Mr. Portman to Mr. Seward.
No. 71.]
Legation of the United States in
Japan,
Yedo,
December 29, 1865.
Sir: After the formal sanction to the treaties
had been obtained, the British minister, instead of at once returning to
his legation, proceeded on the 26th ultimo from Osacca bay through the
inland sea to Shanghai. Through his interpreter, who accompanied him, he
briefly communicated at Simonoseki with the Chorhu authorities, who were
then informed of the Mikado’s action, which they admitted to be of great
importance.
On his return to his legation I received a letter from the British
minister in reply to mine of the 30th ultimo, (copy of which formed
enclosure No. 4 of my despatch No. 67, of the 5th instant,) of which
reply I now have the honor to transmit a copy, enclosure No. 1. I also
transmit No. 2, copy of a letter in continuation of that reply, and No.
3, copy of a letter of acknowledgment by Vice-Admiral King,
commander-in-chief of her Britannic Majesty’s forces in the east.
I have the honor to be, sir, very respectfully, your most obedient
servant,
A. L. C. PORTMAN,| Chargé d’ffaires ad interim
in Japan.
Hon. William H. Seward,
Secretary of State, Washington, D. C.
No. 1.
[Untitled]
Yokohama,
December 27, 1865.
Sir: In consequence of my absence from
Yokohama I only received, on my return on the evening of the 25th
instant, your letter of the 30th ultimo, desiring me to communicate
to Admiral King your thanks for the accommodation supplied to you On
board her Majesty’s steamship Pelorus, in the absence of a vessel of
war of your own government, during the recent expedition of the
representatives of England, France, the United States of America,
and Holland, to Osacca bay.
I am sure it will be very gratifying to Admiral King to receive this
cordial acknowledgment of the assistance which he and Captain
Haswell were able to offer you on this occasion, and I have no doubt
that it will also afford her Majesty’s government much satisfaction
to learn that her Majesty’s officers have had it in their power to
render to the United States representative a service of this nature,
as being not only in entire unison with the
[Page 197]
friendly feelings entertained by her Majesty’s
government towards that of the United States, but also calculated to
prove to the Japanese government that unity of action for the
purpose of securing the fulfilment of treaties continues to be
intimately preserved between the representatives of the four
powers.
I have the honor to be, sir, your most obedient, humble servant,
HARRY S. PARKES, Her Majesty’s Envoy
Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary in
Japan.
A. L. C. Portman, Esq., Chargé d’Affaires ad interim of the United
States.
No. 2.
[Untitled]
No. 42.]
Yokohama,
December 29, 1865.
Sir: In continuation of my letter of the
27th instant, acknowledging your letter of the 30th ultimo, in which
you request me to convey to Vice-Admiral King, and through him to
Captain Haswell, your thanks for the accommodation supplied to you
on board her Majesty’s steamer Pelorus, I have now the honor to
forward copy of a letter received this day from Vice-Admiral filing,
desiring me to communicate to you the satisfaction which the receipt
of your above-mentioned letter has afforded him.
I have the honor to be, sir, your most obedient, humble servant,
HARRY S. PARKES, Her Majesty’s Envoy
Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary in
Japan.
A. L. C. Portman, Esq., United States Chargé d’Affaires, &c.,
&c., &c.
[Untitled]
Princess Royal, at
Yokohama,
December 28, 1865.
Sir: In acknowledging the receipt of your
letter No. 38, of the 27th instant, forwarding a copy of another
addressed to you by Mr. Portman, the chargé d’affaires of the United
States, in which he is good enough to so handsomely acknowledge the
service that Captain Haswell, of the Pelorus, had the pleasure to
render him, and in referring in such flattering terms to the part in
which it was the good fortune of the naval officers to participate
in the negotiations so recently brought to a successful issue at
Hiogo, I beg you will express to Mr. Portman that I was very glad to
have had the opportunity of placing a ship at his disposal, and that
I am much pleased to be able to convey to Captain Haswell the
expression of the acknowledgments of any service he had the means of
rendering.
I have the honor to be, sir, your most obedient, humble servant,
GEORGE H. VINCENT KING, Vice-Admiral and
Commander-in-Chief.
Sir Harry S. Parkes,
K. C. B., &c., &c., &c.
