No. 370.
Mr. Bingham to Mr. Fish.
United
States Legation, Japan,
Tokei, 18th December, 1874.
(Received January 28, 1875.)
No. 165.]
Sir: On the 14th ultimo, I was called upon by F.
Diaz Covorrubias, esq., president of the astronomical expedition sent hither
by the government of Mexico to observe the transit of Venus.
Mr. Covorrubias handed me a letter addressed to me by Mr. Foster, our
minister to Mexico, commending him and his associates to my good offices,
and requested me, inasmuch as Mexico had no representative in Japan, to
acquaint the minister for foreign affairs of their presence and mission, and
of their desire to obtain permission of this government to establish
stations of observation, &c. I deemed it my duty, under my general
instructions, to show this act of courtesy to the representatives of our
sister republic, and accordingly addressed to Mr. Terashima an unofficial
note, of date November 14, 1874, a copy of which is herewith. (Inclosure 1.)
It gives me pleasure to say that Mr. Terashima was pleased to grant the
request of the Mexican commissioners, as he informed me by a note dated the
19th of November. (Inclosure 2.)
[Page 781]
I am gratified to say that every facility was afforded to the Mexican
commissioners to make the observations with which they were charged. They
were greatly favored oh the day of the transit, it being clear and cloudless
at Yokohama, where they had established their stations, and it is reported
that they were very successful in taking observations of the transit.
Trusting that my action in the premises may meet your approval,
I am, &c.,
[Inclosure 1 to No. 165.]
Mr. Bingham to Mr.
Terashima.
United
States Legation,
Tokei, November 14,
1874.
[Unofficial.]
Your Excellency: I have the honor to inform you
that I am in receipt of a communication from Hon. John W. Foster, United
States minister to Mexico, in which he acquaints me that the government
of Mexico has appointed commissioners to observe the transit of Venus,
viz, F. Diaz Covorrubias, chief of the expedition, and as assistants, F.
Junarez, D. M. Fernandez, D. A. Brevoso, and D. F. Bulues.
These gentlemen, having arrived in Japan, and preferring not to proceed
to China, as they have been authorized to do, ask my good offices, in
the absence of a Mexican minister in this Empire, to make known their
presence in Japan and the duties assigned them, to the end, if it please
your excellency’s government, that a permit may be given to them to
locate in Japan, at such place as may be deemed advisable, a station for
making the observations, and also the privilege of erecting a telegraph
line to connect their station of observation with the nearest telegraph
office of the Empire.
It gives me pleasure to commend these gentlemen as of high character and
attainments, and to say that they have expressed the wish, if it be
agreeable to your excellency’s government to grant their request, that
your excellency’s government will designate some Japanese officials to
join them and to witness their methods in taking the observations, and
to aid them in the use of the telegraph.
May I ask the favor of an early reply to this communication?
I have the honor to be, your excellency’s obedient servant,
His Excellency Terashima Munenori,
H. I. J. M.’s Minister for Foreign
Affairs.
[Inclosure 2 in No.
165.—Translation.]
Mr. Terashima to
Mr. Bingham.
Foreign
Office,
Tokei,
the 19th, the 11th month, the 7th year of Meiji. November 19,
1874.)
Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge the
receipt of your letter dated the 14th instant, informing me of the
arrival of Mexican commissioners to observe the transit of Venus and of
their wishes to locate a station at a favorable place for the
observation, and to erect a telegraphic line, and to connect it with the
nearest telegraphic office.
The present observation being very important to the advancement of the
science of astronomy, I have the honor, in reply, to comply with your
request, of which I will notify the proper authorities.
I beg leave to request you to inform me of the locality where the station
is to be erected.
With great respect,
TEEASHIMA MUNENOEI,
H. I. J. MSs
Minister for Foreign Affairs.
To His Excellency John A. Bingham,
&c.
