No. 199.
Mr. Bingham to Mr. Fish.
United
States Legation, Japan,
Tokei, June 5, 1876.
(Received July 5.)
No. 409.]
Sir: In compliance with instruction No. 164,
received 8th September last, after several verbal inquiries, I addressed, on
the 4th of April last, to his excellency Mr. Terashima, the Japanese
minister for foreign affairs, a communication in relation to the Lew Chew
Islands, a copy of which I have the honor to inclose. (Inclosure No. 1.)
On the 1st instant I received a reply from the foreign minister to my
communication, under date the 31sb ultimo, a copy of which is herewith
inclosed. (Inclosure No. 2.)
You will observe that the minister states that the Japanese government has
not at any time interfered with the rights of the United States, as secured
by its subsisting compact with the Lew Chew Islands.
I have, &c.,
[Inclosure 1 in No. 409.]
United
States Legation,
Tokei, April 4,
1876.
No. 319.]
Sir: In pursuance of instructions from my
Government, I beg leave to inquire what new conventions, if any, were
entered into during the last and the current year between His Imperial
Japanese Majesty’s government and that of the Lew Chew Islands, and also
to be informed by your excellency whether any privileges and powers
heretofore exercised by the government of those islands have, during the
past and present year, been in anywise limited, restricted, or changed
by the Japanese government.
I make these inquiries because it is the wish of my Government to know
whether anything has been done in the premises which in anywise
contravenes, limits, or changes the subsisting compact between my
Government and that of the Lew Chew Islands, concluded on the 11th of
December, 1854, and, if so, what those changes and limitations are.
I will thank your excellency for an early reply to these inquiries.
I have, &c ,
His Excellency Terashima Munenori, &c., &c., &c.
[Page 380]
[Inclosure 2 in No.
409.—Translation.]
Foreign
Office,
Tokio, the 31st day of the 5th month, the
9th year Meiji, (May 31,
1876.)
No. 44.]
Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge receipt of
your excellency’s communication dated the 4th April, 1876, in which your
excellency inquires, by instruction of your Government, whether new
conditions were entered into during the last and the present year
between our government and that of Lew Chew Islands; and, if so, whether
anything has been done which changes in anywise the subsisting compact
between your Government and the Lew Chew ban, which was concluded on the
11th of December, 1854.
I beg leave, in reply, to inform your excellency that Lew Chew was made a
ban under the Japanese government in the ninth month of the fifth year
Meiji, (September, 1872.) Since the seventh year Meiji, (1874,) some
officials of Naimusho (interior department) reside there who are
authorized to manage all the matters which concern foreign countries. In
the same year a mail-steamer began to ply between Tokio and that han. In
the next, eighth, year Meiji, (1875,) an information was made to that
han that a military station will be established there for its
protection. I also beg to state that an information will be made to you
whenever we have anything which would necessarily cause changes in the
compact existing between your Government and the Lew Chew han, as
further changes are intended to be made in that han. This government has
not at any time interfered with the rights of the United States, as
secured by its subsisting compact with the Lew Chew Islands, and before
taking such action this government will confer with the Government of
the United States.
With respect, &c.,
His Excellency John A. Bingham,
Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary
of the United States.
