THE STORY OF WILL ADAMS

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 69, 11 March 1908, Page 4

THE STORY OF WILL ADAMS

THE HRST ENGLISHMAN TO SET EOOT IN JAPAN.

The story of Will Adams, the first Englishman to set foot in Japan, for the maintenance of whose grave at \ okosuka subscriptions are being invited by Lord Redcsdale, Sir Ernest Satow, aud Sir Thomas Sutherland, is one of the most thrilling of the many stirring adventures of the Elizabethan period.

William Adams tells us thai be was horn ■' iu a town called (iillingliain, two laiglisli miles from Rochester, one mile from Chatham, where the King's ships do lie." lie began a seafaring life al the age of \i, and afterwards for eleven year- served a company of l'-arbary merchants. In l->'.« he set his eyetowards India, and as pilot-major joined a fleet of live ships lifted 0111 by the Rotlerdam merchants, and commanded by Jacob Alaliu. The vessels were small aiid overcrowded. The Charity, the ship I in which Adams sailed, was IliO tons, and carried 111) men.

'The voyage proved to be one long series of disasters. Sickness broke out, ine commander died, and the lleet were driven to the (Oast of (ftiinea. Here ihe crews were attacked by fever. Fruiu November till April the ships lay tossing in the South Atlantic. Hardly clear of the Straits of .Magellan, the lleet was scattered by storm. Two of the ships wei'e driven" back, and returned to Holland; one was captured by a Spanish cruiser, aud the Charity and Hope met on the coast of Chili. Rut the commanders and a great part of the crew of both ships were killed iu ambushes by the natives, ou e of the victims being

Adams' brother Thomas. The survivors held out for Japan. The Hope disappeared and was never heard of again, aud the Charity, with most of her crew sick or dying, sighted the Land of the Rising Sun on April l'Jlh, luul), anchoring off the coast of Rungo, in the island of Kiushiu. The. unfortunate mariners were received with kindness, and Adams, who appeared to have tak»n the lead, was urougnt before the Emperor at the capital city of Osaka. After being kept in prison lor some weeks, aud in fear of crucilixion, Adams was set at liberty, and ordered a daily allowance of rice and a small annual pension. The practical Englishman found favour in the

eyes of Uie sagacious Japanese, ruler. Adams built a small ship, which delighted the Jiiuperor. "Now," he says, . '• being iu such grace and favour by I reason 1 learned him some points of geometry and understanding the art of mathematics with other things. 1 pleased him so that what 1 said he i would not contrary." Adams built anr other ship to carry home the Spanish Governor to the l'hilippine Islands. The Emperor finally bestowed upon Adams the estate " like unto lordship in England, with eighty or ninety husbandmen, that lie as my slaves or servants/' The estate was Hear Yokosuki, and he had power of life or death over.l nis vassals. Alter five years Adams asked permission to return to England, where he had a wite and two children, but the Emperor would not consent. Adams afterwards obtained trading privileges for Dutch and English. When at length he might have returned to England he would not do so. as he had a Japanese wife and two children, and was. moreover, ambitious to discover | the north-west or north-east passage to England. This, however, remained nothing hut a dreary. -He sailed to Siam and Cochin China, and wheu his pair in . died the Christians were persecuted, and the foreign trade came to an end. ' Adams died iu ll>2o, at about (ill years of age, bequeathing about £501) lo his wife and daughter in England and his :' son and daughter in Japan. Adams' memory was long cherished in Japan, and a street in Vcdo is nainod , after him. It is natural, therefore, that Japanese statesmen, generals, and admirals should be joining in the move- , i inent to do honour to the brave English- . 1 man's memory.