COMMODORE BIDDLE'S OFFICIAL ACCOUNT OF HIS VISIT TO JAPAN.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume IV, Issue 310, 19 July 1848, Page 3

COMMODORE BIDDLE'S OFFICIAL ACCOUNT OF HIS VISIT TO JAPAN.

U. S. Columbus, Off the Cuast of Japan, July 31, 1846. Sir, — This ship and the Vincennes sailed from the Chusan Islands on' the 7th instant. As your instructions direct me to ascertain if the ports of Japan are accessible, I proceeded, on leaving the coast of China, towards the coast of Japan. The Japanese, as yon know, have always been more rigid in the exclusion of foreigners, than even the Chinese. The only Europeans admitted to trade are the Dutch from Batavia ; and their trade is confined to a single port, and limited to one annual ship. By the laws of Japan, foreign ships are not permitted to anchor in any port of the empire, except that of Nagasaki. An attempt to penetrate Japan made at that port, would be sure to encounter the hostility of the Dutch, whose exertions have hitherto been successful against every attempt to preserve their monopoly. The Japanese officers at Nagasaki are without authority to treat with foreign officers ; they could not accede to any propositions ; they could only transmit them to the seat of Government at Yeddo. The distance between Yeddo and Nagasaki is 345 leagues, and the journey between them is "usually performed in seven weeks," according to a work on Japan published at New York, in 1841. I concluded, therefore, to proceed direct to the bay of Yeddo, where I anchored on the 29th instant, the Vincennes in company. Before reaching the anchorage, an officer with a Dutch interpreter came on board. He inquired what was my objf ct in coming to Japan ? I answered, that I came as a friend, to ascertain whether Japan had, like China, opened her ports to foreign trade, and, if she had, to fix by treaty the conditions on which American vessels should trade with Japan. He requested me to commit this answer to writing, and I gave him a written paper, a copy or which is herewith transmitted. He informed me that any supplies I might require would be furnished by the government. To my inquiry, whether I would be allowed to go on shore, he replied in the negative. He objected to our boats passing between the ship and the Vincennes, but as I insisted upon it he yielded. Upon anchoring, the ship was surrounded hy a vast number of boats belonging to the government. The ship was soon thronged with Japanese. I permitted them to come on board in large numbers, that all might be convinced of our friendly disposition, as well as our ability, in any event, to take care of ourselves. On the following morning, an officer, apparently of higher rank, came on board. He stated, that foreign ships upon entering a port of Japan, always landed their guns, muskets, swords, &c. I told him it was impossible to do so, and I assured him that we were peaceably disposed. He informed me that my written paper of the preceding day had been transmitted to the Emperor, who was at some distance from Yeddo, and that an answer would be received in five or six days. I asked him why we were surrounded by boats, and he replied, that they might be ready in case we wanted them toto'w the ship. This of course was not true; the object, of course, being to prevent us from communicating with 'he shore. When our boats. 1 were sent to sound at some distance from tne ship, Japanese boats followed them, without however molesting them. During our whole stay these boats continued about the ship. I bad on board copies in Chinese of the French, English, and American treaties with China. I offered these treaties to the Japanese officer, who declined receiving them, saying that he could not receive them without the permission of his Emperor. I offered these treaties subsequently to Japanese officers, who in the like manner declined to receive them. , ;

It is wortl} while, perhaps, to mention, that on the first day, the Japanese undertook to water the ship. They sent off 180 gallons ; and on the second day 800 gallons ; our daily consumption being nearly 800 gallons- I told the officer, unless they watered the ship properly, that I would send our own boats on shore for water. He said there would be trouble if I sent our boats on shore. I replied that I should be obliged to do so if they continued, as beretofore, to supply us inadequately. The result was, that on the third day, upwards of 11,000 gallons were brought off, and on the following day, nearly 10,000,. On the 25th, not having received any answer to the papers sent on shore five days previously, I expressed to the Japanese officer my surprise at the delay, and requested him to inform the Governor of Yeddo, that I desired an answer as early as possible. On the 27th, an officer, with a suite of eight persons, came on board with the Emperor's answer. The answer was translated by the interpreter as follows :—": — " According to the Japanese laws, the Japanese may not trade except with the Dutch and Chinese. It will not be allowed that America make a treaty with Japan or trade with her, as the same is not allowed with any other nation. Concerning strange lands, all things are fixed at Nagasaki, but not here in the bay ; therefore you ! must depart as quick as possible, and not come any more to Japan." I stated to the officer that the United States wished to make a treaty of commerce with Japan, but not unless Japan also wished a treaI ty ; that I came here for information on this subject, and having now ascertained that Japan is not yet prepared to open her ports to foreign trade, I should sail the next day if the weather permitted. This answer was, at the officer's request, committed to writing, and was given to him. The Emperor's letter I forwarded by the Vincennes to Dr. Parker at Canton, for translation, and requested him to transmit to you the original and the transla- ■ tien of it. I may here mention that Mr. Wolcott, our consul at Shanghai, informed me that he had sold American cottons to some extent to Chinese merchants for shipment to Nagasaki. In this way the supply of American cottons in Japan may perhaps become equal to the demand. While at Batavia, in October last, I was informed that the Dutch trade at Japan was insignificant in amount ; that its profits scarcely covered the expenses of the factory and of the customary presents ; and the Dutch valued their intercourse with Japan chiefly because, while their own flag was admitted, all other European flags weie excluded — a distinction gratifying to their national pride. This account of the trale seems to be confirmed by the fact that some years ago the Dutch East India Company voluntarily relinquished it to the Dutch government. It is confirmed also by the accompanying letter to me from our consul at Batavia, Mr. Robeits, a wellinformed merchant, who has resided many years in the East Indies. I must now communicate an occurrence of an unpleasant character. On the mornino that the officer came down in a^unk with the Emperor's letter, I was requested to go on -board the junk to receive it. 1 refused, and informed the interpreter that the officer must deliver on board this &hip any letter that had ; I been intrusted him for me. To this the officer assented but added that my letter, having been delivered on board the American ship, he thought the Emperor's letter should be delivered on board the Japanese vessel. As the Japanese officer, though attaching importance to his own proposal, had withdrawn it as soon as I objected to it, 1 concluded that it might be well for me to gratify him, and I informed the interpreter that I would go on | board the junk, and there receive the letter. The interpreter then went on board the junk. In an hour afterwards I went alongside the j junk in the ship's boat in my uniform. At the moment that I was stepping on board, a Japanese on the deck of the junk gave me a blow or a push which threw me back into the boat. I immediately called to the interpreter to have the man seized, and then returned to the ship. I was followed on board by the inteipreter and a number of Japanese officers. They all expressed the greatest concern at what had occurred ; stated that the offender was a common soldier on board, and assured me that he .should be puni&hed severely. They asked me in what manner I wished him to be punished, and I replied according to the laws of Japan. I stated that the officers also were greatly to blame, as they ought to have been on deck to receive me. They declared that they had not expected me alongside ; and I was subsequently convinced that, owing to bad interpretation, they believed my final decision had been that they were to come to the ship. I was careful to impress on them all the enormity of the outrage that had been committed, and how much they owed to my forbearance. They manifested great anxiety and apprehen1 sion, and endeavoured in every way to appease

me. In the course of the ciay, the Governor of Yeddo sent an officer to inform me that the man should be severely punished, and hoped 1 would not think too seriously of the affair. The conduct of the man is inexplicable, especially as all the Japanese in and about the sliip had evinced great good nature in their intercourse with us. As I was convinced that the outrage had been committed without the procurement or knowledge of the Japanese officers, and as every atonement that I could expect or desire was promptly rendered, I should not have deemed it necessary to communicate this occurrence, except to guard against any incorrect statemeut that may appear in the public prints. I sailed from the bay of Yeddo on the 29th. The Vincennes parted company yesterday. 1 enclose a copy of her orders. Very respectfully, your most obedient, James Biddle. Hon. George Bancroft, Secretary to the Navy, Washington.