Far China Station : The U.S. Navy in Asian Waters, 1800-1898

Far China Station was the first work to put nineteenth century American naval and diplomatic affairs in the Far East into clear perspective. Johnson examines the origins of the East India Squadron, defines its import role in the implementation of foreign policy and describes the dangers routinely faced by the squadron's ships and sailors. Great and gallant ships move through the pages from the famous Olympia and the majestic Columbus to the plodding Palos . Naval heroes and the not-so-great, angry mobs, Japanese rebels, leaky boilers, imperious officials and infirm admirals are set against a background of uncertain anchorages, storms at sea, and the ravages of disease in the last years of the Old Navy. The Peacock And Her Predecessors -- The Opium War -- A Treaty With China And Visits To Japan -- The Most Frustrating Cruise -- The Most Important Cruise -- Piracy And The Affair At The Barrier Forts -- The Treaty Of Tientsin And The Squadron's Termination -- Japanese Rebels And Rebel Raiders -- The Squadron Reestablished And Renamed -- Peace In Japan And Perils Of The Sea -- An Effort To Open Korea -- Leaky Boilers And Infirm Admirals -- Worn-out Ships And A Treaty With Korea -- The Sino-french War -- The Last Years Of The Old Navy -- The Sino-japanese War -- To Manila Bay -- Retrospect. Robert Erwin Johnson. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. This was the first study to put 19th century American naval and diplomatic affairs in the Far East into clear perspective. Johnson examines the origins of the East India Squadron, defines its import role in the implementation of foreign policy and describes the dangers routinely faced by the squadron's ships and sailors.