Lawrence Kearny

Lawrence Kearny
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Commodore Lawrence Kearny (30 November 1789 – 29 November 1868) was an officer in the United States Navy during the early nineteenth century. In the early 1840s he began negotiations with China which opened that country to U.S. trade and pointed the way toward the American Open Door Policy a half century later. He was Mayor of Perth Amboy, New Jersey in 1848.

Born in Perth Amboy, New Jersey, Kearny was appointed Midshipman in the Navy 24 July 1807. Commodore Kearny was known for his tenacity in capturing slave traders in West-Indian waters and his efforts in fighting Greek pirates in the Mediterranean Sea. In 1818, he commanded USS Enterprise of the New Orleans Squadron when he sailed to Galveston, Texas and forced Jean Lafitte to abandon his base without a fight.

Some Americans in China suffered during the first Opium War of 1839 as Chinese indignant about British opium traders failed to distinguish between English-speaking people of European ancestry. Commodore Kearny was given command of a squadron consisting of the 42-year-old frigate Constellation and the sloop Boston. Kearny's March 1842 arrival in China reflects the speed of early 19th century communications. Kearny's orders—to 1) protect the interests of the United States and her citizens along the coast of China, 2) to respect the foreign and domestic policies of the Chinese, and 3) prevent and punish opium smuggling into China by Americans or under the cover of the American flag—similarly reflect the broad discretion given to naval officers who would have to wait months for official response from higher authority.

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