Papers Relating to the Foreign Relations of the United States, Transmitted to Congress, With the Annual Message of the President, December 1, 1879

No. 279.
Mr. D. W. Stevens to Mr. Evarts.

United States Legation,
Tokei, Japan, November 9, 1878. (Recived December 6, 1878.)

No. 4.]

Sir: An outbreak of Asiatic cholera in Nagasaki, now happily reported to have abated, induced the Japanese Government to issue temporary regulations for the medical inspection of vessels coming from that port to Yokohama and Kobe. These regulations were transmitted to Mr. Bingham by his excellency the minister for foreign affairs on the 24th ultimo, and were approved by him.

On the 29th ultimo, I notified Mr. Terashima of Mr. Bingham’s approval of the regulations, and also sent a copy thereof to Consul-General van Buren, directing him at the same time to forward copies to our consuls at Nagasaki and Kobe.

I have the honor to inclose a copy of the regulations, and also a copy of my dispatch to his excellency the minister for foreign affairs, (inclosures 1 and 2).

I have, &c.,

D. W. STEVENS.

[Inclosure No. 1 in No 4.]

Now, as Asiatic cholera is prevailing at the port of Nagasaki, all vessels coming from that port must submit to medical inspection at Kobe and Yokahama, according to the following temporary regulations.

• Article I. Outside of Wadano-Misaki for Kobe, and outside of Yokosnka Bay for Yokohama, guard-ships, displaying signal flags, are posted, and medical officers will board and inspect all vessels coming from Nagasaki, and the said vessels are required to stop and submit to medical inspection. In case any vessel is prevented from stopping for inspection by stormy weather, such vessel will be required to submit to medical inspection after entering the port.
• Art. II. The captain, or person who has control of any vessel coming from Nagasaki, will be required to answer all questions by the medical officers and afford every facility to such officers in discharging their duties. Unless permission is first obtained from the medical officers after due inspection, no person on board said vessel will be allowed to communicate directly with the shore or other vessels.
• Art. III. When any cholera patient or dead body is found on board, the vessel will be required to anchor at some anchorage designated by the medical officers, and the patient will be removed to the quarantine hospital, and the dead will be buried at some place designated by the medical officers after disinfection.
• Art. IV. All persons on board said vessels will be landed at a place prepared for the purpose (Wadano-Misaki for Kobe, andNagawoora for Yokohama), where the disinfecting process will be properly carried out, and all clothing, bedding, luggage, &c., will be delivered to the owners after disinfection. The mode of disinfection for merchandise on board vessels will be subject to the discretion of medical officers.
• Art. V. If, after medical inspection, no case of cholera is found, and there are no dead bodies on board, and the sanitary condition of the vessel is deemed by the medical officers to be satisfactory, the vessel will be allowed to enter the port directly. Although no case of cholera or dead body is found on board, if the vessel is in a filthy condition, so that infection is feared, suitable disinfection shall be performed.
• Art. VI. After inspection has been finished, the medical officers will give a certificate to that effect.

[Inclosure No. 2 in No. 4.]

Mr. Stevens to His Excellency Terashima Munenori.

United States Legation,
Tokei, Japan, October 29, 1879.

His Excellency Terashima Munenori,
His Imperial Japanese Majesty’s Minister for Foreign Affairs:

Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your excellency’s communication of the 24th instant, addressed to Mr. Bingham and covering regulations for the medical inspection of vessels entering the ports of Yokohama and Kobe from Nagasaki, where Asiatic cholera now prevails. Your excellency’s dispatch was received at the moment of Mr. Bingham’s departure for the United States, hut before leaving he instructed me to inform you that the regulations forwarded to him by your excellency should be notified to the United States consular officers at Yokohama, Kobe, and Nagasaki, as obligatory upon American shipping coming from Nagasaki to Yokohama and Kobe.

I shall accordingly, at an early day, forward a copy of the regulations to the United States consul-general at Yokohama, and direct him to transmit copies thereof to the United States consuls at Nagasaki and Kobe.

I have, &c.,

D. W. STEVENS.