Mr. Dun to Mr. Gresham.
Tokyo, November 16, 1894. (Received December 10.)
Sir: Your telegraphic instruction of the 6th instant was received by me shortly after midnight of the 7th instant. Unfortunately, Viscount Mutsu, His Imperial Japanese Majesty’s minister for foreign affairs, the left Tokyo on that day for Hiroshima, in southern Japan, where had Emperor still is. On the morning of the 8th instant I called upon Mr. Hayashi, vice-minister for foreign affairs, and informed him of the inquiry I was directed by the President to make, and in order that the Japanese Government should understand the nature of my instructions and the friendly and disinterested motives that prompted my Government to send them, I left with him a translation of your telegram for transmission by telegraph to Hiroshima, as an authoritative declaration of the disinterested and friendly neutrality of the United States and the entire absence of selfish interest to shape her policy toward Japan and China in this unhappy war.
Viscount Mutsu returned to Tokyo from Hiroshima with Count Ito, minister-president of state, the evening of the 14th instant. The next day I sought and obtained an interview with the minister for foreign affairs, at which he informed me that he had received at Hiroshima the reading of your telegraphic instruction to me; that while sincerely and [Page 79] highly appreciating the friendly sentiments expressed the President for Japan, he could not reply to the inquiry I was instructed to make until after consultation with his colleagues in the cabinet at Tokyo; for that purpose-he and Count Ito had hastened their return to Tokyo; and that there would be a meeting of the cabinet to-day, the 16th instant, to determine upon what answer it would be proper for his Government to make. The minister informed me that I would probably be furnished with that answer on the 17th instant. I infer from this that it will be necessary to submit the answer to the Emperor at Hiroshima.
Some weeks since the British minister at this court was instructed by his Government to sound the Japanese Government in regard to their willingness to accept the mediation of Great Britain for the termination of the war, on a basis of a guaranty by the great powers of the independence of Korea and the payment by China of the expenses incurred by Japan in connection with the war. After much delay, Mr. Trench, the British minister, was given the following reply:
The Imperial Government fully appreciate the friendly motives which prompted the inquiry of Her Britannic Majesty’s Government. Thus far Japan’s arms have been attended with complete success; nevertheless the Imperial Government are inclined to think that, in the present stage of the war, affairs have not made sufficient progress to insure a satisfactory result of negotiations. The Imperial Government can not but refrain from expressing, at this time, their views as to the terms upon which the war could be terminated.
I venture to express the, opinion that unless serious reverses should overtake her arms on land and sea, Japan will not feel disposed to entertain overtures of peace until she is directly approached by China, and that terms which might have been acceptable some months since, would not be favorably considered now.
I have, etc.,