212 EXPEDITION TO JAPAN. 



"The mails from the United States and Euroije, 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 he 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. Tlius, the 

 distance from San Francisco to Honolulu, in the Sandwich Islands, is roughly estimated at 

 2,003 miles; from Honolulu to Peel Island, 3,301 miles; and from Peel Island to the mouth of 

 the Yang-tzse-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 twenty-two days would be required, making from Shanghai to 

 New York fifty-two 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 mag- 

 nificent, 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 Avater 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 may grow out of an intercourse so rapid and so certain."* 



* The importance of the Bonin Islnnds to the advancement of commercial interests in the east is so great that the suhject hag 

 more or less occupied the mind of the Commodore since his return ; and this importance is best shown by the following 

 document which has been placed in the hands of the compiler by Commodore Perry since this chapter was written : 



J^'oles u'illi respect to the Bonin Islands. 



My visit to the Bonin Islands forcibly impressed me with the idea of their importance as a point of rendezvous for vessels 

 navigating that part of the Pacific ocean in which they lie, and especially as offering a port of refuge and supply for whaling 

 ships resorting to those regions, as well as a depot for coal for a line of steamers which, ere long, must unquestionably be 

 established between California and China, via Japan. 



Whales of several varieties abound in those parts of the ocean lying between the Bonins and the coast of Asia, and are in 

 greater numbers in the neighborhood of Japan. Until the establishment of a treaty with that singular empire the masters of 

 whaling vessels were cautious not to approach near to its shores, under a well-founded apprehension of falling into the hands of 

 the J.ipanese, and sutfering, as a consetjuence, imprisonment and cruel treatment. These fears should no longer exist, as the 

 stipulations of the treaty make provision and offer guaranties not only for kind treatment to those .Americans who may approach 

 the coast, or be thrown by accident upon its liiiherto inhospitable shores, but allow all American vessels under press of weather 

 to enter any of its ports lor temporary refitment ; and t!ie ports of llaUodadi and Si;noda are open for all purposes uf repair or 

 supplies. 



