Office of the Historian

No. 273.
Mr. Fish to Mr. Nicholas Fish.*

Department of State,
Washington, September 2, 1874.
No. 703.]

Sir: I transmit herewith an extract of an instruction, (No. 35,) of the date of the 20th April last, to Mr. Bingham, the representative of this Government in Japan; also, a copy of another instruction to him, (No. 65,) of the date of the 26th of August last.

The President is impressed with the importance of continued concert between the treaty powers in Japan, at least until after the revision of the treaties, and until the government of Japan shall have exhibited a degree of power and capacity to adopt and to enforce a system of jurisprudence, and of judicial administration, in harmony with that of the Christian powers, equal to their evident desire to be relieved from the enforced duties of exterritoriality.

He is also impressed with the importance that the several treaty powers should be informed of the determination of each other to adhere to the policy of co-operation.

You are, therefore, authorized to read to the minister of foreign affairs the extract of the instruction No. 35, and also the instruction No. 65.

* * * * * * *

I inclose, also, for your information, a copy of an instruction (No. 409†) to Mr. George F. Seward, the consul-general of the United States at Shanghai, with two accompaniments, in relation to citizens of the United States connected with the Japanese expedition to Formosa, or who may enter the military or naval service of a foreign power; also, a copy of an instruction, (No. 43,‡) of the date of the 6th of June last, addressed to Mr. Bingham, on the same general subject.

I am, &c.,

HAMILTON FISH.
  1. A similar instruction was sent to the minister to Russia.↩
  2. See correspondence with the consul-general in China, ante.↩
  3. For instructions 35, 43, 65, to Mr. Bingham, see under Japan, infra.↩