M.C. Perry and Japan (IV)

Chapter one of Narrative of the Expedition of an American Squadron to the China Seas and Japan is entitled "Preparations for the Mission to Japan". It lays out the general situation in the US and the preparations leading to the departure of the squadron. The vessels picked included three steamers: the Mississippi, the Princeton and the Alleghany. There were also the Vermont together with the sloops of war, Vandalia and Macedonian. Separately the steamship Susquehanna and sloops of war Saratoga and Plymouth were already at the East India station. Also, three armed storeships, Supply, Lexington, and Southampton were enlisted. Soon Princeton was replaced by Powhatan.1 When US announced publicly its intention to send an expedition to Japan, many applications for permission to join were received from civilians, for example scientific men. But these application were refused by Perry because this trip was not scientific, but was naval and diplomatic in nature. Perry wanted strict discipline which civilian could not bear. He also prohibited his crews to make communication to the newspaper and that all journals and private notes kept by the team members would be considered as US government property. Perry worried that any leakage of information would jeopardize the mission, and he knew that Russia was keeping a watchful eye on his expedition.2 On November 24th, 1852 the Mississippi alone departed from Norfolk to start the mission to Japan via Madeira, the Cape of Good Hope, Mauritius, and Singapore, to be joined by other vessels en route.3 On December 14, 1852 at Madeira Perry wrote a letter to the Secretary of the Navy which was replied by Edward Everett on February 15th, 1853.4 (to be continued)

Notes:
1. Perry, Matthew Calbraith ed. by Sidney Wallach. Narrative of the Expedition of an American Squadron to the China Seas and Japan. NY: Coward-McCann, 1952, page 5
2. Ibid., page 7
3. Ibid., page 9
4. Ibid., page 13