No. 174.
General Schenck to Mr. Fish.
London, July 19, 1873. (Received August 5.)
Sir: I have had an interview with Lord Granville, and a very satisfactory conversation with him about the proposed agreement of Japan with Italy, which formed the subject of your No. 408.
I stated to his lordship, as instructed by you, the views of the President. I spoke of the necessity of unity of action on the part of the treaty powers, and of the probable danger to the future interests of all if one state should separate itself in its policy, or by exceptional engagements or privileges, from the rest. On all points I found Lord Granville entirely in accord with you and with the President. He had already obtained information of the movement; had expressed the objections of Her Majesty’s government to Mr. Cardona, the minister from Italy to this court, who was then here but has just gone home on leave of absence; and had given instructions to the diplomatic representatives of Great Britain in harmony with those you suggest.
Lord Granville’s understanding is, that the offer from Japan was drawn out by advances made, in the first place, on the part of Italy; but he also understands, from his conversation with Mr. Cardona and from other sources, that the proposed arrangement is not likely now to be followed up to any completion.
Lord Granville had also received from Mr. Cardona a statement of the terms of the provisional arrangement proposed by Japan. It is in [Page 401] French, and being collated with that which is contained in your dispatch, the two are found to correspond, with the exception of the fourth paragraph, in which the words “corporal punishment,” given in your copy, stand as “peines cruelles,” (torture,) in the French version.
I have, &c.,