Chapter III
Takeaki Enomoto's Biography
In this chapter, I would like to describe Enomoto's entire life,
to be divided into four parts as follows;
However, considering reader's interests, I will start from part
2 (Student's Days).
As for part 1(Early Life), I will describe in Chapter IV as
Analysis of Takeaki Enomoto's Character and his Activities in
Relation with his Early Life (1836 -- 1855).
1:Early life
From Enomoto's birth to his starting studies in Nagasaki naval
training center.
He learns geography in his youth, and is active in helping
create the map of Japan, while doing this work, he visits
northern part of Japan.
2: Student's Days
Learning about navy in Nagasaki naval training center and
studying abroad in Holland. What he learns in his days in
Holland is not only handling ship engines as an engineer but
also how to fight with a navy and international law.
3: The full account of the Battle of Hakodate
Enomoto's manner of fighting and problems (as the last
samurai) as the leader of the Battle of Hakodate. Also, I will
address the issue of, "If he won, what would have become
different for Hokkaido?".
4: Enomoto's activities as cabinet minister of the new Meiji
government
After the Battle of Hakodate and being released from prison,
Enomoto's activity will be described after the Meiji
Restoration. Also, I will address the issue of "If he had been
sentenced to death, what would have become of the
MeijiRestoration and of Japan?".
Part 1. Student Days
1. His time at the Nagasaki Naval Training Center
In March, 1862, the Tokugawa Bakufu approaches Holland, which
has a good relationship with Japan ,to accept some Japanese to
study there. The Tokugawa Bakufu also asks Holland to sell a
battleship. Both requests are accepted. 14 people, including a
doctor also Hayashi, are designated to study abroad in Holland.
Enomoto is, of course, one of the students.
In June, 1862, Enomoto and other 13 Japanese set off from
Shinagawa for Holland on the Kanrinmaru. However, 4 people
including Enomoto are struck with measles and the vessel has to
stop at Izu Shimoda to wait for their recovery.
They leave there on the 2nd of August and get to Nagasaki on
the 23rd. Ito and Hayashi join them from Nagasaki. In total, 15
Japanese set off from Nagasaki on a Dutch ship called Caripps.
However, the ship only goes to Port Vatavia in India,where they
will have to transfer to another ship. The Carips has plain
sailing part of the way; however, it sails into a storm and is
driven on to a reef at Java. The Carips gets a hole on the
bottom of the ship and is wrecked. When the sea settles down,
the captain and sailors escape from their ship on the life
boats.
After this incident, Enomoto and other 14 Japanese have a tough
time, including being attacked by pirates and landing on
uninhabited island. Enomoto keeps a diary about this tough
voyage and it resembles a tale of adventure.
On the 4th of June, 1863, Enomoto and other Japanese finally
arrive in Holland one year after they left Shinagawa.
2. Studying in Holland
15・April 1863: The Teluna, which was carrying Enomoto and the
other Japanese students, arrives in Rotterdam Holland, 215 days
after they left Nagasaki. Dr. Hoffmann of Leiden University is
waiting for them there and he greets them in Japanese. Many
people gather to see the Japanese, whose dress fascinates and
amuses them. They make it through a crowd and get to the
station. They leave Rotterdam and arrive at Leiden station that
evening. They are also welcomed there and go to a hotel after
the greeting.
From the following day, Enomoto has meetings with
administration officials about the plan of their study and
activities. He also meets Dr. Pompe and Naval Minister of
Holland, Kattendijke, who had trained at Nagasaki Naval
Training Center. Dr. Pompe is ordered to take care of Enomoto
and his party by the Minister Kattendijke.
24 April 1863: Enomoto and his party move to the Hague by an
order of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and they start their
research there. However Tsuda and Nishi specialize in law, so
they remain in Leiden. The total of 7 Japanese including
Enomoto go to the Hague.
They spend a peaceful time there despite the seriously troubled
Japanese political situation.
After May 1863: Below are the contents of the lectures he and
his party take. Mainly Naval Captain Denaux lectures and trains
them.
(1) Operation of ships and vessels, gunnery
(2) Lecture on Steam Engine by Naval Engine Coach Huygens
(3) Science by Frederick and Ek B. Stiltelha
(4) Enomoto, Nishi and Tsuda learn international law from Dr.
Ess Vissering
Enomoto brings back the translated draft of the lecture to
Japan and read it regularly.
(5) Enomoto has a telegraphic instrument fixed in his boarding
house and acquired skills to use it. He uses Morse printing
machine during his stay in Netherlands and he becomes skilled
in its technique.
(6) Enomoto supervises shipbuilding of a battleship, which the
Shogunate had ordered. Also he observes and learns shipbuilding.
(7) Dec. 1863: The Shogunate sends Ikeda to Paris as an envoy
to negotiate with French government on the closing of Port
Yokohama, the stabbing incident and reparations for the
shooting incident by Choshu. Ikeda orders Enomoto to come to
Paris and to negotiate with French navy. It is good opportunity
for Enomoto to observe France.
(8) The most valuable experience for Enomoto in Holland is to
observe Prussia-Denmark War. He serves in the war as an
international witness officer. At that time, Bismarck unifies
Germany and pushes through armaments' reform with his
dictatorship.
3.Shipbuilding of the Kaiyomaru.
(Contents below are mainly from the catalogue "Kaiyo-maru"
which was published by the Kaiyomaru-seishonen Center.)
This part will introduce the shipbuilding of the battleship
Kaiyomaru, which the Shogunate ordered. Kaiyomaru was an
excellent battleship for that time and it was the first
battleship which was made in a foreign country by Japanese
order. Enomoto believed that Japan and Japanese naval defenses
would be secure as long as Japan had the battleship.
1863: Dutch trading company makes a contract between Gips
shipyard and the Shogunate.
August 1863: Groundbreaking ceremony:
General characteristics of the battleship are as follows.
" Wooden 3-masted sailboat and propelled by screws
" Displacement: 2590 ton
" Length: 72.8 m, Beam: 13.0 m
" Engine: 400 horsepower, Trunk steam engine. Huygens designs
the engine and boiler.
" Equipment: 26 guns
" Capacity: 400 people
Huygens suggests making an iron ship rather than a wooden one
because they do not have much time for the building and iron
ships are more durable. However the Shogunate prefers the
wooden one. Thinking of the later accident in Hokkaido, this
was a fork in the road showing that the Shogunate does not
understand battleships technically.
Naming ceremony: 20 Oct. 1864: Enomoto, Uchida and Sawa attend
the naming ceremony of Kaiyomaru wearing Japanese formal wear.
Although Japanese students in Holland are told to wear Japanese
clothes, they wear western clothes in daily life in Holland
because Kimono is awkward for training. However they do not cut
their topknot and wear a hat over it in case they are called
back to Japan suddenly.
＊Launching ceremony: 14 Sep. 1864: Naval Minister Kattendijke,
key personalities of Dutch Navy and the Japanese students
attend the ceremony.
＊Completion: 17 July 1866 (Keio 2nd): Kaiyomaru is completed
as the first battleship ordered and made in a foreign country
by Japan. (It takes 3 years to complete Kaiyomaru)
＊ Departure of Kaiyomaru from Holland : 25 Oct. 1866:
Kaiyomaru departs for Japan with following people.
Japanese: 9 students including Enomoto (Akamatsu, Hayashi and
Ito remain in Holland to continue their studies there.)
Dutch: Naval Captain Deaux (Commander). 2 officers, 14 ratings,
160 sailors and 1 doctor
4. The Return to Japan
Later events of the Kaiyomaru and students who return from
Holland
26 March 1867 (Keio 3rd): Kaiyomaru arrives at Port Yokohama.
157 days after Kaiyomaru left Holland she used the engine.
Followings are the activities of Enomoto after he arrives in
Japan. In the evening, he goes back home and he is welcomed
with great delight.
May: Enomoto is appointed as an officer to receive Kaiyomaru.
22 June: Presentation ceremony is held on the ship in the
presence of the Dutch minister and a 21 gun salute is given.
Naval Bugyo* Oda, Battleship Bugyo* Katsu attend the ceremony.
July: Enomoto marries with Tatsu who was the younger sister of
Kenkai Hayashi. Hayashi also studied abroad in Holland like
Enomoto and his major was medical science. Tatsu is the
daughter of the Shogunate's doctor, Dokai Hayashi and had good
reputation as a good wife. A half-year after their marriage,
the Boshin War breaks out and they are separated. However,
Enomoto is a devoted husband, writing letters to his wife when
they are apart. In that sense, Enomoto is a contrast to Katsu
and he is rare for that time.
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