84 Kenneth S. Latourette, 



and the schooner "Boxer," was sent out by the United States 

 to secure treaties with eastern powers, and to protect the interests 

 of American seamen. Its immediate cause was the "Friendship" 

 affair, but it visited Manila, Canton, Cochin China, Siam, and 

 Muscat, and secured treaties with the last two. It touched at 

 Canton in November, 1832, but of course could not get into 

 communication with the government, and was ordered to leave 

 at the earliest possible moment.^'*'' Four years later Roberts 

 returned to the Far East in the "Peacock" to exchange ratifica- 

 tions. Again the expedition touched at Macao. It was watched 

 closely by cruisers and was ordered to leave as soon as its sick 

 were well.^'** In the interval between Roberts' tw^o visits the 

 "Vincennes" had again been there and had met with the usual 

 peremptory order to leave.^'^ The Roberts embassy was a sign 

 of an awakening interest on the part of the government. Jack- 

 son himself mentioned the China and East India trade in his 

 annual message of December, 1831.^'- Under the same vigorous 

 administration an exploring expedition was sent out to the South 

 Seas under Commodore Wilkes, with the revival of the beche 

 de mer, sandal wood, and sealing voyages prominent among its 

 objects.^'^ 



""Roberts, Embassy to Eastern Courts, passim, Ch. Rep., 11: 11; Jan- 

 uary, 1842. Secondary accounts are in Foster, Am. Dip. in the Orient, 

 PP- 45-55> and Callahan, Am. Relations in the Pacific, 11:48. 



"" Ruschenberger, Voyage Round the World, p. 374. Ch. Rep., 5 : 228. 

 Sept., 1836. 



'"Canton Register, 9:9. (1836.) The Hoppo's order was dated Jan. 

 9, 1836. 



'"James D. Richardson, A Compilation of the Messages and Papers 

 of the Presidents, 1789-1897, Washington, 1900. 2:551. 



'"It was first planned for 1827 and 1828 (Fanning, Voyages to the 

 South Seas, p. 172), but it was given up by the new administration, and 

 was not authorized until 1836. (Fanning sent in memorials to Congress 

 in the latter part of 1833. Fanning, Voyages to the South Seas, pp. 152- 

 167. Reynolds, Address.) It sailed in 1838 after more delay, and was 

 gone until 1842. (Wilkes, Narrative of U. S. Exploring Exped. during 

 the years 1838-1842, gives the account. Callahan is in error in saying 

 that it was from 1839 to 1841. Callahan, Am. Relations in the Pacific, 

 p. II.) 



