Last Autumn at the departure of the Dutch ship, the superintendent of the Dutch trade in Japan, was requested to inform your government of this event, and a reply in writing has been received.
At Nangasaki, the Russian Ambassador recently arrived to communicate a wish of his government; he has since left that place, because no answer would be given to any nation that might communicate similar wishes.
However, we admit the urgency, and shall entirely comply with the proposals of your government, concerning, wood, water, provisions, and the saving of ships and their crews in distress. After being informed, which harbor your Excellency has selected, that harbor shall be prepared, and this preparation, it is estimated, will take about five years. Meanwhile a commencement can be made with the coal at Nangasaki by the beginning of the next Japanese year [10th of February, 1855].
Having no precedent with respect to coal, we request your Excellency to furnish us with an estimate, and upon due consideration this will be complied with, if not in opposition to our laws. What do you understand by provisions? and how much coal?
Finally, anything ships may be in want of, that can be furnished from the productions of this Empire shall be supplied; the prices of merchandise and articles of barter to be fixed by Kuro-kawa Kahei, and Moriyama Yenoske. After settling the point before mentioned, the treaty can be concluded, and signed at the next interview.
Seal attached by order of the Imperial Commissioners.
(L. S.) Moriyama Yenoske.
Kayei, 7th year, 1st moon, 26th day.
[February 23d, 1854.]
The commissioners expressed themselves prepared to commence discussions upon the various points contained in the letter from the president, presented last year, and also to receive any further propositions that the commodore might wish to make—that in the determination of the emperor to make some modification in their laws of seclusion, he relied upon the friendly disposition of the Americans toward Japan; and as such negotiations were entirely novel to them, they would trust with confidence to the commodore’s superior experience, to his generosity, and his sense of justice.
Commodore Perry was fully satisfied on all points suggested by him, which were in accordance with Mr. Webster’s letter of instructions to Commodore Aulick, accompanying the first letter to the emperor. A draft treaty, in English, Dutch, Chinese, and Japanese, was put into the hands of the Japanese commissioners, who said that it would receive due consideration; but the old emperor had died since Commodore Perry was there last year, and his successor was a young man, who would require to consult his council before coming to a determination, and the commodore was reminded that the Japanese did not act with the same rapidity as Americans did.