Matsudaira Boodzen No Kami to Robert H. Pruyn, April 20, 1863

Japanese ministers to Mr. Pruyn

We have to inform your excellency that the British envoy has recently communicated to us a demand for damages and other matters in relation to the murders committed last year at Tosenji, (British legation at Yedo,) and in the village Nama-mungi, (September, 1862.)

After all our efforts to arrange this, we are at last compelled to send him such a communication as submitted in accompanying copy of the same. Should it happen that this communication is not acceptable to him, it will have an influence in the relations between the two countries and lead to difficulty, which gives us profound anxiety.

We therefore beseech your excellency to lend us your aid, and specially endeavor to induce the British minister to grant us the request which we cannot avoid making.

A similar application was also sent to the French minister at once, and we now urgently request your excellency to consult with him and lend us your friendly offices.