CHAPTER I. 



PROBABILITIES OF A SUCCESSFUL MISSION FROM THE UNITED STATES TO JAPAN. SUCH A MISSION PROPOSED TO THE GOVERN- 

 MENT BY COMMODORE PERRY. EXPEDITION RESOLVED ON. VESSELS SELECTED FOR THE SQUADRON. VEXATIOUS DELAY 



IN THEIR EQUIPMENT.— COMMODORE PERRY SENT IN THE MISSISSIPPI TO THE GULF OF ST. LAWRENCE. APPLICATIONS OF 



SCIENTIFIC MEN TO JOIN THE EXPEDITION REFUSED. CAUSES OF SUCH REFUSAL. DR. TON SIEBOLD. VISIT OF THE 



PRESIDENT AND SECRETARY OF THE NAVY TO ANNAPOLIS TO TAKE LEAVE OF THE EXPEDITION. FAILURE OF THE 



MACHINERY OF THE STEAMSHIP PRINCETON ON THE PASSAGE DOWN CHESAPEAKE BAY. SUBSTITUTION OF STEAMER POW- 

 HATAN IN PLACE OF THE PRINCETON. FINAL DEPARTURE OF COMMODORE PERRY ON THE MISSION WITH THE UISSISSIPFI 



ALONE. 



/ isIM 



HE treaty which closed the war of the United States with 



Mexico transferred to the former the territory of California. 

 Its position on the Pacific could not but suggest the thought 

 of an extended field for commercial enterprise ; and with our 

 territory spreading from ocean to ocean, and placed midway 

 %i^ "^ between Europe and Asia, it seemed that we might with 

 'r^^, "^^ propriety apply to ourselves the name by which China had 

 ' Xj,^ J^ loved to designate herself, and deem that we were, in truth, 

 £f"the Middle Kingdom." If the shortest route between 

 Eastern Asia and Western Europe be (in this age of steam) 

 gS^ across our continent, then was it obvious enough that our 

 ^& continent must, in some degree at least, become a highway 

 for the world. And when, soon after our acquisition of 

 California, it was discovered that the harvest there was gold, nothing was more natural than 

 that such discovery should give additional interest to the obvious reflections suggested by our 

 geographical position. 



Direct trade from our western coast with Asia became, therefore, a familiar thought ; the 

 agency of steam was, of course, involved, and fuel for its production was indispensable. Hence 

 aro.se inquiries for that great mineral agent of civilization, coal. Where was it to be obtained 

 on the long route from California to Asia? Another inquiry presented itself: With what far- 

 distant eastern nations should we trade? China was in some measure opened to us ; but 

 there was, beside, a terra incognita in Japan which, while it stimulated curiosity, held out 

 also temptations which invited commercial enterprise. True, we knew not much about its 



