ships, to take under the surveillance of the American flag, upon the ground of reclamation for insults and injuries committed upon American citizens, this island of Great Lew-Chew, a dependency of the empire, to be held under such restraint, until the decision of my government shall be known, whether to avow or disavow my acts. Until such action is had, the responsibility will rest solely upon me, and I shall assume it as a measure of political precaution, lor it is certain that if I do not take preliminary steps before leaving this port for Yedo, for adopting such course, the Russians or French, or probably the English, will anticipate the design.

      It will be understood, that in no way will the authorities or people of the island be molested or interfered with, nor will any force be used, unless in self-defence; in truth, we already possess all necessary influence in the island, which has been acquired by kindness and noninterference with their laws and customs.

      The Americans have stronger claims for redress upon the Japanese than any other civilized nation; and though it does not belong to the spirit of our institutions to extend our dominion beyond sea, positive necessity requires that we should protect our commercial interests in this remote part of the world, and in doing so, to resort to measures, however strong, to counteract the schemes of powers less scrupulous than ourselves.

      Therefore, in my present position, I cannot but feel the weight of responsibility which this peculiar state of things imposes upon me;

and being aware of the expectation of the government and people of the United States, with respect to Japan, I shall not flinch from the exercise of powers, the propriety of which may be, at first, questioned by many, but the avoidance of which would be pronounced by all as showing a want of sagacity and firmness on my part.

      This friendly intercourse of the Americans with the inhabitants of the island has already contributed greatly to their advantage, and no one can foretell the benefits that would arise to these debased and inoffensive people by a certainty of protection from a powerful nation like ours.

      The most scrupulous regard to the rights of the authorities and other classes has been observed, and they are gradually becoming less reserved; and if it were not for the numerous Japanese agents and spies, who are ever on the watch to notice and report to the Imperial government every event that transpires, making those who manifest any friendly regard for us to be held accountable at some future time, the Lew-Chewans, it is thought, would rejoice in being placed in a political position rendering them independent of the tyranny of their Japanese rulers.

      The Regent, at my request, ordered, some time since, the erection of a building as a depository for coal, in which there is now about 700 tons for the use of the squadron. He has also assigned a building for the accommodation of the sick and others who reside on shore.

      For these I insist on making payment, to which, in consideration of the presents made to him of cattle, &c. he has demurred; but I shall persist as I did with reference to the supplies for the ships, for which they do not now evince the least reluctance to be paid, even advancing their prices.

      In regard to the Bonin islands, everything, according to the last accounts, remains as at the time of our departure from Port Lloyd.

      I now beg to invite the particular attention of the department to the tenor and meaning of the foregoing observations, and to remark, that in all probability I may not have arrived at any final understanding with the Japanese, whether satisfactory or otherwise, so as to enable me to return to Hong Kong before the latter end of July next, by which time a reply to this communication may be expected in due course of mail.

      And as I would earnestly request the department to instruct me whether I shall take further measures for holding possession of this island, provided the Japanese government may not comply with our just demands, or whether I am to abandon all claims upon it, and leave the authorities and people as I found them – an alternative I might hope would not be determined on, as well in justice to this defenceless and overburdened people as a regard to the commercial interests of our country.

      I would also ask for instructions with respect to the Bonin islands. My former communications and my correspondence with Sir George Bonham, now before the department, will fully explain the motives

which have actuated me in visiting and exploring this interesting group.

      I have the honor to he, very respectfully, your ohedient servant,

      Hon. James C. Dobbin,
                  Secretary of the Navy, Washington.

Secretary of the Navy to Commodore Perry.

      Sir: Your despatch No. 39, dated at Napa-Keang, Great Lew-Chew, January 25, 1854, has been received.

      Your suggestions as to the policy and propriety of securing a coal depot at Port Lloyd are appreciated and approved by the department.

      At some future and no distant day, I have no doubt, from its geographical position, it will be found convenient and important for a line of steamers to Shanghai or Hong Kong, from the Sandwich Islands or from San Francisco, to China.

      Your correspondence with Sir George Bonham, in regard to the Bonin islands, was conducted with ability and in the right spirit.

      Your suggestion about holding one of the Lew-Chew islands "upon the ground of reclamation for insults and injuries committed upon American citizens" "should the Japanese government refuse to negotiate or to assign a port of resort for our merchant and whaling ships," is more embarrassing. The subject has been laid before the President, who, while he appreciates highly the patriotic motive which prompts the suggestion, is disinclined, without the authority of Congress, to take and retain possession of an island in that distant country, particularly unless more urgent and potent reasons demanded it than now exist. If, in future, resistance should be offered and threatened, it would also be rather mortifying to surrender the island, if once seized, and rather inconvenient and expensive to maintain a force there to retain it. Indulging the hope that the contingency may not

arise to occasion any resort to the expedient suggested, and that your skill, prudence, and good judgment may enable you to triumph over the ignorant obstinacy of the Japanese without violence, it is considered sounder policy not to seize the island as suggested in your despatch.

      I regret much that the order allowing our Commissioner to China the use of a steamer should have caused you embarrassment or mortification. Such was far from the design of the department. The revolution in China seems to call for great consideration from our Commissioner, and to render it important that he should have every convenient facility to advance his efforts to effect favorable negotiations for his country. And although your force is not as large as you anticipated and desired, it is larger than you had on your first visit.

      Wishing you all success and fame, I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

      Commodore M. C. Perry,

Sailing directions and observations upon Lloyd's harbor, Bonin islands, from reports of Acting Masters Madigan and Bennett, of the United States ships Saratoga and Susquehanna.

      "The entrance to the harbor of Port Lloyd, on the western side of Peel inland, one of the Bonin group, is well defined, so that it can scarcely be mistaken.

      "A ship bound in would do well to place a boat on the shoal that makes off south from the eastern point of Square Kock, as it is called on Beechy's harbor chart. This shoal can be easily seen from aloft, however, even when there is no swell on. It extends full two cable's length from Square Rock to the southward, and is steep. The centre of the shoal is awash with a smooth sea. The tide rises about three feet, and there is a coral rock about one cable's length north from the nortbern point of Southern Head on wbich I found eight feet water. But a ship entering the harbor would not be likely to approach Southern Head so near as to be upon it. This island, as well as those surrounding it, is chiefly visited by whale-ships, and its products, therefore, are such as to suit their wants.

      "Potatoes, yams, and other vegetables, fruits of various kinds, together with wild hogs and goats, can be procured from the few whites and Sandwich Islanders (thirty-five in all) settled there. Wood is good and plentiful, and water can be had, though in limited quantities, and slightly tainted by the coral rocks from which it springs.

      "The anchorage is fair, though open to the south and west. The reconnoissance made by order of the commander-in-chief, proved the accuracy of Captain Beechy's chart."

      Mr. Bennett, acting master of the Susquehanna, says in his report: "Assuming the position of Napha, in Great Lew-Chew island, as established by Beechy, to be correct, I find by the mean of my chronometers that he has placed Ten Fathom Hole, in Port Lloyd, five miles too far to the westward, and consequently the whole group is placed that much to the westward of its true position."

                  By order of Commodore M. C. Perry:

Macao, October 1, 1853.

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