should be no appearance of coercion during its discussion and determination.
As soon as the Americans had departed, the court of Yedo addressed itself to the problem before it. Copies of the President's letter to the emperor, which set forth the terms of the treaty desired, were sent to the daimios and principal dignitaries of the empire, and their opinions requested. At the same time warlike preparations were set on foot. Strong forts were erected about the bay to protect the city of Yedo. Bells from the monasteries and metal articles of luxury contributed by the wealthy families were cast into cannon. Three hundred thousand patriot soldiers flocked to the capital to save it from desecration by the hated foreigners. New fear was awakened by the appearance of a Russian admiral at Nagasaki within two months after Perry's departure, making demand for intercourse and treaty rights. The priests of the national religion were commanded to offer up prayers for the sweeping away of the barbarians.[1]
The commodore had gone to China to recruit and reinforce his squadron, and to look after American interests in that empire imperiled by the civil war known as the Taiping rebellion, which was threatening the overthrow of the reigning dynasty. Our minister to the country was very persistent in his request that the naval force should be retained in Chinese waters, but Perry was too much impressed with the importance of his mission to Japan to be diverted by the civil war in
- ↑ Perry's Expedition, chaps, xii.–xiv; Nitobe's Intercourse, etc., 49; 1 Japan, its History, Traditions, and Religions, by Sir E. J. Reed, London, 1880, p. 246.
