362 EXPEDITION TO JAPAN. 



The next day^ (March 17tli,) the Commodore, accompanied by his interpreters, secretary, and 

 two or three of his officers, met the commissioners at the treaty house, and after some preliminary 

 compliments in regard to the presents, he was conducted as before from the hall of reception to 

 the inner room of conference. The Commodore, on the present occasion, had dispensed with the 

 military display, and much of the ceremony of the former visit, (which, as we have intimated 

 in a previous chapter, was merely for effect,) as had the Japanese commissioners, although the 

 negotiations were carried on with the usual formalities. 



Hayashi, the chief dignitary, opened the day's business by asking whether the Commodore 

 was satisfied with the Japanese propositions for a treaty, which had been sent on the previous 

 day, alluding to those embodied in the note printed above. The Commodore having replied 

 that their communication was not accompanied with a Dutch translation, the Japanese presented 

 one immediately, and the discussion began. The various propositions of the Jajjanese, and the 

 answers have been thus formularised : 



PROPOSITIONS OF JAPANESE COMMISSIONERS, WITH REPLIES Of COMMODORE PERRT. 



First Jajyanese proposition. 



From the next first month, wood, water, provisions, coal, and other things, the productions 

 of this country, that American ships may need, can be had at Nagasaki ; and after five years 

 from this, a port in another principality shall be opened for ships to go to. 



Note. — Those articles to be charged at the same prices that are charged to the Dutch and 

 Chinese, and to be paid for in gold and silver coin. 



Commodore Ferry's reply. 



Agreed to ; but one or more ports must be substituted for Nagasaki, as that is out of the 

 route of American commerce ; and the time for the opening of the ports to be agreed upon 

 must be immediate, or within a space of sixty days. The manner of paying for articles received 

 shall be arranged by treaty. 



Second Japanese proposition. 



Upon whatever part of the coast people may be shipwrecked, those people and their property 

 shall be sent to Nagasaki by sea. 



Note. — When, after five years shall have expired, and another harbor shall be opened, those 

 shipwrecked men will be sent either there or to Nagasaki, as may be most convenient. 



Commodore Ferry's reply. 

 Agreed to, excepting as to the port to which the shipwrecked men are to be carried. 



Third Japanese proposition. 

 It being impossible for us to ascertain who are pirates and who are not, such men shall not 

 be allowed to walk about wherever they please. 



Commodore Perry's reply. 

 Shipwrecked men and others who may resort to the ports of Japan are not be confined, and 

 shall enjoy all the freedom granted to Japanese, and be subject to no further restraints. They 

 shall, however, be held amenable to just lawa, or such as may be agreed upon by treaty. 



