[Enclosure No. 6.—General memorandum.], April 22, 1863.

[Enclosure No. 6.—General memorandum.]

The following arrangements, having been determined upon with the view of providing for the safety of the foreign community of Yokohama in the event of any attack or disturbance, are made known for general information and guidance:

The signals of alarm which will be used are:

By day.—The English red ensign hoisted at the flag-staff of Mr. Clarke, Portuguese consul, at any of the other consulates, or other conspicuous points.

By night.—A rocket from the British consular prison, or from the French legation, to be repeated if the danger is imminent, or a blue-light or port-fire from the British legation, the house of Mr. Maine, adjoining the eastern quay, or from that of Mr. Gower, the last house in the foreign settlement, near the custom-house.

Should either of these signals be made, (by day or night,) two guns in rapid succession, fired from one or other of the gunboats anchored in shore, will give the requisite notice of danger to the settlement, and the boats of all the vessels-of-war in port will immediately assemble at the eastern quay, (the general rendezvous,) adjoining Mr. Maine’s house; one-half of the boats to be manned and armed; the remaining, with half-crews, in readiness to embark the foreign residents, should this extreme measure be necessary.

The men are on no account to be permitted to land without orders from Captain Dew, of the Encounter, the officer in command, who, with such officers as he may select, is charged with the duty of superintending on shore.

The whole of the boats will be under the orders of Captain Josling, of the Euryalus, or, in the event of his absence, of such other officer as the senior officer present may direct.

Guard-boats will be stationed by night near the bend, to convey to the nearest gunboat any notice of danger, in order that the signal may be made for the assembly of the boats at the rendezvous.

The English boats to be stationed on the eastern part of the settlement, the French in the centre, the Dutch on the western.

The officer in command of the legation guards is hereby requested to make arrangements, in conjunction with the officers in command of the French legation guard and the Yokohama volunteer corps, for establishing picquets and patrols as follows:

Picquets by night—at the British legation, royal marines; Mr. Maine’s residence, volunteers; Mr. Grower’s residence, adjoining custom-house, 67th regiment; and at the British consular prison, 67th regiment.

Also by night, patrols (mounted or infantry, as most convenient) to communicate with the posts above mentioned.

The guards at each of these posts will (in case of an attack in force) retire gradually on the general rendezvous, the officers in command having previously satisfied themselves that the foreign community resident within their respective lines of retreat have been apprized of the danger.

The masters of the British merchant vessels at this anchorage, having at a recent meeting unanimously resolved to place the boats of their respective ships at the service of the community, under my directions, those gentlemen are requested (in the event of any of the alarm-signals being made) to send their boats immediately to the general rendezvous, in accordance with their resolutions, but not to allow any of their men to land.

The above arrangements are to come into force on Saturday, the 25th instant.

AUGUSTUS L. KUPER, Rear-Admiral, and Commander-in-Chief.

To the respective captains, commanders, and officers commanding her Majesty’s ships and vessels at this anchorage.

True copy.