INTRODUCTION. 67 



expresses it, at once addressed the governor of Nagasaki, and attempted to open a negotiation 

 Avith liim. He laid before liini the several items in the draft of the treaty witli whicli he had 

 been furnished, accompanying them with explanations, and set forth what he deemed the prin- 

 ciples which were for the Japanese interest, and which should predominate in the negotiations 

 ivhich he thought might result from the anticipated propositions of the United States ; for both he 

 and the Japanese knew that our squadron was on its way. He concluded his letter as follows : 

 " His Majesty, the King of the Netherlands, expects that the peace of the Japanese Empire can 

 be preserved, if the government of Japan will answer the propositions of the United States in 

 the manner indicated;" that is, on the bases set forth in the Dutch draft of a treaty. But 

 the Japanese treated this attempt as they had all the previous ones from the Dezima chief; and 

 its only effect was to quicken their native shrewdness, and prompt to more numerous demands 

 for explanation, and more thorough investigations into the subject. 



At length, in June, 1853, the American squadron, purposely avoiding Nagasaki, made its 

 appearance in tlie bay of Jeddo, and thus was in Japan before the Dutch were able to anticipate 

 the American commissioner in making a treaty. The American squadron never was at Nagasaki, 

 and our representative never had the least communication with the Dutch chief at Dezima. 



The Russian squadron soon after entered the port of Nagasaki, and the result of that visit 

 has already been stated. Russia made no treaty with Jupan. 



Commodore Perry signed the treaty with Japan on the last day of March, 1854 ; and the 

 Dutch government dispatched their war steamer Soemhing from Batavia for Japan on the 25tli 

 of July, 1854. This was deemed a measure of expediency, as the sight of the American and 

 Russian steamers had excited the liveliest interest in the Japanese. The Soemhing, during her 

 stay, was visited by men of the highest rank, and, in fact, was made a school of instruction for 

 a large number of Japanese. Finally, the English squadron, under Admiral Stirling, came in 

 on the 7th of September, 1854, and deepened the impres.sion which had been made in Jajjan by 

 the spectacle of so many armed ships of different nations. 



The document before us ooncludes by claiming great merit for the Dutch, in having opened 

 Japan to the world. It thus speaks : " The Netherlands have understood their mission when, in 

 consequence of the course of events, they placed themselves at the head to oiserate, in the interest 

 of all, a mitigation of the system of exclusion that existed relative to foreign nations in Japan. 

 The letter of his Majesty, the late William II, is thereof an irrefragable proof." " The United 

 States of North America have obtained, by treaty, the opening to their flag of two ports in the 

 Japanese Emjiire ; and one other power seems to have succeeded in a similar manner. In the 

 face of such results, we cannot deny or undervalue the impression and effect produced by the 

 presence of powerful fleets, or the influence exerted by the simultaneous and serious attempts of 

 diSerent nations. But we wish to see acknowledged the part that the Netherlands had in it by 

 their advice and persuasion. Indeed, these fleets realized the predictions of your Majesty's royal 

 father, and served to procure a more ready acceptance of his disinterested advice. The draft 

 of a treaty of 1852 — the letter of the chief at Dezima of the 2d of November, 1852 — the com- 

 munication of the governor of Nagasaki of the 9th of November, 1853 — finally, the comparing 

 of the said draft of a treaty with the convention concluded by the United States — all this 

 jrresents the undeniable fact, that the measures taken, in consequence of your Majesty's orders, 

 have powerfully contributed to the results obtained hy other nations." 



"In fact, the Netherlands have always desired an opening of Japanese ports, in the general 

 interest, and in favor of commerce. Attached disinterestedly to that jiolicy, the Netherlands 



