INFORMATION AS TO WRECKS IN JAPAN. 471 



ships, in the inspection of the armament, and were often gratified with the exercise of the guns, 

 the filling of the shells, and other matters of military discipline and practice. Though, in 

 their later history a pacific people, the Japanese, as we have already said, are fond of military 

 display, and seemed particularly desirous of scrutinizing all the warlike appointments which 

 made their visitors so formidable ; as if they felt the necessity^ in the new relations which were 

 opening with foreigners, of studying and adopting the best means of attack and defence, should 

 either ever become necessary by any future collision with the great powers of the west. With 

 proper training, no people would make better soldiers. Every opportunity was afi'orded them, 

 without restriction, of satisfying their curiosity, which was naturally directed towards those 

 points in which they were conscious of their greatest weakness ; and this liberality of the 

 Americans, in the free exposition of their power, deeply impressed the Japanese with a 

 conviction of the pacific intentions of their visitors, who desired to show that they looked to a 

 friendly intercourse, and not to a violent invasion, for those mutual benefits which were to 

 accrue from more intimate relations between the United States and Japan. 



A valuable communication was received from the authorities at Hakodadi, in answer to certain 

 enquiries made by the Commodore in regard to the various American and European vessels 

 which were supposed to have been wrecked at different times upon the coast of the Empire. 

 There was reason to suppose that several vessels which had been lost, and never heard of in the 

 countries from which they had sailed, had been wrecked on the shores of the island of Yesso ; 

 and it was thought possible, from the hitherto inhospitable conduct of the Japanese government 

 towards foreigners, that some who had been cast by calamity upon its mercy might yet be held 

 in captivity. It was, therefore, a great satisfaction to receive the following answer from the 

 Hakodadi officials : 



" From the third year of Ohoka to the third of Kayee, [184*7 to 1851,] there were five foreign 

 vessels wrecked by storms on our coasts, whose crews have all been sent on to Nagasaki, thence 

 to be sent by the Dutch back to their homes ; not one now remains in Japan. 



" In 184*7, June, seven American sailors were drifted ashore at Tetoroop in a boat. 



" In 184*7, June, thirteen American sailors in three boats were thrown ashore at Yeramachi, 

 N.W. of Matsmai. 



"In March, 1849, three men from an American ship went ashore at Karafto, the south end 

 of Saghalien, and then went off. 



"In May, 1850, an English ship was wrecked at Mabiru, in Yesso, from which thirty-two 

 men came ; but where they came from we know not. ' ' 



The Commodore also addressed to the imperial commissioners, with whom the terms of the 

 treaty were negotiated, a communication on the same subject, and received the following 

 reply : 



"7b His Excellency Commodore Ferry: 



" The undersigned have well understood your written communication in reference to ships 

 navigating the Pacific, the Chinese, and Japanese seas, which have never been heard of at their 

 ports of destination ; and the probable fate of their crews being uncertain, his majesty the 

 President has ordered enquiries to be made on the subject, and ships-of-war have been sent to 

 Borneo, Formosa, and other islands ; and that two ships were again to sail to Formosa, by your 

 order, for a similar purpose. 



