ed his
ships beyond Uraga, where the previous conference had been held, and
nearer the capital, despite the fact that a place twenty miles below
had been appointed for the second meeting. The Japanese demurred at
this, being so exclusive that they did not wish their capital nor
their country even to be seen by foreigners. Instead of respecting
these wishes, Captain Perry approached still nearer, until he was only
eight miles from Tokio. This high-handed policy had the desired
effect. Five special Japanese commissioners met Captain Perry, and in
a building within range of the ships' guns, negotiations were carried
on. They resulted, on March 31st, in the signing of a treaty by the
Japanese, in which they promised to open two of their ports to
American vessels seeking supplies; to give aid to seamen of the United
States wrecked upon their shores; to allow American citizens
temporarily residing in their ports to enter, within certain
prescribed limits, the surrounding country; to permit consuls of the
United States to reside in one of the open ports; and, in general, to
show a peaceful and friendly spirit toward our government and
citizens. This treaty is important, because it opened the door for the
peoples of the world to a country which has since proved to be
possessed of vast wealth and resources. Captain Perry received high
praise for his firmness and diplomacy in the conduct of the difficult
negotiations.

One vessel of Captain Perry's fleet, the "Plymouth," had remained at
Shanghai when the squadron returned to Japanese waters, and she played
a very active though brief part in the troubles which then existed in
China. Imperial and revolutionary troops were fighting for supremacy,
and the former showed a hostile disposition to the American and
English residents of Shanghai. An American pilot was captured by an
Imperial man-of-war, but was retaken in a most spirited manner from
the Chinese by Lieutenant Guest, and a boat's crew from the
"Plymouth." The Chinese manifestations of hostility toward foreign
residents continued, and on the 4th of April, 1854, about ninety men
from the "Plymouth" and American merchant-ships, under the leadership
of Commander Kelly, went ashore, and in conjunction with one hundred
and fifty men from a British man-of-war, began an attack upon the
Imperial camp. The Americans had two field-pieces and a twelve-pound
boat-howitzer, which, together with the muskets, were used so
effectively that