TREATIES OP OTHER POWERS WITH JAPAN. 389 



witli them ; and, as prejudice gradually vanishes, we may hope to see the future negotiation of 

 commercial treaties, more and more liberal, for the benefit, not of ourselves only, but of all the 

 maritime powers of Europe, for the advancement of Japan, and for the upward progress of our 

 common humanity. It would he a foul reproach to Christendom now to force Japan to relapse 



3. Only ships in distress from weather, or unmanageable, will The third article declares that only ships in distress from 

 be permitted to enter other ports than those specified in tile fore- weather, or unmanageable, shall enter other ports than Naga- 

 going articles, without permission from the imperial govern- saki and Hokadadi without permission from the imperial gov- 

 ment. ernment ; but ships of war have a general right to enter the 



ports of friendly powers in the unavoidable performance of public 

 duties, which right can neither be waived nor restricted ; but her Majesty's ships will not enter any other than open ports without 

 necessity, nor without offering proper explanation to the imperial authorities. 



4. British ships in Japanese ports shall conform to the laws The fourth article provides that the British ships and subjects 

 of Japan. If high officers or commanders of ships shall break in Japanese ports shall conform to the laws of Japan ; and that 

 any such laws, it will lead to the ports being closed. Should if any subordmate British subjects commit offences against the 

 inferior persons break them, they are to be delivered over to laws, they shall be handed over to their own officers for punish- 

 the commanders of their ships for punishment. ment ; and that if high officers or commanders of ships shall 



break the laws, it will lead to the closing of the ports specified. 

 All this is as it should be ; but it is not intended by this article that any acts of individuals, whether high or low, previously un- 

 authorized or subsequently disapproved of by her Majesty the Queen of Great Britain, can set aside the convention entered into 

 with her Majesty alone by his Imperial Highness the Emperor of Japan. 



5. In the ports of Japan, either now open, or which may The fifth article secures in the fullest sense to British ships 

 hereafter be opened, to the ships or subjects of any foreign na- and subjects in every port of Japan, either now open or here- 

 tion, British ships and subjects shall be entitled to admission, after to be opened, an equality in point of advantage and ac- 

 and to the enjoyment of an equality of advantages with those commodation with the ships and subjects or citizens of any other 

 of the most favored nation, always excepting the advantages foreign nation, excepting any peculiar privileges hitherto con- 

 accruing to the Dutch and Chinese from their existing relations ceded to the Dutch and Chinese in the port of Nagasaki . If 

 with Japan. therefore, any other nation or people be now or hereafter per- 

 mitted to enter other ports than Nagasaki, and Hakodadi, or 



to appoint consuls, or to open trade, or to enjoy any advantage or privilege whatever, British ships and subjects shall, as ot 

 right, enter upon the enjoyment of the same. 



6. This convention shall be ratified, and the ratification shall be e.xchanged at Nagasaki on behalf of her Majesty the Queen 

 of Great Britain, and on behalf of his Highness the Emperor of Japan, within twelve months from the present date. 



7. When this convention shall be ratified no high officer coming to Japan shall alter it. 



ARRANGEMENT REGARDING STAMPS. 



An arrangement made subsequently to the convention requires that British ships intending to visit Japan shall be provided 

 with a document in proof of their nationality, and as a check upon the conduct of vessels in Japanese ports; and her Majesty's 

 government has directed a form of certificate of registration to be adopted, which has been accepted as satisfactory by the 

 Japanese authorities; and merchant ships arriving in Japanese ports are to submit their certificate of registration to the 

 officers to be appointed by the Japanese authorities, and to permit them to make sucii extracts from it as may seem good to 

 them before such ships can be admitted to obtain repairs and supplies. Her Majesty's ships of war will not be provided with 

 such documents, but the officers in command, upon proper application, will aSbrd all reasonable inlbrmation regardimr their 

 ships, 



REGULATIONi FOR THE PORT OF NAGASAKI, COMMUNICATED TO REAR ADMIRAL SIR JAMES STERLING BT THE GOVERNOR OF 



NAGASAKI, OCTOBER, 1854. 



Standing port regulations. 



Art. 1. Ships shall anchor within two sima, and there await the direction of the governor. 

 Art. 2. No fire arms to be discharged. 

 Art. 3. No person to land on any of the islands. 

 Art. 4. No soundings to be taken, nor boats to be pulling about. 



Art. 5. Should any communication be desired, a boat of the upper officers shall be called; but no communication shall be 

 held with merchant boats, and no exchange of articles take place, or trading of any sOrt. 



The above being according to the law of Great Japan, all commanders and other officers shall obey the same, and orderi shall 

 be given to ths crew that the aforesaid law shall not be broken. 



No regulations for the port of Hakodadi have yet been communicated. 



Of the Dateh treaty, all we know is contained in the following newspaper paragraph : 



THE DUTCH TREATY WITH JAPAN. 

 In reference to the treaty between the Dutch and the Emperor of Japan, a private letter from Batavia, under datd of 

 December 5, to a party in Boston, says : " The Dutch royal commissioners have returned from Japan, and Captain Fabins ii off 



