Mr. Bigelow to Mr. Seward
No. 190.]
Legation of the United States,
Paris,
October 27, 1865.
Sir: In compliance with your instruction No.
260, of the 8th of September, I addressed a communication, of which
enclosure No. 1 is a copy, to their excellencies the minister of foreign
affairs and Lord Cowley.
Monsieur Drouyn de Lhuys said to me verbally that he would see Earl
Cowley, and if the British government was disposed, as he inclined to
think it was, to demand the pecuniary indemnity from the Japanese
government, he would call us together for a conference without
delay.
The honorable Mr. Grey, chargé d’affaires of the British legation, in the
absence of Lord Çowley, called upon me to say that he had submitted my
communication to Earl Russell for instructions, and had been directed to
say that the British minister at Yedo had been instructed to report at
once and fully upon the subject, and that further action thereon by her
Majesty’s government would be suspended until the receipt of his report,
expected in about a month.
He intimated that there was a disposition to have the open ports instead
of a pecuniary indemnity, if practicable.
I am, sir, with great respect, your obedient servant,
Hon. William H. Seward,
Secretary of State.
[Enclosure No. 1.]
Mr. Bigelow to Mr. Drouyn de Lhuys.
Legation of the United
States,
Paris,
October 13, 1865.
The undersigned, envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary of
the United States of America, presents his compliments to his
excellency the minister of foreign affairs,
and has the honor to transmit to his excellency a copy of a despatch
received from the Secretary oí State of the United States, by which
the undersigned is instructed to assist, on behalf of his
government, in the adjustment or modification of the terms to be
exacted from the Japanese by the three western powers named in the
treaty which followed the hostilities jointly undertaken by them for
the purpose of overcoming the resistance to the free passage of the
Strait of Simonosaki.
The undersigned will be happy to wait upon and confer with his
excellency the minister of foreign affairs whenever, in his
excellency’s opinion, a conference would promote the objects
contemplated by the enclosed instructions.
The undersigned avails himself of this occasion to renew to his
excellency the minister of foreign affairs the assurance of the high
consideration with which he has the honor to be his excellency’s
very obedient and very humble servant,
