No. 65.
His Excellency Terashima
Munenori,
Minister of Foreign
Affairs:
Sir: Yesterday I had the honor to make a communication to Your Excellency concerning the German steamer “Hesperia.”
I have since with regard to the said steamer received further reports from Yokohama, which make it appear that its detention is absolutely unnecessary and purposeless, and I feel justified in assuming that the Imperial Japanese quarantine authorities, in view of the circumstances, have arrived at the same conclusion, and that the steamer may now, as soon as an eventual disinfection has taken place, continue, without hinderance, its voyage to Kokohama.
If, nevertheless, the steamer “Hesperia” should continue, without sufficient cause, to be detained on the quarantine ground, then Your Excellency’s exalted government would have to bear the full responsibility, and I could not answer for the consequences of such a proceeding.
I shall, as soon as I shall have received the report from the German physician delegated by me, have the honor to make a further communication to Your Excellency in this matter. With regard to the state of the “Hesperia,” I may now observe that there are only foreigners on board, and that, with the exception of the captain, none of the crew has been ashore in Kobe.
I request Your Excellency to accept, &c.,