No. 32.
Mr. Low to Mr. Fish.
No. 70.]
On board Flag-ship Colorado, Off Isle Boisée, Corea,
May
31, 1871. (Received July 24.)
Sir: Referring to my No. 65, of 25th ultimo, and
No. 69, of 13th instant, I have now the honor to report my safe arrival at
this point yesterday afternoon. The other ships of the squadron are also at
this anchorage. The ships left Nagasaki on the 16th instant, Ferrierès
Islands, off the coast of Corea being designated by the admiral as the place
of rendezvous. From there to this anchorage our progress has been slow, it
being necessary to send the smaller vessels and the steam-launches ahead to
explore the channels before proceeding with the larger vessels. Dense fogs
for several days further hindered our progress. This accounts for the length
of voyage.
A map* which
is inclosed herewith will give you a general idea of the configuration of
the coast, the position of the squadron at the present moment, and an
outline of the water approach to the capital, as well as the general
direction by land and the approximate distance by either route. This map is
made from the explorations and surveys of the French squadron when here in
1866, and has been found as far as verified substantially correct. The
distance from here to the capital by water is about fifty miles; by land
about half as much. It is believed that it will be found impracticable to
move the Colorado, Alaska, and Benicia any farther up without great risk.
The Monocacy and Palos can undoubtedly go to Sèoul by taking advantage of
the tides, the rise and fall of which varies from twenty to forty feet.
These extraordinary tides cause very rapid currents, varying from four to
eight miles an hour in velocity.
When we reached an anchorage off Eugénie Island the Palos and four
steam-launches were sent northward to sound the channels as far as this
point. They met with no resistance, nor was any attempt made by the natives
to communicate with either the launches or the vessel. I inclose herewith
copies of my instructions to Captain Blake, of the United States steamer
Alaska, who was placed in command of the surveying expedition. I also sent
with him as interpreter Mr. John P. Cowles, jr., acting assistant secretary
of legation. Inclosed you will find his report of the incidents that
occurred on the trip. While lying at the anchor-age, near Eugénie Island,
boats were sent out sounding in the immediate vicinity. The first day the
natives fled to the hills upon the approach of the boats to the shore. The
second day curiosity evidently overcame their fears, and some came down to
the beach near the boats and handed to the officers some slips of paper
written in Chinese, inquiring where we were from, what was our business,
&c., &c. As their actions appeared to be friendly I ordered a reply
to be returned, giving assurance of our friendly intentions, and sent
Captain Nichols, chief of the admiral’s staff, and Mr. Drew, on shore to
deliver it. They met the people assembled about fifty in number, and had
some conversation with them. No official appeared acknowledging himself as
such.
Soon after the ship anchored here, yesterday, a native boat made its
appearance near by, the men on board holding up a letter and beckoning for
some one on the ship to come and get it. Mr. Drew went off in a boat,
boarded the junk, and got the letter, a copy of which, together [Page 117] with my reply, I have the honor to
enclose. The men in the junk were invited on board the ship, where they came
without hesitation, and a considerable conversation ensued between them and
Captain Nichols and Mr. Drew. They said that three officials of the third
rank were waiting at a place near here, having been sent down by the
government to see and inquire into our particular business, and that they
had been sent by the three officials to bring their note. These men were
informed that the officials referred to would be received on board whenever
they chose to come. In the reply which was returned the officials were
informed that a surveying party would proceed up towards Kang-hoa; that the
common people need not be alarmed at their approach, as our intentions were
entirely peaceful. The messengers were verbally requested to ask the
officials to send word up the river to the people not to molest the
surveying vessels, and thus avoid all chance of trouble. This assurance of
our peaceful disposition was accepted with indications of much
satisfaction.
To-day the three officials came on board, and as they appeared to be of minor
rank and failed to exhibit any authority from the government I declined to
see them, and substituted Mr. Drew and Mr. Cowles to meet them in my stead.
They were again informed that the surveying vessels would go up higher
to-morrow, and were assured of our desire to avoid trouble in every way.
They made no objection, but, on the contrary, gave tacit assurances that the
expedition would meet with nothing but civility and kindness from the
natives. Mr. Drew also informed them that the minister on board had
important business with the government, which would be made known to a
person of equal rank duly appointed by the King, and that it was our desire
to establish peaceful relations between the two countries which would be
lasting. They acknowledged having seen my letter written at Peking, and
stated that while the King desired to maintain friendly relations, he did
not desire to make treaties—a treaty in their estimation meaning trade.
In reply they were informed by Mr. Drew that he was not authorized to discuss
these points, and that all this could with propriety be left for discussion
when a high official came to meet the minister. They were shown over the
ship, and upon their leaving Mr. Drew requested that a report of the
interview might be made known to the King, to which they made no objections.
What the result will be it is as yet premature to predict. I place little
confidence in oriental professions of friendliness. Every effort will be
made to avoid trouble, unless forced upon us in a way that cannot be escaped
without dishonor.
I have, &c.,
List of inclosures.
No. 1. Map West Coast of Corea.
No. 2. First letter of instructions to Captain Blake.
No. 3. Second letter of instructions to Captain Blake.
No. 4. Report by Mr. Cowles of surveying voyage from Roze’s Roads to
Island Boisée.
No. 5. Note of May 30 from Corean officials.
No. 6. Note of May 30 to Corean officials.
[Page 118]
No. 2.
Frederick F. Low to Homer C. Blake
On board United States Flag-ship
Colorado, May 23,
1871.
Sir: Herewith I beg to hand you a sealed
letter, written in Chinese and directed to the King of Corea, which I
desire you to forward to its destination by an official of the highest
rank you may meet, if you find such a course practicable. If no official
makes his appearance during your explorations south of the island of
Kang-hoa, you will retain the letter until you reach an anchorage
opposite the city of the same name upon that island. If, upon your
arrival there, no officials make their appearance, through whom you can
communicate with the capital, it is my wish that you shall write a note
in your own name, with your rank attached, to the highest official
resident at Kang-hoa, informing him that you are the hearer of an
important dispatch from the minister of the United States to the
government of Corea, which it is desired shall reach its destination
without unusual delay, asking him at the same time whether it will be
more convenient for him to forward the letter, or whether, by declining
this service, he will leave the United States minister free to seek such
other means of communicating with the capital as shall be by him deemed
advisable.
If an official undertakes to deliver the letter, you will endeavor to
procure a proper acknowledgment, in writing, of his promise, and, if
practicable, get him to name the time when and the place where the
answer will be returned.
If, during your trip to Kang-hoa, you find no one who will undertake to
perform the service, you will return the letter to me with a report of
your proceedings.
It is not unlikely that you will be visited by natives, both official and
unofficial, who will make inquiries concerning the visit of the
squadron, and the objects we have in view. It is my desire that neither
you nor the officers under your command shall hold conversations with
any except officials, with reference to the object of my visit or that
of the squadron. In conversation with officials, and in reply to the
inquiries they will probably make, you are at liberty to say that I am
sent by the President of the United States to arrange important matters
with the government of Corea, the particulars of which will be fully and
frankly made known when a person of suitable rank and station is duly
appointed to meet and confer with me; that I desire nothing but what is
reasonable and proper, and which I cannot doubt will be agreed to after
the government shall be made acquainted with my requests; that I do not
expect this can be done in a few days, and therefore I have come
prepared to spend a considerable time upon the coast, in order that a
thorough understanding may be arrived at which will render the
friendship of the two countries firm and lasting; that considerable
delay will undoubtedly be necessary in order that the difficult channels
may be explored and sounded, and thus rendered safe for the larger
vessels to approach nearer to the capital, where it is my wish that
negotiations may be carried on; which delay will afford ample time for
the government to consider and discuss the matter, and enable it to give
an answer, probably, by the time I shall have reached the capital or
some point in its vicinity.
If they ask why so many ships of war have come on a professedly peaceful
errand, you can reply that a minister of my rank does not travel except
in a dignified manner befitting his mission, with force sufficient to
repel attacks, and chastise all who may molest or insult either the
minister or the flag of the country he represents.
Mr. John P. Cowles, jr., acting assistant secretary of legation, will
accompany you as interpreter.
Relying upon your good judgement and tact to successfully carry out my
wishes, I am, &c.,
No. 3.
Frederick F. Low to H. C. Blake
On board Flag-ship
Colorado, May 23,
1871.
Sir: With this you will find a general letter
which I had prepared for your guidance during your preliminary trip to
the northward. Inasmuch as you will not proceed as far as the island of
Kang-hoa before returning to the flag-ship, I do not send the letter for
transmission to the King of Corea. I shall retain it here; and if you
meet any officials desirous of learning the object of our visit to the
coast, you will be guided by the tenor of the general letter
accompanying this in your conversations with them. You will further
inform them that I am on board the flag-ship, and have a letter which I
desire to send to the government.
Respectfully, yours,
[Page 119]
No. 4.
John P. Cowles, Jr., to F. F. Low
United States Flag-ship
Colorado, Roze Roads,
Corea,
May 29, 1871.
Sir: I have the honor to report that, in
obedience to your instructions, I accompanied Captain Blake in charge of
a surveying expedition up towards the mouth of Salèe River. Leaving on
the morning of the 24th, in the steamship Palos, and with four
fully-equipped steam-launches, reached Boisée Island at noon of the
26th. and found there a fine harbor equal to all requirements. It was
ascertained upon the trip up, by the thorough investigations of the
commanders of the launches, that the Gulf de l’Imperatrice is a shoal
bay, which, though reaching far in towards Sèoul, and that too in a
direction where the air-line to Sèoul would cross much less elevated
land than generally prevails, is yet too shoal to admit vessels of even
light draught. Numerous junks were observed in the northeast of this
gulf, and it is surmised that in that neighborhood lies the approach to
Jén Chùan, a place which should, by the maps, be not less important
officially than Kang-hoa, and can lie but five miles or so from Boisée.
It is thought by good judges that the track of ships approaching Seoul
River from the southward will henceforward not make the Ferrières
Islands as their first land, but instead run in for Round Island, only
five miles below Boisée. The launches were in some cases shouted to by
natives, some displaying bows and arrows, some matchlocks; but the
greater part of the population were unarmed, and showed alarm by
retreating to the clumps of trees on the hill-tops. The islands are only
very sparsely populated, only scattered spots of valley-land being
cultivated. The islands were, only in exceptional instances wooded, and
water seemed not very abundant. The Tache Blanche, four miles below
Round Island, was visited at low water and declared to show many
indications of iron.
The French charts were found remarkably accurate, except that not all the
barriers to seaward can be substantiated. The navigation in clear
weather as far as Isle Boisée would be very easy. Plenty of water can be
carried to Boisée. The water there is still salt, supporting the
soubriquet given by the French of Salt River.
We saw no indications of fortifications till we approached Boisée; this
island and Roze Island, a narrow passage of a mile and a half, existing
between the mainland and the large island Tung Tjong to the west. On the
eastern end of this island—Tung Tjong—is the village, with a rather
Japanese-like wall, with a sea-front of perhaps a mile and a half. The
wall is, perhaps, fifteen feet high, but not, apparently, thick. Its age
would seem to point back to Japanese tuition. Launches could approach it
within a dozen rods at high tide, if the position of fishing-boats lying
on the flats under it at low tide be evidence. The inhabitants were
spying at us from hiding-places about the wall, as we came before the
place with our decks cleared for action. The next morning, (27th May,)
the alarm had spread; men were coming in from the neighborhood, and some
200 troops, or armed citizens, paraded under military mandarins, armed
with sharpened wood lances, banners, &c. The mandarins are in the
uniform described in Belcher’s “Voyage of the Samarang” to Quelpart;
peacock feathers in the hat, pink or scarlet cuffs turned back, tunic of
gray, and mantle or cloak of dark blue. On the morning of our third day
at Boisée, as we left there seemed little or no excitement. A few
curious were peeping at the vessels from behind corners of houses in the
village, and those who moved more to the front and into our view were
warned back by the mandarins. The walls were without guns, so far as we
could see; gingalls they may nevertheless have. A ferry crosses to the
mainland from the above village, and a path runs from the ferry-landing
toward Sèoul.
By ferry is meant a single sampan, making, perhaps, a dozen trips a day.
Island Boisée is quite exceptional in being wooded, and it is worth
inquiry whether it may not be one of those wooded and sacred islets
never disturbed but by robber-Chinese sailors. Toward the northwest of
the above island, with the Availed village, exist other villages and
weirs for fishing. We saw several Corean two-masted vessels, of from ten
to eighty tons burden; they avoided us. It is thought that, had launches
gone within bow-shot of the sea-wall of the above village on Saturday
morning, May 27, during the great excitement, of especially the military
portion of the community, it is probable they would have run great risk
of being fired into. The next day when, after taking ineffectual
departure, we were driven back for shelter, we found them quiet. It is
thonght the eight-mile wall along the river-edge of Kang-hoa Island is
probably similar to that about the above village. Also, that the
surprised and excited, but soon pacified, conduct of the islanders
points to no special influence or command from the court authorities in
this instance, but is rather the carrying out of the traditional habit
towards foreigners. It is therefore thought that, we shall meet the same
surprised conduct in natives till we eventually reach some place where
special instructions have been, or shall have been, sent down from court
for our either peaceable or hostile reception.
[Page 120]
The Palos would appear to be indispensable as a base of supplies,
&c., and for the launches which, from their complicated wants, need
some reliable store on which to draw to meet emergencies almost hourly
arising in their excursions; such as want of water, coal, kindling-wood,
and repairs—the latter by no means unfrequently. With such a movable
base, a boat force is almost as much at home before Sèoul as at
Boisèe.
The temper of the village on the 27th forenoon may prove of value in
showing that the meeting of both sides with arms in hand (as was the
case in Japan when Commodore Perry sent the President’s letter on shore)
may pass off without accident, for their sudden pacification on the
morning of the 28th shows it to have been a temporary, excitement, very
dangerous while it lasts, but better than a settled line of policy of
“shoot whoever lands—cold blood or hot blood matters not,” which we
might have anticipated.
We enjoyed most favorable weather. The sun’s heat was never oppressive.
The nights were rather cool.
The country appears thus far poorer than North China. Only a small
portion of the houses of a village are tiled. The yamên is far from
creditable, from a Chinese point of view, and few buildings equal the
yamên.
If a collision was the thing most immediately to be deprecated,
launch-work, similar to the above, with orders not to land, would seem
the safest measure to prevent it, for though the plying to and fro of
the launches speedily creates excitement, yet, as they also soon show
themselves peaceable, the excitement dies. The numerous trips of the
launches, too, make each launch’s total of impression upon the natives
perhaps equal to that of a larger steamer. The demonstration of launches
into the northeast of the Gulf de l’Imperatrice was not carried out—the
weather being too rough to permit the launches to succeed in reaching
the east of the bay. The land seems to break down in the direction of
Sèoul, as per French chart. Numerous vessels were reported in the
northeast bight of the gulf, and it is thought their destination may
have been the Jên Chuan of the map, where officials, perhaps slightly
inferior to those of Kang-hoa, may be located.
As, in accordance with instructions, intercourse with the natives was
rather avoided than sought, I was not called on for any services as
interpreter, &c.
As the character of the fine force under Admiral Rodgers has and will
come under your own observation, it is unnecessary for me to express my
individual admiration of the faithful execution of duty which brought to
completion the above reconnaissance and survey; one carried out with no
small discomfort to the officers in the launches, and during the rough
weather of the 28th at their no little personal risk.
Very respectfully, &c.,
No. 5.
Translation of note in Chinese,
undirected and unsigned, brought by four Coreans to the Colorado at
Isle Boisée, from three officials, on the afternoon of the
30th May.
A day or two since, on the transmission of your honorable missive from
Nan Yang Foo, the court for the first time recognized that your
honorable ships are [the ones] sent from America to enter our humble
confines. Thereupon the officers [who are the writers of this] were sent
forward to ask particulars [of your mission.] Your vessels lie at anchor
out in the sea, and as ours are not used to going to and fro in the
stormy waves, we remain temporarily on the sea shore of Jên-Chûan Foo.
We first make this announcement and await a few words in reply.
Fourth moon, 12th day, (30th May,
1871.)
True translation:
E. B.
DREW.
No. 6.
English version of
note in Chinese handed to four Coreans in reply to a note
brought by them to the Colorado at Isle Boisée, from three
officials, on the afternoon of
30th
May.
A note inquiring into the circumstances of the American ships coming into
these waters has been received, and the purport communicated to the
minister and the admiral.
His excellency the minister instructs me to send a reply, saying that the
ships have come to bring a high envoy, who has important business with
the government of this country; that he does not doubt that persons of
high rank will in due time be appointed to confer with him, to whom it
will be proper to make known his business; [Page 121] that he will remain on board the ship here for several
days, to wait for any communication the government may make; but in the
mean time the smaller vessels of the fleet will make explorations
further on, in order that the large ships may move nearer the capital,
in case the minister deems it necessary; that the common people need not
be afraid of the ships harming them so long as the people on board are
treated with civility and kindness; and the minister and admiral hope
that such instructions will be given to the people, so that no trouble
may occur.
