Changes

He landed at [[Uraga]] near [[Edo]] for the first time on 6/3, meeting soon afterwards with Tokugawa officials, to whom he presents his formal credentials and formal communications from Pres. Millard Fillmore. While in mainland Japan, his interpreters included Moriyama Einosuke, who had learned English from [[Ranald MacDonald]], and [[John Manjiro]]. These documents, incidentally, used the term "emperor" to refer to the [[Tokugawa shogunate|Tokugawa]] [[shogun]]; it was only at some point after this time that it became standard to refer to the ''tennô'' as the "[[Emperor]]" in English.<ref>Ben-Ami Shillony, "Restoration, Emperor, Diet, Prefecture, or: How Japanese Concepts were Mistranslated into Western Languages," ''Collected Writings of Ben-Ami Shillony'', Synapse (2000), 69-71.</ref> After delivering these letters, he departed Japan on 6/9, claiming he would return "in due course" to receive the emperor's reply.

He landed at [[Uraga]] near [[Edo]] for the first time on 6/3, meeting soon afterwards with Tokugawa officials, to whom he presents his formal credentials and formal communications from Pres. Millard Fillmore. While in mainland Japan, his interpreters included Moriyama Einosuke, who had learned English from [[Ranald MacDonald]], and [[John Manjiro]]. These documents, incidentally, used the term "emperor" to refer to the [[Tokugawa shogunate|Tokugawa]] [[shogun]]; it was only at some point after this time that it became standard to refer to the ''tennô'' as the "[[Emperor]]" in English.<ref>Ben-Ami Shillony, "Restoration, Emperor, Diet, Prefecture, or: How Japanese Concepts were Mistranslated into Western Languages," ''Collected Writings of Ben-Ami Shillony'', Synapse (2000), 69-71.</ref> After delivering these letters, he departed Japan on 6/9, claiming he would return "in due course" to receive the emperor's reply.

Perry then returned to Okinawa, arriving at Naha on 6/20 (July 25), and requesting to bury Hugh Ellis, a crewman of the [[USS Mississippi|USS ''Mississippi'']] who had died the previous day. Ellis is buried at the [[Tomari International Cemetery]] in Naha. Perry also requests to establish a coaling station on the island for American ships and is initially refused, but the Ryukyuans capitulate once Perry threatens to seize Shuri castle by force. He departs Okinawa on 6/27 (August 1), and spends the next several months in Hong Kong, before returning to Okinawa in December, spending 11/15 (Dec 15) until 12/30 (Jan 28, 1854) exploring the various Ryûkyû Islands.

Perry then returned to Okinawa, arriving at Naha on 6/20 (July 25), and requesting to bury Hugh Ellis, a crewman of the [[USS Mississippi|USS ''Mississippi'']] who had died the previous day. Ellis was buried at the [[Tomari International Cemetery]] in Naha. Perry also requested to establish a coaling station on the island for American ships and was initially refused, but the Ryukyuans capitulated once Perry threatened to seize Shuri castle by force. The station which was built had a capacity for 500 tons of coal, but was emptied of coal once Perry found success in establishing relations with the shogunate; he expressed hopes at that time, however, that the building might still be maintained for American use.<ref>Hellyer, 163-164.</ref> Perry then departed Okinawa on 6/27 (August 1), and spent the next several months in Hong Kong, before returning to Okinawa in December, spending 11/15 (Dec 15) until 12/30 (Jan 28, 1854) exploring the various Ryûkyû Islands.

==1854==

==1854==

Perry returned to Naha on 12/22 (Jan 20, 1854), this time with a fleet of eight ships. He stayed in Naha for only four days, during which time he forced his way into Shuri castle again, but again was refused audience with the king.

Perry returned to Naha on 12/22 (Jan 20, 1854), this time with a fleet of eight ships. He stayed in Naha for only four days, during which time he forced his way into Shuri castle again, but again was refused audience with the king.

He then arrived in mainland Japan on 1/16 (Feb 13). The [[Convention of Kanagawa]] was signed on 3/3 (March 31), opening the ports of [[Hakodate]] and [[Shimoda]] to American trading ships, obligating the Japanese government to provide provisions and good treatment otherwise for American or European castaways throughout Japan, and arranging for the establishment of formal relations in the Western/modern style, with a permanent American consulate to be established shortly afterwards.

He then arrived in mainland Japan on 1/16 (Feb 13). The [[Convention of Kanagawa]] was signed on 3/3 (March 31), opening the ports of [[Hakodate]] and [[Shimoda]] to American trading ships, obligating the Japanese government to provide provisions and good treatment otherwise for American or European castaways throughout Japan, and arranging for the establishment of formal relations in the Western/modern style, with a permanent American consulate to be established shortly afterwards. Perry also asked the shogunate about opening Ryukyuan ports for trade, but was rebuffed, with the shogunate telling the commodore that Ryûkyû was "a very distant country, and the opening of its harbor cannot be discussed by us."<ref name=hellyer163>Robert Hellyer, ''Defining Engagement'', Harvard University Press (2009), 163.</ref>

In the meantime, in response to the recent arrivals of both Perry and a number of other Western ships, the shogunate ordered all bells in the country to be melted down and refashioned into cannon and rifles - with the exception of bells at head temples (''honzan''), those used for timekeeping, and those of great age and fame.  

In the meantime, in response to the recent arrivals of both Perry and a number of other Western ships, the shogunate ordered all bells in the country to be melted down and refashioned into cannon and rifles - with the exception of bells at head temples (''honzan''), those used for timekeeping, and those of great age and fame.  

Perry returned to Naha for the final time on 6/7 (July 1), to find that in the intervening time, there had been several incidents between the local residents and American crewmen he had left behind. In the worst of these incidents, a crewman named [[Board Incident|William Board]] either raped a young Okinawan woman, or assaulted an old woman (accounts differ), and was then killed by an angry mob of local residents. He was buried in the Tomari International Cemetery alongside three of his crewmates who also died at various times during that year. A number of members of Perry's crew who died in mainland Japan are buried at [[Gyokusen-ji]], in [[Shimoda]].

Perry returned to Naha for the final time on 6/7 (July 1), to find that in the intervening time, there had been several incidents between the local residents and American crewmen he had left behind. In the worst of these incidents, a crewman named [[Board Incident|William Board]] either raped a young Okinawan woman, or assaulted an old woman (accounts differ), and was then killed by an angry mob of local residents. He was buried in the Tomari International Cemetery alongside three of his crewmates who also died at various times during that year. A number of members of Perry's crew who died in mainland Japan are buried at [[Gyokusen-ji]], in [[Shimoda]].

This grievous incident aside, the [[Treaty of Amity (Ryukyu-US)|Treaty of Amity between the United States and the Ryûkyû Kingdom]] was signed on 6/17 (July 11). Perry departed Ryûkyû for the final time on 6/23 (July 17), taking with him the missionary Bernard Bettelheim, and a number of significant "gifts" he had insisted one taking; these included a number of blocks of Okinawan limestone which he hoped to install into the Washington Monument, then under construction,<ref>The Okinawan limestone was not added at that time, but other blocks of limestone from Okinawa were later added into the structure in the late 20th century.</ref> and a temple bell from Gokoku-ji, forged in [[1465]], which Perry then installed at Annapolis. This bell was then rung whenever Navy beat Army in football, up until 1987, when it was returned to Okinawa and replaced at Annapolis by a replica.

This grievous incident aside, the [[Treaty of Amity (Ryukyu-US)|Treaty of Amity between the United States and the Ryûkyû Kingdom]] was signed on 6/17 (July 11). In the Treaty, Ryûkyû agreed to provide wood and water to American ships calling at any Ryukyuan port, to allow Americans to move freely within Ryûkyû without being harassed or followed by government officials, to allow private trade to take place freely between Americans and Ryukyuans, and to lend aid to American ships and castaways.<ref>This treaty is also known as the Compact Between the United States and the Kingdom of Lew Chew. Hellyer, 164-165.</ref> Perry departed Ryûkyû for the final time on 6/23 (July 17), taking with him the missionary Bernard Bettelheim, and a number of significant "gifts" he had insisted one taking; these included a number of blocks of Okinawan limestone which he hoped to install into the Washington Monument, then under construction,<ref>The Okinawan limestone was not added at that time, but other blocks of limestone from Okinawa were later added into the structure in the late 20th century.</ref> and a temple bell from Gokoku-ji, forged in [[1465]], which Perry then installed at Annapolis. This bell was then rung whenever Navy beat Army in football, up until 1987, when it was returned to Okinawa and replaced at Annapolis by a replica.

Commodore Perry arrived in New York on 11/25 (Jan 12, [[1855]]). The Treaty of Amity between the US and Ryûkyû was ratified by Congress shortly afterward. The following year, Perry presented his ''[[Narrative of the Expedition of an American Squadron to the China Seas and Japan]]'' to Congress.

Commodore Perry arrived in New York on 11/25 (Jan 12, [[1855]]). The Treaty of Amity between the US and Ryûkyû was ratified by Congress shortly afterward. The following year, Perry presented his ''[[Narrative of the Expedition of an American Squadron to the China Seas and Japan]]'' to Congress.