No. 143.
Mr. Bancroft to Mr. Fish.
Berlin, July 19, 1873. (Received August 7.)
Sir: The instruction of the Department numbered 588 was received on the 10th of July, and I took the earliest opportunity to bring to the attention of the German foreign office the proposal of the Japanese government to the Italian to permit Italians to circulate freely in the empire under certain conditions.
Mr. Von Balan informs me that the German government takes exactly the same view of the matter which you have taken. His words were, “The foreign powers must stand together on every question of their relations to the Japanese government.” The view of the German government has been communicated to the Italian minister at this city, so that the Italian government is perfectly well informed of the policy adopted here. I am glad to be able to report on this occasion, as on every other since I have resided at Berlin, that the East Asiatic policy of the German government is identical with that of our own.
I remain, &c.,