No. 311.
Mr. Gorham to Mr. Fish.
The Hague, July 29, 1873. (Received August 21.)
Sir: In an interview with Baron Gericke to-day, I presented the views embodied in your dispatch of the 21st ultimo, relative to a proposition recently made by the Japanese government to His Majesty the King of Italy.
The subject was not new to the minister, his attention having been called to it some time since by Mr. De Long, our minister at Japan, who, for some months, as you are doubtless aware, served this country in like capacity at the same court.
On receipt of such information, the minister informed me that he promptly communicated the views of his government to Mr. De Long and Mr. Van Hoven, the Dutch minister at Rome, protesting against any infraction in letter or spirit of existing treaties.
On presenting these expressions to Yisconti Venattie, Mr. Van Hoven informs the board that he was assured that the proposition was a voluntary offering of the Japanese government; that it had not been favorably received by his, and that no thought was then entertained of accepting it.
Baron Gericke assures me that his views fully accord with yours, and that he is much pleased to learn that similar steps have been taken by the two governments to accomplish the same purpose.
I have, &c.,