Arrival of the U.S.S. Frigate Mississippi (1854)

Source: The Polynesian. Honolulu: Saturday, October 28, 1854.


This vessel, -late the flag ship of Commodore Perry of the Japan Squadron, arrived at this port on the 23d inst., in 22 days from Simoda, Japan. The following is a List of her Officers:

COMMANDER- S.S. Lee.
LIEUTENANTS- Edmund Lasnier, Wm. L. Maury, [Hydrographic duty] J.M.B. Clitz, C.M. Morris.
ACTING LIEUTENANTS- Wm A. Webb, S. Nicholson.
MASTER- John Knell.
PURSER- Wm. Speiden.
SURGEON- D.S. Green, Ass't. do L.S. Williams.
CHAPLAIN- Geo. Jones.
CHIEF ENGINEER- Jesse Gay.
MARINE OFFICER- Capt. R. Tansill.
O.H. Perry, Commodore's Secretary.
PASSED MIDSHIPMEN- J.H. March, W.T. Jones, K.R. Breese; S.C. Mish, Midshipman.
J.W. Spalding, Captain's Clerk.
A.L.C. Portman, Com'd  "
Wm. Speiden, Jr., Parser's "
ENGINEERS- 1st Assistants, Robert Danby, Wm. Holland, 2d do., E.D. Robie, J.D. Mercer.
GUNNER- J.R. Clark.
BOATSWAIN- Amos Clark.
SAIL MAKER- Jacob Stephens.
CARPENTER- H.M. Lowry.

We are enabled  to furnish an outline of the movements of the Mississippi since leaving China. Her run to Simoda, in Japan, from Hong Kong was less than 19 days, having reached there on the 21st September.

The day before her departure homeward, Commodore Perry left for home in the British Mail streamer Ganges, by way of Ceylon and Suez. On leaving, a parting salute of seventeen guns was fired by his old ship, and a like number by the razed Macedonian, as the steamer passed her. Capt. Joel B. Abbott of the latter ship was left in temporary command of the vessels that now remain in the East India Squadron.

The stay of the Mississippi at Simoda this time, was about ten days. The intercourse of her officers with the officers and people of the the place, was marked by much confidence on the part of the Japanese, and almost by the entire absence of the restraint and apparent suspicion which had been evinced on the occasions of the Mississippi's former visits, and a decided change was marked in all classes. Purchases were easily made of whatever they had to sell. The shopkeeper was no longer shy, and made the most tempting display of his wares. By the aid of his fingers her would both quickly and eagerly tell you how many hundreds of the copper coin you would be in debt for his matchless lacquer of curious lantern. His willingness "to turn an honest penny" from your pocket to his own was not at all dubious, and he experienced neither fatigue or aversion in "sitting at the receipt" of the American's Izelco.

Simoda, after its selection as one of the American ports, was declared an Imperial city, and is no longer under the immediate government of the Prince of the province of Idzoo, in which it is situated, and is now the place of residence of some five Imperial officers. -During the late visit of the Mississippi, some of them were absent at Yedo, but those who remained were very friendly in their greetings. Capt. Lee, with a suite if officers, made an official call on the Lieutenant Governor, where they were cordially received and entertained with pleasant edibles, a la Japanaise. This call was returned by the Governor with a suite, when the best feeling prevailed, and an opportunity afforded of returning his civilities. 

The big guns of the American steamers must have roused up the Japanese on the subject of ordinance. A junk, on her return to Nagasaki, was lying at the harbor, that had lately taken a heavy mortar to Yedo. -They had built at Uraga a vessel after one of the American store ships, and singularly, painted her red and black.

About 2 o'lock on the 1st of October, the Mississippi left Simoda, towing the Southampton clear of the port. The two ships parted company off the volcano island of Ohosima. The Southampton is also bound to Honolulu. The Mississippi for several days after leaving port encountered adverse wind and weather, and on the 7th inst. experienced one of those circular storms known as typhoons, which buffeted her for some hours, with nearly the violence of a hurricane. She stood nobly, but did not come out entirely unscathed, having during the severity of the blow capsized one of her large forward guns, lost a metallic boat from its davits, had one of her wheel-house boats crushed up and washed away, the side of the wheelhouse itself broken cut, and its entire top lifted by the force of the sea.

After this severe gale the passage of the Mississippi to this port was quite a pleasant one, and rendered still more so by contrast with the weather which had preceded it. She was out some twenty-two days and odd hours, having made the passage from Simoda, under sail and steam, and gone over a track per log of three thousand five hundred and thirty-eight miles. She is now coaling and repairing damages, and is expected to leave homeward, via San Francisco, in a week or ten days. Her officers and crew are all well.