Mr. Portman to Mr. Seward.

No. 71.]

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]

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.]

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]

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.