SUSPICIOUS MOVEMENTS OF RUSSIANS AND FRENCH. 303 



that there seemed no immediate danger of an attack, and which contained an expression of 

 satisfaction at the provision made hy the Commodore for the protection of their interests during 

 his absence. 



Ahont the close of November, the French commodore in the frigate Constantino, then lying at 

 Macao, suddenly put to sea under sealed orders. It was at the time well known, that in a day 

 or two he was to have departed for Shanghai with the French minister, Monsieur de Bourboulon, 

 and his wife, as passengers, but on the arrival of the mail from Europe he hiirried away without 

 any one knowing in what direction. The Kussian admiral, Pontiatine, in the frigate Pallas, 

 and with three other vessels, was at this time at Shanghai, having just arrived from Nagasaki. 

 The Commodore, suspecting tliat the Kussians contemplated the design of returning to Japan 

 and of ultimately going to Yedo, which might seriously interfere with his operations, and sus- 

 pecting also that the same place was the destination of the French commodore, became very 

 anxious for the arrival of the storeship Lexington with some articles for presents on board. He 

 determined, therefore, rather than allow either the Russians or the French to gain an advantage 

 over him, to encounter all the inconveniences and exposure of a cruise to Japan in mid-winter. 

 Nor was he to be deterred from his purpose by the terrible accounts given by writers of the 

 storms, fogs, and other dangers to be met with on the inhospitable Japanese coasts during the 

 inclement season. 



It had been originally the intention of the Commodore to wait until the spring had set in 

 before going to the north, but the susjiicion of the movements of the French and Russians 

 induced him to alter his plans. The expected Lexington having fortunately arrived, after an 

 unusually long passage, she was ordered to Hong Kong, there to land such part of her cargo as 

 would not be required for the Jaj^an service, and to take on board, in place of what she might 

 discharge there, four hundred tons of coal. This being accomplished, the Commodore sailed 

 from Hong Kong in the Susquehanna, on the 14th of January, 1854, for Lew Cliew, in company 

 with the Powhatan, Mississipjji, and the storeships Lexington and Southampton, the two latter 

 being respectively in tow of the steamers ; the Macedonian and Supply having been a few days 

 before dispatched for Lew Chew, there to join the Vandalia. The Plymouth was at Shanghai, 

 and the Saratoga had orders to meet the squadron at Lew Chew. 



On the very day and at the precise hour of the Commodore's sailing, the steamer arrived with 

 the overland mail, bringing precise instructions from the Navy Department to detach one of the 

 steamers from the Japan expedition, and place her at the disposal of the Hon. Mr. McLane, 

 recently appointed commissioner to China, and then soon expected to arrive from the United 

 States. As these orders caused Commodore Perry great embarrassment, and would, if executed, 

 injuriously delay his plans and interfere with the success of his mission, he determined not to act 

 upon them immediately and thus weaken his force, but to wait until he had made a preliminary 

 demonstration in Yedo bay. 



The Commodore was somewhat surj^rised to learn from Sir George Bonham, a few days prior 

 to his leaving Hong Kong, that his visit to the Benin Islands had attracted the attention of the 

 British government. Sir George had called on board the Susquehanna to confer with the Com- 

 modore upon the subject, stating that he had been instructed by Lord Clarendon, then minister 

 of foreign affiiirs, to ask of him some explanations of his designs. The Commodore, in answer, 

 declared his willingness to communicate to Sir George Bonham the information he desired, and 

 accordingly gave him verbally to understand his objects, but at the same time suggested that he 



