Mr. Van Valkenburgh to Mr. Seward.
No. 40.]
Legation of the United States,
Yokohama,
April 19, 1868.
Sir: With the double view of testing the
strength of the authority of the Mikado’s government in this part of
Japan, and of promoting Japanese homogeneity in so far as foreign
interests are concerned, the foreign representatives agreed upon
addressing a letter to the government at Kioto, asking for the
appointment of responsible agents with whom the business of this port
could be conducted.
I transmit inclosures No. 1, copy of this letter, and No. 2, copy of the
reply, announcing that the appointment as requested had been made.
At the request of his colleagues, the British minister addressed a letter
to Mr. Mitford, the second secretary of her Britannic Majesty’s
legation, then at Osaka, instructing him to deliver this letter and
transmit the reply. A copy of which letter is herewith transmitted,
inclosure No. 3. I also transmit inclosure No. 4, copy of a letter to
the senior English naval officer, asking him to send a ship to Hiogo for
the conveyance of
[Page 723]
Mr. Brin,
the French secretary of legation and the bearer of the letters to the
Mikado’s government, and Mr. Mitford.
I have the honor to be, sir, very respectfully, your most obedient
servant.
Hon. William H. Seward, Secretary of State, Washington, D. C.
[Untitled]
The undersigned, representatives of the treaty powers, recently
received at Hiogo from the government of the Mikado the formal
assurance that the town of Yokohama and the interests of foreign
nations at that port would be scrupulously respected by the troops
of his Majesty. It has been proved, however, by the experience of
the last few days, that, notwithstanding the friendly disposition of
the officers commanding the advanced forces of the Mikado, they are
not able, in conducting the movements of those forces, to remove all
cause of apprehension for the safety of the foreign residents at
Yokohama. The present governor has declared to the foreign
representatives that he is ready to deliver over the town to the
government of the Mikado upon being called upon by the latter to do
so; but no high functionary has yet appeared to make this demand in
the Mikado’s name, or to furnish information to the undersigned as
to the manner in which the transfer is to be effected. In
consequence of the insecurity occasioned by this unsettled condition
of affairs, the undersigned have been obliged to adopt measures for
the protection of their respective citizens and subjects, which they
would be glad to discontinue as soon as they can feel assured of the
safety of their countrymen by the establishment at this port of an
efficient native administration.
The undersigned therefore request the government of the Mikado to
dispatch a minister of foreign affairs to Yokohama to take the
necessary measures for restoring order and security at this port,
and to furnish the undersigned with regular means, of communication
with the Mikado’s government.
The undersigned entertain the conviction that the present governor of
Yokohama is prepared to hand over the government to the officer
authorized by the Mikado to receive it, on condition that he shall
be allowed to retire quietly from the place with such officers and
men as he may wish to take with him.
The undersigned, &c,
Their Excellencies the Ministers for Foreign
Affairs, Osaka.
[Translation.]
Your Excellencies: Your dispatch announcing
the events consequent upon the arrival of the advance squad of the
imperial forces in the vicinity of Yokohama, and requesting that
persons may be sent to Yokohama at once to receive possession, as
the chief officer of the late bakufa at that place has declared
himself ready to hand over as soon as a governor, by the Mikado’s
government, has been received.
In accordance with your request, Higashi Kuze Suki No Shosho and
Hizen Irjin have been appointed governors. They will start in a few
days, in a Saga steamer, accompanied by the following officers:
Isaki Sai Yomon, (sanyo,) Okuma Hachitaro, (sanyo,) and Mutsa
Yonosuke, with a body of troops attached. Until these troops arrive
we beg your excellencies to take such measures as are necessary.
We have, &c,
Their Excellencies Monsieur Leon
Roches, Minister of France.
Sir Harry S.Parkes, Her Britannic Majesty’s Envoy Extraordinary.
Monsieur Le Comte de la Tour, His Imperial Majesty’s Envoy
Extraordinary.
General R. B. Van Vankenburgh, Minister Resident of the United
States.
Monsieur Von Brandt, Chargé d’affaires of Prussia.
[Page 724]
[Untitled]
Sir: I have to inform you that, upon the
joint request of the representatives of the treaty powers, her
Majesty’s ship Rattler is dispatched to Hiogo, with the inclosed
dispatch to the Mikado’s ministers for foreign affairs, which I have
to intrust you to deliver at Osaka to a minister of the foreign
department.
In giving effect to this instruction you will act in concert with
Baron Brin, of the French legation, who proceeds to Hiogo on this
service, in her Majesty’s ship Rattler. You will impress upon the
minister with whom you may communicate the great importance which
the foreign representatives attach to the prompt arrival, at
Yokohama, of one of the foreign ministers of the Mikado’s
government, invested with sufficient authority to secure order at
this port, and to dispose of the pressing questions relating to its
foreign trade which have to be considered.
The foreign representatives trust that the Mikado’s government will
furnish you with an immediate reply to this dispatch, but they do
not think it desirable that you should wait for the answer beyond,
or at the outside, five days from the delivery of the dispatch into
the hands of the Mikado’s minister.
In case you should be of opinion that a delay of this length would
not be attended with commensurate advantage, you should advise the
senior officer at Hiogo to send her Majesty’s ship Rattler back to
Yokohama, with your report, as soon as she can conveniently be
dispatched.
In case one of the Mikado’s ministers should be willing to come to
Yokohama at once by sea, and you and Mr. Brin should be of opinion
that his movements would be expedited by offering him the safe
conduct of her Majesty’s ship, the foreign representatives are of
opinion that it would be desirable to give him convoy, if the
minister himself wishes it, from Hiogo or Osaka to this port,
provided that he and his retinue travel in a single steam vessel
under the Japanese flag, and do not exceed in number about two
hundred men.
If the political agent of the Netherlands should still be at Osaka at
the time this dispatch reaches you, you should invite him, on the
part of the other foreign ministers, to join in this communication
to the Mikado’s government.
I inclose copy of my application to Captain Stanhope, the senior
naval officer in Japan, for the services of the ship which is
dispatched on this duty. I am, &c.,
A. B. Mitford, Esq., Osaka.
[Untitled]
Sir: I have the honor to request you to
direct one of her Majesty’s ships to proceed at once to Hiogo, to
deliver to Mr. Mitford the accompanying dispatches with the least
possible delay.
I have also to beg that you will allow Baron Brin, attaché to the
French legation, to be furnished with a passage to Hiogo by the same
opportunity.
Mr. Mitford and Baron Brin are charged by the representatives of the
treaty powers to deliver a communication to the foreign ministers of
the Mikado’s government, and to ask for a reply. The commanding
officer of the ship dispatched on this service should, therefore, be
instructed to return here as soon as Mr. Mitford announces to the
senior officer at Hiogo the termination of the negotiation, and I
have to request that Baron Brin may be furnished with a return
passage.
In case one of the Mikado’s ministers should determine to come to
Yokohama, and should apply through Mr. Mitford for convoy to
Yokohama, I have to request that the commanding officer of the ship
sent on this service may comply with this application, provided that
the minister and his retinue travel in a single steam vessel under
the Japanese flag.
Mr. Mitford will be able to advise the senior officer at Hiogo as to
the most convenient date for the return of her Majesty’s ship, bat I
trust that her detention at Hiogo or Osaka will not exceeed five or
six days.
I have, &c.,
Captain Stanhope, Senior Naval Officer.
