His subsequent career led him into many fields-devising a naval apprentice system, preparing the first course at the Naval Academy, helping found the New York Naval Lyceum, advocating steam propulsion, organizing a Naval Engineer Corps, collecting United States war-damage claims abroad, policing the settlement of an American colony in Nigeria, settling a delicate fishery dispute with Great Britain. In this centennial year it is appropriate to remind the American people of Perry's accomplishments.Īs a young officer in the War of 1812, Matthew Calbraith Perry, brother to the naval hero of the Battle of Lake Erie, served in the frigate President during action with HMS Little Belt and was wounded in a fight with HMS Belvidera. Thus Perry proved a personal conviction that "if the talents and acquirements of the officers of the Navy, serving in various parts of the world, were properly developed, and their labors in pursuit of knowledge duly encouraged and appreciated, a vast amount of interesting and useful information would be constantly added to science." The result is an outstanding example of Navy tradition in undertaking any mission, in war or peace, that advance the welfare of nation and mankind. These additions to scientific lore stemmed entirely from the efforts of the uniformed officers of the expedition. Even more remote are the expedition's contributions to sciences such as astronomy, hydrography, ethnology, botany, geology, medicine, ichthyology, conchology and others no less exotic or divergent. Less familiar are the narrative of the voyage, the difficulties encountered and the Perry traits which made success possible. As a diplomatic coup, the date is memorized by every school child. This year marks the 100th anniversary of the Perry Expedition to Japan.
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