Letter

Kanagawa Kencho to Captain Heriero, August 30, 1872

Author

Kanagawa Kencho

Recipient

Captain Heriero

Date

August 30, 1872

Type

Letter

Language

English

[Inclosure 3.—Translation.]

Kanagawa Kencho to Captain Heriero.

Kanagawa, Japan, August 30, 1872.

Sir: Your communication of this date, requesting that the Chinese passengers of the Maria Luz, who were summoned by this Kencho to testify in the late inquiry before me, may be returned on board the said ship, is at hand, and has received attention.

I have to inform you that each of those Chinese declines to return on board of the ship, and can only be compelled to do so by this Kencho, after a judgment to that effect regularly obtained in an action brought before me. Such an action any person interested is at liberty to institute, as expressed in the finding already announced, and when this shall be done the case will be adjudicated. This Kencho has certainly no right or authority to force those persons on board your ship against their will, merely at your request.

I am, &c.,

Topics

19th Century Diplomacy Reconstruction

Sources

FRUS u2014 Papers Relating to the Foreign Relations of the United States, Transmitted to Congress, With the Annual Message of the P View original source ↗

U.S. Department of State, Office of the Historian. Papers Relating to the Foreign Relations of the United States, Transmitted to Congress, With the Annual Message of the P.