Office of the Historian

Mr. Coombs to Mr. Foster.

Legation of the United States,
Tokyo Japan, December 17, 1892. (Received January 14.)
No. 62.]

Sir: I have the honor to inclose herewith copies of receipts, one from the “Chartered Bank of India, Australia, and China,” showing the proceeds in yen of my draft on the Secretary of State for $350 United States gold, in behalf of the rescuers of the wrecked vessel North American, and the other from the governor of Tokushima Ken for my personal check for yen 520.45, being the amount of proceeds of said draft. The draft had originally been drawn in favor of His Imperial Japanese Majesty’s minister for foreign affairs, and had been indorsed by him and made payable to the governor of Tokushima Ken. The governor seemed to be in doubt as to the amount in exchange which he could get and asked my assistance. I forwarded the draft to the bank, with the result shown by the inclosed copy of their receipt.

The money is to go toward the purchase of bonds in Tokushima Ken, which are supposed to be worth a yearly interest of about 90 yen. This will be devoted to the purchasing of fishing nets and such things as will assist the villagers in the pursuit of their occupation.

I explained to the governor that the United States would always be interested in hearing of the disposition of this fund in a manner most beneficial to those people. I was promised by the governor a copy of his report to His Imperial Japanese Majesty’s minister for foreign affairs giving an account of the investment of this money. When received I shall have the honor of transmitting copy of this report to you.

I have, etc,

Frank L. Coombs
[Page 389]
[Inclosure 1 in No. 62.]

Mr. Combs to Mr. Coombs.

Chartered Bank of India, Australia, and China,
Yokohama, December 13, 1892.

memorandum.

Dear Sir: We are in receipt of your letter of this date inclosing draft for $350, proceeds of which, at 67¼, $520.45, which we have credited to your account.

Yours, etc.,

Ed. Coutts, Agent.
[Inclosure 2 in No. 62.]
Legation of the United States,
Tokyo, December 15, 1892.

Received from Frank L. Coombs, United States minister, check on the “One Hundred and Nineteenth National Bank” at Tokyo, Japan, for 520.45 yen, being the full proceeds in exchange for draft on the Secretary of State of the United States, indorsed to me by Mutsu Munemitsu, His Imperial Japanese Majesty’s minister for foreign affairs, for the sum of $350, gold coin of the United States.

Yen 520.45.

Yoshiomi Seki,
Governor of Tokushima Ken.