American left a boat gun in 1854

In 1853 and 54, American fleets lead by Admiral Mattew Perry's came to Edo Bay(Tokyo)
asking Japan to open the country.

Perry's fleet in 1853 was four black painted boats and in '54, it was nine boats.
They made Japanese into panic eventually she opened the country to Weatern countries not only Dutch.

It is said Perry threaten Tokugawa goverment somethig this way,
if Japan wanted to fight, he would use his cannons to down the castle and town.
It made Japanese to prepare the forts and cannons.
In a few years they progressed a lot in the field of weaponary.

But actually even if Perry's fleet wanted to open fire, the castle was out of range.
Because at that days the Edo Bay near the shore about seveal miles were shallow and American
boats which had deep draft could not reach the line.

Perry had prepared some landing vessels which had shallow draft to land the beach.
Anyway they nagociated and did not open fire.

Perry left one of the landing vessel as a gift.
Japanese tried to make the boat gun which fixed at the front of the landing boat.
They made some but did not know how to make the shells which were explosive.

After 1853 to 1868 when Meiji Restoration was done successfully, during this period we call
"Bakumatu" (end era of Bakufu, Tokugawa goverment).

see, http://blogs.yahoo.co.jp/japaneseweapons
http://japaneseweapons.com