Office of the Historian

Minister Griscom to the Secretary of State.

American Legation,
Tokyo, July 7, 1905.
No. 291.]

Sir: I have the honor to inform you that by the steamer Minnesota, by which this dispatch will be carried to America, will sail His Excellency Baron Jutaro Komura, minister for foreign affairs, who goes to Washington as a plenipotentiary to negotiate terms of peace.

Baron Komura will be accompanied by the following suite, whose names are set forth in their order of precedence:

H. W. Denison, legal adviser to the foreign office.

Aimaro Sato, minister resident.

Yenjiro Yamaza, director of the political bureau in the foreign office.

Mineichiro Adachi, first secretary of legation, counselor in the foreign office.

Colonel Tachibana, military attaché to the Japanese legation in Washington.

Kumataro Honda, secretary in the foreign office and private secretary to the minister for foreign affairs.

Kotaro Konishi, attaché of legation.

Baron Komura is too well known to the Department to need any explanation as to his distinguished position and high personal character. The appointment of a man of his rank and importance as a plenipotentiary may be taken to indicate the sincere spirit in which the Japanese Government seems to be entering upon the peace negotiations.

I have the honor to inclose herewith a translated copy of the imperial message received by Baron Komura yesterday at a special audience with his Majesty the Emperor.

I have, etc.,

Lloyd Griscom.
[Inclosure.—Translation.]

imperial message.

The President of the United States, grieved to find that the war between Japan and Russia has not yet been brought to a close after the lapse of more than a year, and impressed with the urgent need, in the interest of peace and humanity, of terminating the conflict, has suggested to the two governments that they should appoint plenipotentiaries and cause them to meet together and negotiate for peace. It was contrary to our expectation that we were compelled to resort to arms in spite of our constant and abiding wish for peace. If, in consequence of the conciliatory spirit of our opponent, the hostilities could be brought to an end, nothing would be more satisfactory than such consummation. Accordingly, [Page 818] we have at once accepted the suggestion of the President of the United States, and we hereby charge you with the mission of negotiating and concluding peace. You should devote yourselves with all your power to the discharge of your mission and make every effort to secure the reestablishment of peace on a durable basis.