Mr. Van Valkenburgh to Mr. Seward
Sir: In pursuance of the determination arrived at by my colleagues and myself, as stated in my despatch No. 31, dated the 12th day of June last, I left Yokohama in the Shenandoah, on Tuesday, the 25th of that month, and reached Hakodadi on the evening of the 28th.
The Japanese governor called early on the 29th, and caused a salute of 15 guns to be fired for me from the fort at the entrance of the harbor; which salute was returned from the Shenandoah.
This fact is noticeable, as it was the first salute ever fired for a foreign minister at this port. On that day I landed from the ship and took up my quarters with Colonel Rice, our consul. On Monday, the 1st day of July, I started for a short trip into the country, riding in a northerly direction through Sickinope, visiting the volcano of Kromanataki, and the village of Mowery, on the shores of Volcano bay. At this point we saw several of the Ainos, the original inhabitants of the island of Yesso, and probably of Niphon. They still inhabit the interior of Yesso, and little is known of that part of the island. They are a distinct race from the Japanese, marked in features, manners, and religion.
From the trip I returned on the evening of the 3d of July. On the 4th the governor again called upon me at the consulate, accompanied by the vice-governor and several other officials, congratulated me upon the return of our national anniversary, and proposed as a toast: “The prosperity of the United States, and a lasting friendship with Japan.” He also caused a national salute to be fired from the fort at midday, at which time the Shenandoah also fired a like salute. On Friday, the 5th of July, in pursuance of an invitation, together with Commodore Goldsborough, Consul Rice, Colonel Rumsey, and several officers of the Shenandoah, I proceeded to the governor’s residence, some four miles from the consulate, and breakfasted with him. We were received at different points by companies of Japanese infantry at present arms, and by the governor and all the officials connected with the government of the island with great ceremony and politeness.
The palace, as it is called, is situated within a strong fort, and connected with it are the offices at which the entire business of that portion of Japan is conducted.
I had expected, from information I received from Sir Harry Parkes, her Britannic Majesty’s envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary, to meet her Britannic Majesty’s ship Serpent, Commander Bullock, at Hakodadi. She had sailed from Nagasaki early in June, intending to put into the several harbors on the west coast, make preliminary surveys of them; and I hoped through the kindness of the commander to get such information in regard to these surreys as would enable Commodore Goldsborough safely to visit the ports. Sir Harry Parkes also intended to reach Hakodadi, in one of her Majesty’s ships, [Page 48] about the 5th of July, and we expected together to make the survey of the ports on the west coast.
On the 7th of July, the Serpent arrived, having made the preliminary surveys of several of the ports, copies of which Commander Bullock kindly permitted Commodore Goldsborough to take for his guidance.
Still hoping that Sir Marry Parkes would come to accompany me, I remained at Hakodadi until the morning of the 11th, when her Britannic Majesty’s ship Perseus arrived with information that Sir Harry would not leave Yokohama until the 20th July, and that he would be accompanied by the English admiral in command of the China squadron. We immediately got under way on the 11th of July, and sailed for Neeëgata, 249 miles distant from Hakodadi.
It is hardly necessary for me to give a description of Hakodadi; it has been opened so long that the department must have all necessary information in regard to it.
American interests, so far as I was able to learn, were safe in the hands of our excellent consul, Colonel Rice, who is now the oldest foreign official resident in Japan.
The island of Yesso is sparsely populated; little is known of the interior; the soil is rich; the country beautiful. Within 50 miles from Hakodate are a number of small lakes, filled with fish, and three volcanoes, one of which, at an eruption in 1854, destroyed a village, together with a number of people. There is quite a business done in and near Hakodadi in raising and selling silk-worm eggs.
NEEËGATA.
(Latitude 37° 57’ 30” north; longitude 139° east.)
We reached the anchorage off Neeëgata about 6 o’clock in the morning of the 12th of July. It is an open roadstead, and our anchorage was at least five miles from the shore. The river comes in at this place from the interior, and across its mouth there is a bar which prevents ships or even large junks from going up to the city, which is situated about one mile from the beach. It will not answer for a port, as no vessel can anchor there in safety. There is but eight feet of water upon the bar. I took a boat and visited the city, was received by the governor and vice-governor, and a large concourse of officials and common people. I was conducted to a temple, where fruit, confectionery, and tea were served. The governor directed that I should be escorted through the city, and we spent about two hours in visiting the different streets. No attempt was made to prevent our going where we pleased. It has a population of about 35,000, all of whom I presume were in the streets as we passed through, attracted by the unusual sight of two foreigners. It is evidently the most populous town on the west coast, and the one at which the largest amount of trade is carried on, but unfortunately ships cannot visit it. About 11 o’clock of the same day we started for Nanou, a distance of 109 miles.
NANOU.
(Latitude 37° 2’ 00” north; longitude 136° 58’ 00” east.)
At 12 o’clock, noon, of the 13th of July we anchored in the bay of Nanou. This bay has two entrances, caused by an island some three miles long, parallel with the coast. We went in at the southern entrance. It is situated on the promontory of Noto, in the territory of the Prince of Kaga. The city has a population of about 15,000, and its exports are almost nothing—a few dried fish and mats. The harbor is excellent. The city looks old and finished. The country about is hilly, but the valleys are fertile and well tilled. Commodore Goldsborough caused soundings to be taken and a slight survey of the bay. The people were kind, and I was treated with marked politeness and hospitality. No American vessel had ever visited this harbor before, and crowds of two-sworded [Page 49] men came off to see the “great ship.” At this place I first learned the fact that the princes issue, each in his own territory, paper money, taking the place of copper and silver. The largest denomination is six ichiboos, or about two dollars, while the smallest is one tempo, or two cents. I purchased some little article at a shop, and in change they gave me back paper. On inquiry I learned the fact to be as above stated, and that this paper money is redeemed by the prince at his yaski (residence) in his own territory, or at Yedo. I also learned that they have lotteries, carried on by the government, precisely similar to those formerly authorized by our laws. Tickets are posted for sale in all the shops, and the drawing is upon an advertised day and from a wheel. I never have heard of the existence of these lotteries or seen the tickets in any other place in Japan. The highest prize in the lottery is about 900 boos, while the smallest is a few tenipos. Kanasawa is the capital of the Prince of Kaga’s territory. It is a city of 60,000 or 70,000 inhabitants, on the south side of the promontory of Noto, about 40 miles from Nanou, on a little river four miles from the sea. The prince sent three of his retainers to call upon us at Nanou, and remain there until we left. He is now building at Nanou a shipyard where they intend to construct two steamers and one merchant vessel. He also fenced in a very large tract of land, upon which they informed me he intended building an iron foundry.
We left Nanou on Tuesday, July the 16th, at 5 a.m., for Mikuni, distance 146 miles.
MIKUNI.
(Latitude 36° 12’ north; longitude 136° 08’ east.)
We reached Mikuni roads at 8 o’clock on the morning of the 17th July. The river Ekadagawa, formed by the union of four rivers just above, here enters the sea. There is a bar across the mouth, with very little water upon it, preventing even loaded junks of any size from coming up to the city, which is a mile above the bar. There is, therefore, no harbor or safe anchorage. This is in Prince Etshizen’s territory, and his capital, Fukeu, is about 12 miles from Mikuni, up the river. We visited the city, which has a population of about 10,000 ; were received kindly by the officials and people, and escorted over the place, which looked like all other Japanese towns—finished.
At 12 o’clock noon we were again on board, and up anchor and off for Tsurunga, a distance of 36 miles.
TSURUNGA.
(Latitude 35° 39’ north; longitude 136° 04’ east.)
We reached the beautiful bay Tsurunga, in which no foreign vessel of war had ever before anchored, at 7 o’clock p. m., July 17. The scenery about it is grand, the entrance good, and the anchorage fine. It is a city of about 12,000 inhabitants; not many exports or imports; the country hilly, but the valleys fertile and beautiful. This is a Tycoon’s port, only about 35 miles from Kioto and 80 from Osacca. We were received with great kindness by the officers, who insisted upon taking out a guard of a hundred soldiers, armed with matchlocks, to protect me from the threatened raid of a band of rebels, said to be a few miles back in the country. I succeeded, however, on the second day, by landing at a very distant point from the town, in evading the guard, seeing the country for some miles about, and satisfying myself that the story of the rebels was “the ancient fiction.” Commodore Golds borough, inasmuch as no vessel had visited the bay before, caused a survey to be made by Lieutenant Commander Nichols and Lieutenant Maclay, assisted by Lieutenant Meade, of the marines; and we remained until Saturday, July the 20th, for that purpose. At 5½ a. m. of that day, we sailed for Miyadsu, distant 38 miles.
[Page 50]MIYADSU.
(Latitude 35° 32’ north; longitude 135° 15’ east.)
On Saturday, July 20, at 1.30 p. m., we anchored in this most beautiful of all the bays we have visited on the west coast of Japan. The ingress and egress is more easy than any other, and the harbor is free from all danger. The land is high and rugged, the valleys fertile and well tilled, and the people more comfortable, better-looking, and lighter in complexion than any we have seen. The city has a population of about 12,000. We were received by the officers with great kindness, and permitted to go where we pleased without hindrance. This is in the province of Matsudaira Hoki No Kami, formerly a member of the Gorogio and now a resident of Yedo. He has a yaski, or large residence, at this port, surrounded by a substantial wall, and protected by a fort, upon which are mounted four guns. It is about 35 miles from Kioto and 80 from Osacca. Some silk is manufactured both here and at Tsurunga; but the exports are few, principally consisting of dried fish. We remained in this harbor until Monday morning, the 22d July, when we sailed for Nagasaki, a distance of 410 miles.
NAGASAKI.
We reached this port on the evening of the 24th July. I here found letters from Rear-Admiral Bell, asking that the Shenandoah go to Shanghai and take in her supplies, thus saving a trip of the Supply storeship to Yokohama in the typhoon season. Although anxious to reach Yedo, I at once complied with the request, and she sailed for Shanghai on the 27th July. I remained in Nagasaki, and found my time well employed in advancing American interests in the interim of her absence. What I did while there will be found in subsequent communications. On the 10th August, the Shenandoah having returned, we sailed for Yokohama through the inland sea, reaching that harbor on the 14th.
Sir Harry Parkes left Yokohama on the 20th July, accompanied by the English admiral, and is making the same tour from which I have returned. The French representative has also despatched the Laplace, with his first secretary, to make the same trip.
There are but three good harbors upon the west coast, so far as I am informed —Nanou, Tsurunga, and Miyadsu. The latter one is the best harbor; but Nanou will open the greatest extent of country, and is about half the distance between Hakodate and Nagasaki. I trust, after the return of the English minister, and upon consultation with all my colleagues, we shall be enabled to unite upon one of the ports without difficulty.
I apprehend but a small amount of business will be done at either one of them for some time to come, and therefore would recommend the appointment of a commercial agent, or vice-consul, to represent American interests at the port which shall be opened.
The Japanese government sent with me on this voyage two Japanese officials and one interpreter, authorized to communicate with the officials at the several ports we should enter, and see that we were received with proper attention.
Enclosed (No. 1) I send copy of the charts of the ports, kindly made for me by Lieutenant Commander S. W. Nichols, jr., and Lieutenant W. W. Maclay of the Shenandoah, assisted by Lieutenant R. L. Meade of the marines; also enclosure No. 2, sailing directions; and enclosure No. 3, remarks of Commodore J. K. Goldsborough, upon the several above-named ports.
I desire to express my thanks to Rear-Admiral H. H. Bell and to Commodore J. K. Goldsborough for their kindness in affording me facilities for visiting Osacca and the west coast, and for the promptness with which every wish of mine has been by them executed.
I have the honor to be, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
Hon. William H. Seward Secretary of State, Washington, D. C.