Powhatan officers meet Japanese foreign minister

William W. Finney
San Francisco, Pony Express station
Febuary 5, 1860


Today, news of a Japanese embassy visiting San Francisco reached my station of the Pony Express. Apparently, the purpose of this Japanese embassy was to approve of the new Treaty of Friendship, Commerce, and Navigation between the United States and Japan. These Japanese ambassadors arrived in two separate ships: the Kanrin Maru, an advanced looking Japanese ship modeled after our Western styles and our very own Navy’s USS Powhatan. Although I was not directly present when the USS Powhatan officers met the Japanese foreign minister, I have heard many different accounts of the event. The memory that was most recalled was of the different types of clothing and mannerisms of the two different cultures. Both the Japanese and American officers seemed to be confused and curious about each other, some even appeared to be slightly unwillingly to accept one another. I even heard from my Powhatan officer friends that the Japanese officers were dressed as if they were going to bed, instead of an important meeting.