The Japanese Minister to Acting Secretary of State Peirce.

No. 30.]

Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of Mr. Loomis’s note No. 203, dated June 20, informing me that the Department had received a communication from the Russian Government to the effect that the hospital ship Kostroma had been ordered from Shanghai to Manila to take the wounded officers and sailors from the vessels of [Page 596] Admiral Enquist, and to take them back afterwards to Russia, and an application had been made to the United States Government to obtain its permission, and that that application of the Russian Government is coupled with the formal statement by it that all persons who shall be authorized and permitted by the United States authorities to go on board the Kostroma, will give their word to take no further part in the present war, and that the Department would be pleased to receive any suggestion which I may have to make regarding the above.

In reply to your courteous communication, I beg to state that the matter has been submitted to the Japanese Government, which informed me that they see no objection to whatever disposition the United States Government may deem fit to make in the matter.

Accept, etc.,

K. Takahira.