244 EXPEDITION TO JAPAN. 



The advance boat now came alongside, leaving the other two floating at some distance from 

 the Susquehanna. His highness, Kayama Yezaiman, with his two interpreters, Hori Tatsnoske, 

 the principal, and Fatcisko Tokushumo, his second, were admitted at once on hoard, and liaving 

 been received with due formality, were ushered into the presence of Captains Buchanan and 

 Adams, who were prepared to communicate with them. 



The Commodore had, previously to the arrival of the governor, written the following letter to 

 the Emperor : 



"United States Steam Frigate Susquehanna, 



Uraga, July 12, 1853. 

 "The Commander-in-chief of the United States naval forces in these seas, being invested with 

 full powers to negotiate treaties, is desirous of conferring with one of the highest officers of the 

 Empire of Japan, in view of making arrangements for the presentation of the original of his 

 letter of credence, as also the original of a letter with which he is charged, addressed to his 

 Imperial Majesty by the President of the United States. 



"It is hoped that an early day will be appointed for the proposed interview. 

 "To his Imperial Majesty the Emperor op Japan." 



The governor's first statement was to the effect that there had been a misapprehension as to 

 the delivery of the translations of the papers before the originals had been received. Although 

 the Commodore was certain that there had been no such misunderstanding, nevertheless he, on 

 the second interview in the course of the afternoon, consented, after much discussion, to deliver 

 the translations and originals, as also a letter from himself to the Emperor^ at the same time, 

 provided the latter should appoint a suitable officer to receive them directly from the hands of 

 the Commodore, who repeated that he would consent to present them to no other than a Japanese 

 dignitary of the highest rank. The governor then said that a building would be erected on 

 shore for the reception of the Commodore and his suite, and that a high official personage, 

 specially appointed by the Emperor, would he in attendance to receive the letters. He, however, 

 added that no answer would he given in the bay of Yedo, but that it would be transmitted to 

 Nagasaki, through the Dutch or Chinese superintendents. This being reported to the Commo- 

 dore, he wrote the following memorandum and directed it to be translated into Dutch, and fully 

 explained to the governer. 



• "The Commander-in-chief will not go to Nagasaki, and will receive no communication 

 through the Dutch or Chinese. 



" He has a letter from the President of the United States to deliver to the Emperor of Japan, 

 or to his secretary of foreign aifairs, and he will deliver the original to none other: — if this 

 friendly letter of the President to the Emperor is not received and duly replied to, he will 

 consider his country insulted, and will not hold himself accountable for the consequences. , 



" He expects a reply of some sort in a few days, and he will receive such reply nowhere but 

 in this neighborhood." [Bay of Uraga.] 



When this was communicated to the governor, he took his departure, probably to consult 

 some higher authority, as doubtless there was more than one high officer of the court at Uraga, 

 secretly directing the negotiations. The interview had lasted three hours, and it was fully one 

 o'clock before the governor left the ship. All passed in the most quiet way without any 

 interruption to the usual courtesies of friendly negotiation. The shore showed every indication 



