Changes

Yevfimy Vasilyevich Putyatin was a Russian naval captain who led a significant Russian mission to Japan and [[Ryukyu Kingdom|Ryûkyû]] in [[1853]]-[[1854]], which ended in the signing of treaties between Russia and those two island nations.

Yevfimy Vasilyevich Putyatin was a Russian naval captain who led a significant Russian mission to Japan and [[Ryukyu Kingdom|Ryûkyû]] in [[1853]]-[[1854]], which ended in the signing of treaties between Russia and those two island nations.

Putyatin first arrived in [[Nagasaki]] on August 22, 1853 (on the Gregorian calendar used in Western Europe & the United States; 7/18 on the Japanese calendar) aboard the ''[[Pallada]]''. His fleet then made port at [[Naha]], the primary port of the Ryûkyû Kingdom, from February 8th to 21st the following year (Ansei 1/1/11-24). The Crimean War broke out on March 27 that year (2/24 on the Japanese calendar), and on September 7 (int.7/15), Rear Admiral [[Sir James Stirling]] of the British Royal Navy led four ships to Nagasaki with aims of attacking Putyatin. Putyatin fled, but returned on November 8 (9/18) with a fleet headed by the ''[[Diana]]'', landing first at [[Osaka]], where they were told to make port at [[Shimoda]] instead. During much of his interactions with shogunate officials, [[Moriyama Einosuke]] (a student of [[Ranald MacDonald]]) served as interpreter.<ref>Mitani Hiroshi, David Noble (trans.), ''Escape from Impasse'', International House of Japan (2006), 174.</ref>

Putyatin first arrived in [[Nagasaki]] on August 22, 1853 (on the Gregorian calendar used in Western Europe & the United States; 7/18 on the Japanese calendar) aboard the ''[[Pallada]]''. His fleet then made port at [[Naha]], the primary port of the Ryûkyû Kingdom, from February 8th to 21st the following year (Ansei 1/1/11-24). [[Iosif Goshkevich]] and a Russian Orthodox priest named Avvakum served as interpreters for the Russian mission, and were surprised to discover that a man Avvakum knew fairly well from his time in [[Beijing]] some twelve or thirteen years earlier, [[Makishi Chochu|Makishi Chôchû]], received them and served as interpreter for the Ryukyuan side during their time in Naha.<ref>Maehira Fusaaki, ''Ryûkyû shisetsu no ikoku taiken'' 琉球使節の異国体験, ''Kokusai kôryû'' 国際交流 59 (1992), 65.</ref>

 

The Crimean War broke out on March 27 that year (2/24 on the Japanese calendar), and on September 7 (int.7/15), Rear Admiral [[Sir James Stirling]] of the British Royal Navy led four ships to Nagasaki with aims of attacking Putyatin. Putyatin fled, but returned on November 8 (9/18) with a fleet headed by the ''[[Diana]]'', landing first at [[Osaka]], where they were told to make port at [[Shimoda]] instead. During much of his interactions with shogunate officials, [[Moriyama Einosuke]] (a student of [[Ranald MacDonald]]) served as interpreter.<ref>Mitani Hiroshi, David Noble (trans.), ''Escape from Impasse'', International House of Japan (2006), 174.</ref>

In the meanwhile, in 1854, expeditionary forces of the [[Russia-America Company]] occupied [[Sakhalin Island]]. Their actions were later justified by Putyatin, who invoked both the arguments of ''terra nullius'' (that no one was there) and of prior occupation (that the Russians had already been there).

In the meanwhile, in 1854, expeditionary forces of the [[Russia-America Company]] occupied [[Sakhalin Island]]. Their actions were later justified by Putyatin, who invoked both the arguments of ''terra nullius'' (that no one was there) and of prior occupation (that the Russians had already been there).