Changes

Perry and others then came ashore at [[Yokohama]] on 2/10 (March 8) and had their first formal meeting with shogunate officials. On 2/15, Perry gifted the shogunate a number of items including [[telegraph]] equipment, mechanical models, and small boat cannon. The two sides had their second formal meeting on 2/19 (Mar 17) and their third formal meeting the following day, during which shogunate officials presented Perry and his men with a number of lacquerware items and other craft pieces.<ref name=edotokyo/>

Perry and others then came ashore at [[Yokohama]] on 2/10 (March 8) and had their first formal meeting with shogunate officials. On 2/15, Perry gifted the shogunate a number of items including [[telegraph]] equipment, mechanical models, and small boat cannon. The two sides had their second formal meeting on 2/19 (Mar 17) and their third formal meeting the following day, during which shogunate officials presented Perry and his men with a number of lacquerware items and other craft pieces.<ref name=edotokyo/>

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>

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 sent the ''Vandalia'', ''Southampton'', and ''Macedonian'' to [[Hakodate]] in the 4th month of 1854, where they would spend 15 days surveying the harbor. Perry arrived at Hakodate himself on 4/21 aboard the ''Powhatan'', arriving alongside the ''Mississippi'', to see the site for himself.<ref>Ishin Shiryô Kôyô 維新史料綱要, vol 1 (1937), 584, 589.</ref> He departed Hakodate on 5/8 and returned with all five ships to Shimoda.<ref>Ishin Shiryô Kôyô 維新史料綱要, vol 1 (1937), 599.</ref>

 

Perry sent the ''Vandalia'', ''Southampton'', and ''Macedonian'' to [[Hakodate]] on 4/17 (May 13); after arriving on 4/21 (May 17), the ships spent 15 days surveying the harbor and exploring the town.<ref name=edotokyo/> Perry arrived at Hakodate himself on 4/21 aboard the ''Powhatan'', arriving alongside the ''Mississippi'', to see the site for himself.<ref>Ishin Shiryô Kôyô 維新史料綱要, vol 1 (1937), 584, 589.</ref> He departed Hakodate on 5/8 (June 3) and returned with all five ships to Shimoda on 5/12 (June 7).<ref>Ishin Shiryô Kôyô 維新史料綱要, vol 1 (1937), 599.</ref><ref name=edotokyo/> An addendum to the earlier convention was signed at Shimoda on 5/23 (June 18).<ref name=edotokyo/>

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 then departed Shimoda on 6/2 (June 26)<ref name=edotokyo/> and returned to Naha for the final time, arriving there 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). 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 won a game against 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 won a game against Army in football, up until 1987, when it was returned to Okinawa and replaced at Annapolis by a replica.