You will perceive that the principle of exterritoriality has been
carefully preserved, and that the citizens of the United States are in
all cases of offence amenable only to the jurisdiction of our own
authorities.
I have the honor to be, sir, very respectfully, your most obedient
servant,
Hon. William H. Seward
Secretary of State, Washington, D. C.
Arrangements for the establishment of a Japanese
municipal office for the foreign settlement of Yokohama.
1. That an office, to be called the municipal office, be formed under
the Japanese government at Yokohama, and placed in the charge of a
foreign director, who will be subordinate to the governor of
Kanagawa.
2. That the said director, acting under the authority of the governor
of Kanagawa, shall see to the repair, cleanliness, and efficiency of
all the streets and drains in the foreign settlement of Yokohama. He
shall be authorized to receive such complaints relative to police or
the state of drains and thoroughfares as may properly be addressed
by foreigners to the local government direct, and in the name of the
governor of Kanagawa will prosecute foreigners before their own
authorities for nuisances or any infringement of police order.
3. The said director, acting under the authority of the governor of
Kanagawa, will have the charge and direction of all foreigners who
may be employed as police for the maintainance of security and order
within the foreign settlement of Yokohama, or for the repression of
disorderly conduct on the part of foreigners within the port of
Kanagawa.
Whenever a subject or citizen of a treaty power is arrested in the
commission of an offence by the said director, or any foreigner or
Japanese acting under his orders or the orders of the governor of
Kanagawa, the person so arrested must be conveyed at once to the
consul of his nation, who will take steps for the detention of the
offender until he can be prosecuted.
4. The governor of Kanagawa, acting with the advice and assistance of
the said director, and with such advice as he may obtain from
foreign consuls, will exercise jurisdiction both criminal and civil
over the subjects of China and the subjects and citizens of other
non-treaty powers residing within the said settlement, or within the
port of Kanagawa.
5. The land rents, payable by foreigners, will be collected by the
said director, as soon as they become due, for and on account of the
governor of Kanagawa, and the said director, acting in the name of
the governor of Kanagawa, will be empowered to sue foreigners for
default of payment before their own authorities.
6. The foreign consuls will confine within the narrowest limits
compatible with public convenience the number of licenses issued by
them to their respective subjects or citizens, as sellers of foreign
spirits or liquors, or as keepers of houses of entertainment within
the foreign settlement, or within the port of Kanagawa.
A copy of every license will be furnished by the consul as soon as it
is issued to the governor of Kanagawa, and the said director will
inform against any person who sells liquors or keeps a house of
entertainments without the license of his authorities.
7. The Japanese government will make arrangements for the safe
storage, at reasonable rates; of gunpowder or other explosive
substances imported into the port of Kanagawa, and the necessary
steps will be taken to prevent foreigners from using any other place
for the storage of these dangerous substances.
