No. 441.
Mr. Bingham to Mr. Fish.
United
States Legation, Japan,
Tokei, August 12, 1874.
(Received September 12.)
No. 108.]
Sir: I received a communication of date the 27th
ultimo, from the minister for foreign affairs, (inclosure No. 1,) inquiring
whether it was my wish to receive the remaining installment of the
Simonoseki indemnity, due the last of July, amounting to $125,000, and
asking from me, on the receipt thereof, an acknowledgment that the indemnity
to the United States had been received in full. To this I made reply,
(inclosure No. 2,) on the 30th ultimo, to the effect that I would receive
the remaining installment, and would receipt therefor, for all the money
paid to me as having been paid as the balance in full of the Simonoseki
indemnity, subject, however, to the approval of my Government.
On the 4th instant I received a communication from Sir Harry Parkes informing
me that he had deposited another amount of $5,833.33 on account of the
Simonoseki indemnity, to my credit, in the Oriental Bank at Yokohama,
(inclosure No. 3.) I also received a letter (inclosure No. 4) from J.
Robertson, esq., the agent of that bank, notifying me of his receipt from
the Japanese minister for foreign affairs of the sum of $125,000, which was
there set to my account as minister of the United States. On the 8th
instant, in pursuance of your instructions, I negotiated with the Oriental
Bank in exchange on London for an amount equivalent to $130,833.33, and
received on that day a bill of exchange on the Bank of England, dated August
8, 1874, payable on demand to my order, for £26,984. 7s. 6d. A copy of Mr. Robertson’s
certificate of exchange, together with copies of two letters from brokers,
are herewith (inclosures 5, 6, and 7) inclosed. In accordance with your
instructions I have forwarded this bill (in letter of this date, inclosure
No. 8,) to Messrs. Morton, Bose & Co., indorsed by me to them, with
request that they will place the same to the credit of the United
States.
I beg leave to call your attention to my No. 94, of date June 17, notifying
you of the two several amounts received by me up to that date from Sir Harry
Parkes on account of the indemnity, amounting, in gross, to $11,666.66, for
which amount I obtained exchange on London for £2,479 3s. 4d. sterling, and remitted the same to
Messrs. Morton, Rose & Co. at that date for the use of the United
States. I have the honor to call your attention also to my No. 97, dated the
7th ultimo, in which I acquainted you that I had received from the minister
for foreign affairs $250,000, and that for that sum I had obtained exchange
on London to the amount of £52,083 6s. 8d. sterling, which bill I forwarded, duly indorsed to
Messrs. Morton, Bose & Co., to be placed to the credit of the United
States. You will observe, therefore, that the gross amount of exchange,
including
[Page 695]
the three bills of
exchange herein mentioned, remitted by me to Messrs. Morton, Rose & Co.
for the use of the United States, is £81,546 17s.
6d. sterling, being the equivalent of the whole
amount received by me from Sir Harry Parkes and the minister for foreign
affairs, viz, $392,499.99.
In these several instances it has been my care to negotiate for exchange on
London on terms the most advantageous possible to the United States.
You will notice that the minister for foreign affairs requires an
acknowledgment of the full payment of the indemnity, and that in my letter
to him of the 30th ultimo (inclosure No. 2) I notify him of my readiness to
receive the payment as in full, upon his representation, subject, however,
to your approval, giving as my reason for thus qualifying my receipt the
fact “that I have no means of knowing the exact amount of the unpaid
balance” of the indemnity.
Should the amounts thus received and accounted for by me be the balance (as I
suppose the fact to be) of the Simonoseki indemnity, I have the honor to
request that you will authorize me to acknowledge the same to the Japanese
minister for foreign affairs to be in full payment and discharge of the
indemnity agreed to be paid by the government of Japan to the United
States.
I am, sir, &c.,
[Inclosure 1 in No.
108.—Translation.]
His Imperial Japanese Majesty’s
minister for foreign affairs to Mr. Bingham.
Foreign
Department,
Tokei, the 27th of the 7th month, the 7th year of Meiji. (July 27,
1874.)
Your Excellency: I have the honor to request
your excellency to inform me whether it is your wish that the remaining
installment of the Simonoseki indemnity, amounting to $125,000, and due
at the end of the 7th month, shall he paid to you in the same manner in
which the last payment was made.
I beg leave to add that on receipt of the final installment your
excellency will be pleased to furnish me with a written acknowledgment
that the indemnity to your Government has been received in full.
With respect and consideration,
TERASHIMA MUNENORI,
His Imperial
Japanese Majesty’s Minister for Foreign
Affairs.
[Inclosure 2 in No. 108.]
Mr. Bingham to the
minister for foreign
affairs.
United
States Legation,
Tokei, July 30,
1874.
Your Excellency: In reply to your letter of the
27th instant, I have the honor to say that under the instructions from
my Government it is made my duty to receive from your excellency an
amount equivalent to the amount paid to either of the parties to the
settlement of the Simonoseki indemnity. Therefore, in compliance with
your excellency’s request, I have the honor to say that your excellency
may make payment by depositing the same in the Oriental Bank Corporation
subject to my order.
I have the honor to inform your excellency that I will receipt for the
amount which I have received, and may receive, as having been paid to me
in full of the Simonoseki indemnity, subject, however, to the approval
of my Government. I have no means of knowing the exact amount of the
unpaid balance, but do not doubt that your excellency will state it
correctly.
I have the honor, &c.,
[Page 696]
[Inclosure 3 in No. 108.]
Sir Harry Parkes to
Mr. Bingham.
Sir: Having been informed by the agent of the
Oriental Bank at Yokohama that he has received from the vice-minister
for foreign affairs, on my account, another installment of the
Simonoseki indemnity, amounting to $125,000, I have the honor to inform
you that, for the reasons stated in my dispatch to you of the 23d
February last, I have instructed the manager of the Oriental Bank to pay
over to you the sum of $5,833.33.
I have the honor, &c.,
[Inclosure 4 in No. 108.]
Mr. Robertson to
Mr. Bingham.
Oriental Bank Corporation,
Yokohama, August 1,
1874.
Dear Sir: I beg to advise having credited your
account as minister of the United States with the sum of $125,000, being
amount received from the Japanese minister for foreign affairs.
Yours, faithfully,
[Inclosure 5 in No. 108.]
Mr. Robertson to
Mr. Bingham.
Oriental Bank Corporation,
Yokohama, August 8,
1874.
I hereby certify that draft GL. 06764, £26,984 7s.
6d., has to-day been issued in favor of the
Hon. John A. Bingham, being the equivalent of $130,833.33 at the current
exchange of 4s. 1½d. per
dollar.
For the Oriental Bank Corporation:
N. B.—I have given you the advantage of the rise in rate since the
date of the accompanying brokers’ letters, as arranged.
[Inclosure 6 in No. 108.]
Messrs. McDonald &
Dare to the managers of the Oriental
Bank Corporation.
Yokohama, August 5,
1874.
Sir: The least rate obtainable for any large
amount of bank-bills at sight would not, we consider, be better than 4s.
1¼, (four shillings and a penny farthing.)
We are, sir, &c.,
McDONALD & DARE,
Bill and Bullion Brokers.
[Inclosure 7 in No. 108.]
Mr. Bland to Mr.
Robertson.
Yokohama, August 5,
1874.
Sir: I consider the rate of bank-bills on
London at sight, to-day, to be 4s. 1¼d. per dollar.
Yours, faithfully,
[Page 697]
[Inclosure 8 in No. 108.]
Mr. Bingham to
Messrs. Morton, Rose & Co.
United
States Legation,
Tokei, August 12,
1874.
Gentlemen: Inclosed please find first of
exchange for the sum of £26,984 7s. 6d. sterling, August 8, 1874, drawn by the
Oriental Bank Corporation at Yokohama, to my order, payable on demand,
and by me indorsed to you, to be set to the credit of the United States
of America.
You will note that on the 17th June and the 7th July I forwarded to you
two sums to be placed to the credit of the United States, one for £2,479
3s. 4d, sterling, and
the other for £52,083 6s. 8d. sterling, which I trust you received.
I am, gentlemen, &c.,
