EMBARRASSMENT OF THE COMMODORE. 307 



Commodore Perry to the Secretarxj of the Navy. 



United States Steam Frigate Susqueh.anna, 



Hong Kong, January 14, 1855, 



Sir: On the eve of getting under way for Japan, with all my arrangements made to leave in 

 an hour, and a large portion of my force actually gone, I am placed in possession of the letter 

 of the department of the 28th of Octoher, (which arrived hy the mail of last night,) directing 

 me, under certain views of the government with respect to China, to detach one of the steamers 

 of my command, to be placed at the disposal of Mr. K. M. McLane, recently appointed 

 Commissioner to China. 



Such an arrangement, at this moment, would he seriously inconvenient and highly injurious 

 to my plans, the execution of which has already commenced ; indeed, it could not he done at 

 this time without deranging the operations of the squadron — so intimately are the steamers 

 connected with each other ; and I feel assured that, if the department could be made acquainted 

 with the true state of things, and the importance of my carrying the three steamers with me 

 to Japan, as it now knows of the events of my former visit to that Empire, it would at once 

 revoke the order; but, as it is my duty to obey, though it cannot be done at this moment 

 without serious consequences to the success of my mission, I will detach one of the steamers 

 from the Bay of Yedo, and send her to Macao, where only she can be of use in contributing to 

 the convenience of the commissioner, as her great draught of water will render it impossible 

 to ascend, for any useful purpose, the rivers in China. 



My various letters to the department will, I think, demonstrate the correctness of this 

 assertion. However, I have no alternative, though I cannot but express the deep dis- 

 appointment and mortification to which I am subjected. 



Although Mr. McLane may not find a steamer waiting for him at Macao when he arrives, I 

 will order her to the Coast of China the moment I can do so consistently with the public 

 interests. 



I am sure the department will not object to the exercise of this discretion — no possible 

 inconvenience can arise from the delay. Mr. McLane may probably be detained some time in 

 Europe, and the steamer may be back in time to meet him, and before he will be prepared 

 to act. 



I must confess that this order has dampened my hopes very much, but I will ^o the 

 best I can. 



I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant, 



M. C. PERRY, 

 C<ymmander-inrchief of United States Naval Forces 



in the East India, China, and Japan Seas. 



Hon. James C. Dobbin, 



Secretary of the Navy, Washington. 



The English mail steamer, which had arrived just before the departure of the squadron, had 

 brought the cases and packages expected from Paris, containing presents for the Japanese, 

 but too late to be taken on board any of the ships. They were therefore passed over to the care 



