NYT: The Japanese Embassy Arrives in San Francisco from Honolulu

New York Times: April 16, 1860. Page 5.

NEWS BY TELEGRAPH

FROM THE PACIFIC.

Eleven Days from San Francisco to New York

Arrival and Reception of the Japanese Ambassadors

ST. JOSEPH, MO., Saturday, April 14.

The first messenger on the Central Overland Pony Express arrived here at 4 o’clock yesterday afternoon, with California dates to April 3, and Carson Valley dates to the 4^th.

This messenger came through in ten days to a minute, his having left San Francisco at 4P.M. on April 2.

Owing to the derangement of the wires between there and St. Louis, the reports were delayed until this morning.

Under the date of April 3, we receive the following news from San Francisco:

The United States steamer Powhatan, Capt. PEARSON, bearing the flag of Commodore TATNALL, arrived on the 27^th of March from Japan, via Honolulu. She brings the Japanese embassy, consisting of two principle Ambassadors, Princes of the highest rank among the nobility of the empire, and two associates, who are nobles of nearly equal rank. These four are of the Emperor’s Council. They are accompanied by a suite of sixteen officers. Among them are three interpreters and fifty-two subordinates-making seventy-two in all.

The Powhatan arrived at Honolulu March 5^th, and remained there till the 18^th. The Ambassadors were there received with all formal honors. Private hospitalities were extended on every hand, and the King and Queen held court at the palace for the reception of the distinguished foreigners, and welcomed them in appropriate terms. They were also entertained at a grand ball given by the officers of the Powhatan, expressing great delight at the gay and novel scene.

They bring $100,000 to defray their personal expenses, although the Embassy is invited at the sole expense of the United States. They were given the best quarters on board the Powhatan during the voyage, and arrived in good health and highly pleased.

The chief dignitaries are magnificently dressed in embroidered silk robes, each wearing a sword of beautiful workmanship. They have conducted themselves with great dignity and propriety.

The Japanese Ambassadors visited San Francisco on the 31^st ult., and have remained the honored guests of the city ever since. Twenty thousand dollars has been appropriated from the city treasury to provide for them suitable entertainment. All the corporation officers, the members of the Legislature, the Governor, and citizens generally, have paid their respects in person, and on the 2s inst a grand public reception was given the strangers at the largest hall in the city, where the United States officers, both civil and military, with the foreign Consuls and State authorities, participated in the reception ceremonies.

The Japanese carry an immense amount of baggage, including many boxes of presents to the United States Government.

The Powhatan, on the day of her arrival, went to Mare Island Navy Yard, all the Ambassadors remaining on board. It will require several days to overhaul the steamer and take in coal, when she will sail for Panama. The Ambassadors will thence proceed to Aspinwall, where the United States steamer Roanoke is expected to be waiting to convey them to Washington.

They are so well pleased with the Powhatan that they express their wish to have her detained at Panama to convey them back to Japan on their return from the United States. They purpose spending about a month on the Atlantic side, although their time is not limited.

The Board of Supervisors sent a memorial up to the Legislature to-day, asking an appropriation of $20,000 to be expended in entertaining the Japanese embassy.

The attaches of the Powhatan are ordered on board on the 5^th inst., and the steamer is expected to sail for Panama with the Commissioners about that time.

The Powhatan arrived up from Mare Island to-day, and a great military demonstration was taking place when the messenger left.

The Japanese steam-corvette Candinamurrah has been in the dry dock at Mare Island Navy Yard, and been put in complete order free of charge, Commodore Cunningham explaining that while he had no actual authority to render this accommodation, he felt sure he was but carrying out the intentions of his Government in doing for the Japanese steamer all that he could do for an American man-of-war.

*A few lines later the article continues with the following:

Wm. B. Garrison and others are negotiating for a line of propellers to Japan. Mr. Garrison goes East in July.

The Rover, from Japan, brings 2,700 tubs of rapeseed oil, 300 bundles seaweed, 200 bundles cuttle fish, 1,300 pieces of plank, and a miscellaneous cargo of Japanese products.

New York Times: Candinamarrah (Kanrin Maru) Arrives in San Francisco

New York Times: April 10, 1860:

FROM THE PACIFIC

Departure of the Japanese Embassy

A Japanese Man-of-War at San Francisco

Interesting from California, Oregon, British Columbia and the Sandwich Islands

Springfield, MO., Saturday, April 7

The Overland mail coach, with regular San Francisco dates to March 19, arrived here last night.

San Francisco, Monday, March 19 -12M.

The Japanese steam corvette Candinamarrah arrived here on Saturday, the 14^th, forty days from Jeddo. The vessel is of 250 tons burden, has a crew of fifty-seven men, carried ten guns, and was built three years ago for the Emperor of Japan, at a cost of $70,000. She is sent here by the Emperor to announce that the Japanese Embassy would leave Kanagawa by the United States Steamer Powhatan on the 11^th of February, via the Sandwich Islands and San Francisco. 

The object of the Emperor in sending a vessel to announce the coming of the Ambassadors is to manifest in this manner his high estimation of the American Government. No other armed vessel belonging to that nation has been permitted to leave its shores.

The Candinamarrah brings the officers and a portion of the crew of the United States schooner, Fenimore Cooper, recently wrecked; and at the request of the Emperor, Lieut. John N. Brooks, U.S.N., volunteered to assist the Japanese officers in making the voyage over the, to them, untried ocean.

The Chief Admiral of the Imperial Japanese navy comes by this vessel. She will remain here until the Powhatan arrives, and then return at once to Jeddo, to report the arrival of the Ambassadors and suite thus far on their journey.

The people of San Francisco are delighted at this manifestation of good feeling on the part of the Japanese government, and will do everything possible to entertain their visitors, hoping thereby to stimulate the lucrative trade which has already commence between this country and the Empire of Japan.

New York Times Announces Kanrin Maru's Arrival in San Francisco

View of San Francisco, 1860

Picture Credit: www.snapshotsofthepast.com

New York Times: April 11, 1860

CALIFORNIA

Arrival and Reception of a Japanese Warrior Propeller-Narrow Escape of an Irish Riot-Death and Marriage of Newspapers-News from the North-Items from China-Town Topics-Missionary Intelligence, &c., &c.

From Our Own Correspondent.

San Francisco, Cal., Tuesday, March 20, 1860.

Day before yesterday our people were informed that a snug, neat craft was steaming through the Golden Gate and up the harbor, bearing at her mizzen a white flag with a red ball in the centre, and at her main a white lozenge ground in a circle of red. The telegraph has shuttered and stammered and told untruths enough about the stranger to excite extraordinary curiosity.

As the steamer came to an anchor the news flew about town that she was a Japanese corvette, the Candinmarruh, a three-year-old Dutch-built vessel, from a land that never sent a craft abroad before, having on board an Admiral with an outrageous name, a full complement of officers and seventy men; also, Lieut. Brooke and Mr. Keno, (artist), and nine of the crew of the little schooner Fennimore Cooper, that was wrecked some months ago on the Japan coast.

The object of this unheralded visit was to announce the approach, and, on their arrival, to return with tidings of the safety of the grand Embassy, now every day due by the steamer Powhatan from the Japanese Government to ours.

It seems that the Candinmarruh was sent ahead because our Lieut. Brooke was there to pilot her over and to insure a gracious reception of her representative officers and crew. A visit on board was like a trip to Kanagawa. The Admiral KEMAURATONOKAME -who, by the way, is no sailor, but a Provincial Governor, of the rank of Commodore, and was selected for this mission that our high and mighty men-of-war might feel that they talked with their equals when they met him- sat on the floor of his cabin as we entered, enjoying the attentions of a hair-dresser. The Captain, (KATSINTARBOH) was in but poor health. He looks marvelously like COL. FREMONT, talks English intelligibly, and has a great reputation, at home, of being a great astronomer.

The officers all wore two swords, of polished steel, with milk-white, shark-skin covered handles. Except for their elaborately dressed hair and their embroidered sandals, in their undress they looked not very unlike the uniformed officers of our navy. The marines were clothed in dark blue frocks; each with his rank and style of his service written on a patch between his shoulders, and in blue flowing trowsers. The sailors looked much like Chinamen, but all were cleanly, active, curious, and polite.

To the Americans on board, the after cabin and servants n abundance had been surrendered on the voyage, which was 37 days long, and to the American sailors, who had helped work the ship, the Admiral came down liberally with the coins, as a present, on leaving. There were no idols on board, of course, no hints of any religious faith, though prayers in the forecastle, our people say, they had often heard. Chairs and tables were no part of the furniture. They fed on cured fish, rice, vegetables and tea. The chopsticks stood instead of knives and forks.

Some of the officers came on shore under guidance of Lieut. BROOKE, on Saturday night, eat a Christian dinner at a hotel, and experienced the luxury of ice creams. When invited to a bath, they declined, on the ground that the Admiral must precede them in any such privilege.

Next day was Sunday. Our city officials knew scarcely what to do. If they invited the distinguished Pagans to Church, it might alarm their sensitiveness, for they have had a national experience with Jesuits; if they ignored all church going, it would scarcely be the thing for a Christian city's fathers. At last, four of the Supervisors, headed by their President, TESCHEMAKER, (we have no Mayor, you know,) were rowed off of the corvette- were announced as of rank enough to talk familiarly with even the Admiral, were graciously saluted, and then invited the strangers to see the city under their escort. The Admiral agreed, but it took half an hour to manage the order of the going. The Admiral proposed to take his own boat and certain of his men; he invited TESCHEMAKER to ride with him, but would not hear of the proposition that "his men" should go too. Lieut. BROOKE had a hard job of it to convince his Honor that TESCHEMAKER was no better than "his men," to wit, the other Supervisors. Finally, the Admiral and the President were rowed off together, and "the men" of the two officials dispatched in another boat.

On landing, our President politely leaped out ahead, to help the Admiral out, and had a narrow escape of giving offense by thus taking the precedence. The two walked up side by side mutely; the others, in careful order of rank- the democratic crowd humoring the strange notions of etiquette by opening for the noble gentlemen to pass to their carriages. Here another half-hour was spent in getting the right order of rank.

Then up to the International parlors. Fortunately our modest little Irish Governor, DOWNEY, was in town. Hearing what was up, he went over to honor the occasion. Entering with a single companion, it took all the faith of the strangers could command to believe that a little man with a black coat, with no retinue, could be a genuine Governor. When it was fairly comprehended, and the interpreter had turned certain classical Japanese into broken English and sundry Californian Executive compliments into Japanese, the Admiral expressed a desire that the Governor would order a dry-dock prepared to give the corvette a thorough overhauling -explaining so clearly that no interpreter was needed to render it, that the Yankees should not be out of pocket for their courtesy in this business. His Excellency, with a straight face, signified that it should be done as promptly as the lumber-schooners now occupying the dry-dock could be got ready to launch.

While these two high grands thus consulted, the other officials, returning to the carriages, were being conveyed through the principle streets, in sight of the crouching lions, past the churches and hotels, around the plaza, over Rincon Hill, and to Steamboat Point. Here is being constructed a magnificent boat for the Sacramento route - a sort of a New World or Isaac Newton. One glance sufficed for their expression of admiration, and then they returned to business. The whole corps of foreigners pulled out note-books and pencils, divided into companies, cut the boat into sections and each sketched his share. They made measurements, took drafts, copied curves, and did not cease until satisfied that putting their work together, they could construct the counterpart of the Crysopolis at home.

By the way, Mr. KENO says the Japanese, in coming over, showed themselves experts in every department of engineering, but not extraordinary as sailors. It was not until they had been several days at sea that they consented to divide into watches, -it was a new idea to them; but when they had tried it a day, they seemed to relish it wonderfully. They had Dutch chronometers on board, and gave evidence of a Dutch education. Back to the hotel, they dined, rather awkwardly handling our unequal and barbarous chopsticks, but managing notwithstanding to do justice to their dinner. They marched back after dark to the boats, their path illuminated with paper lanterns.

Yesterday, a grand salute was fired in their honor, and returned in sort. The officers visited several foundries and ship-yards. To-day they inspect the fortifications of the harbor and the national vessel in port. They will, while here, be publicly received and be subjected to the inevitable hand-shaking of the Democracy.

Looking Back 1840: Shipwrecked Japanese in Hawaii

I was recently perusing the microfiche copies of The Polynesian at the Hawaii State Library. This publication was considered the "official voice" of the Hawaiian royal government starting in 1840.

It was in the June 6, 1840 edition of this paper that I found one of -if not the first published story- of shipwrecked Japanese in the Hawaiian Islands. In subsequent editions there are longer, much more detailed stories which at least for now I've not transcribed.

SHIPWRECKED JAPANESE

There are in town, under the care of Dr. Judd, four Japanese who were taken by a whaleship from the wreck of a junk, on which they had been driven about, by wind and wave, for many months and suffered great hardships.

Their story is full of interest, and which we hope to receive for a future number, from Dr. Baldwin of Maui, in whose family the most intelligent of their number has resided for some time.

They are now here with the hope of obtaining a passage to their own country, either by way of Kamschatka, or through the Expedition.

Some of the coin which they brought with them is in circulation in the village, consisting of gold and silver pieces, of an oblong shape, from the value of a real to four dollars, and very neatly stamped.

'Castaway Becomes Ship’s Captain'

This is the third and final of the Star Bulletin stories I found this past weekend at the Hawaii State Library. This story provides some details of the life of John Manjiro, who I have posted about before in this history blog.

Castaway Becomes Ship’s Captain

Star Bulletin: Thursday, September 22, 1960. Page 24.

‘Voyager to Destiny’

The dramatic story of John Manjiro Nakahama is told by Emily V. Warinner, a former Star Bulletin staff member, in her book, ‘Voyager to Destiny.’

(Click here for the Google Books edition online and Archive.org)

On February 10, 1860, Japan’s first modern man-of-war, the Kanrin Maru, left the port of Uraga, Japan, for San Francisco.

The ship was commanded by John Manjiro Nakahama, who had been marooned as a young man on a desert island in 1841.

After he was rescued by men aboard a New England whaling ship, Manjiro was taken to Hawaii, then to New Bedford, Massachusetts.

There he studied English, received instructions in vocational education and the art of navigation.

In Ocober, 1849, Nakahama left for Japan by way of Hawaii and the Ryukyus. When he returned home after 12 years absence, his mother welcomed him with tears. She had given him up for dead and had built a tomb in his memory.

It was this same Manjiro who, a year after his return, was to serve as interpreter during negotiations between the United States and Japan that led to the opening of Japan to the outside world.

It was exactly a hundred years ago this year that Nakahama returned to Honolulu as Captain Manjiro of the Kanrin Maru.

Reports indicate Nakahama probably was the first Japanese to acquire a knowledge of the English language.

'Family Owns Heirlooms of Early-Day Interpreter'

In my previous post I mentioned that in September, 1960 then-Crown Prince Akihito and Princess Michiko came to Hawaii. The occasion was the 100^th anniversary of the arrival here of the Japanese Embassy on the USS Powhatan, but also commemorate the 75^th anniversary of the arrival of the first large group of immigrants from Japan. They came to work in the sugar plantations.

Below is the text from a story I found in the Thursday, September 22, 1960 edition of Honolulu’s Star Bulletin. A picture that I was not able to reproduce shows “The mother of Mrs. Chiyo Izumi is shown with her grandparents." It turns out that Mrs. Izumi featured here is the granddaughter of Gohachiro Namura, who served as an interpreter with the Japanese ambassadors:

Family Owns Heirlooms of Early-Day Interpreter

Star Bulletin. Honolulu, Thursday, September 22, 1960

Items once owned by Japan’s chief interpreter in the United States-Japanese commercial treaty ratification of 1860 are treasured heirlooms of a Honolulu family.

The interpreter was Gohachiro Namura, who went with the Japanese diplomatic delegation to Washington, D.C., 100 years ago.

The owner of the heirlooms is Namura’s granddaughter Mrs. Chiyo Izumi, 70, who lives at 2719-C Laniloa Road, Pacific Heights.

Namura, originally a Dutch interpreter, learned English from a Scotsman in Nagasaki, Japan.

Among Mrs. Izumi’s possessions are Namura’s wallet, a medicine case about the size of a cigarette lighter, scraps of writings and pictures of Gohachiro Namura and his family.

Mrs. Izumi and her husband, Chomatsu, have lived here since 1947 when they moved from San Francisco.

"A Friendship That Grows"

Over this past weekend I was at the Hawaii State Library perusing the microfiche records of Honolulu’s Star Bulletin, today known as the Star Advertiser.

In September, 1960 Crown Prince Akihito and Princess Michiko (now Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko) came to Hawaii. The occasion was the 100^th anniversary of the arrival here of the Japanese Embassy on the USS Powhatan, but also commemorate the 75^th anniversary of the arrival of the first large group of immigrants from Japan. They came to work in the sugar plantations.

Virtually nothing was substantively reported on the Japanese Embassy. More coverage was given to the arrival of the Japanese sugar workers. This somewhat surprises me, given the visit by members of the imperial family from Japan.

Below is the text from various stories mentioning the first Japanese diplomatic mission from 1860.

A Friendship That Grows

Star Bulletin: Thursday, September 22, 1960

A century ago, Hawaii, then an independent kingdom, entertained representatives of Japan on their way to Washington to sign a treaty of commerce and amity with the United States.

Today, Hawaii, now a full partner in the sisterhood of states, welcomes with even more enthusiasm than that displayed 100 years ago the Crown Prince and Princess of Japan, on a good-will state visit commemorating the important centennial.

Crown Prince Akihito and Princess Michiko also will help celebrate the 75^th anniversary of the arrival of the first large group of immigrants from Japan to work in Hawaii’s booming sugar industry. Sugar had made rapid gains after King Kalakaua negotiated a trade treaty with the United States in 1875.

The contribution of the Japanese to Hawaii’s growth is self-evident. Today the children and grandchildren of the early immigrants are among the business, professional and civic leaders of the community, and hold positions of high trust in our government.

Hawaii has been charmed by Prince Akihito before. He won our hearts in 1953 as a modest youth of 19. Today and tomorrow we expect to be charmed also by his attractive young princess, whose marriage into the royal family attracted almost as much notice in this country as it did in Japan.

The Japanese royal coupe will find Hawaii hospitable and friendly, eager to make their visit as pleasant as possible. For they are more than a personable young couple, they are symbols of a people with whom Hawaii has inseparable links.