Mr. Hay to Mr. Griscom.

No 51.]

Sir: I have to acknowledge the receipt of your unnumbered dispatch of the 14th ultimo, advising me of the measures taken by the Japanese Government to punish certain Formosan tribes whose members attacked and murdered several shipwrecked American seamen of the Benjamin Sewall.

The Department appreciates the efforts made by the Japanese Government to apprehend and punish the perpetrators of the outrages referred to, and trusts that the punishment visited on the offenders will be of such a nature as to deter the natives from any further crimes of this sort.

I am, etc.,

John Hay.