Note from the Foreign Office., July 11, 1868.

Note from the Foreign Office.

When we received the dispatch [of March 3] from your excellency, relating to the American schooner General Sherman, lost in Corea in 1866, concerning which an American man-of-war had gone to inquire about and had not succeeded in her mission, so that you requested us to communicate with the government of Corea to ascertain who were the two foreigners reported to be held in confinement there, and learn the reasons why they were so treated, that something might be done for their welfare, we replied that measures would be taken to further your wishes.

We accordingly presented a memorial to the throne, requesting that orders might be transmitted to the board of rites, directing its president to address the King of Corea and ask him to inquire whether two foreigners were really detained in his country. We have recently received a dispatch from the board of rites stating that a reply had been received from the Bang to the following effect:

“A two-masted foreign vessel went ashore in the Ping-jang river, but this government had no hand whatever in the disasters which happened to her and her crew; nor has any envoy from the United States been here to inquire respecting them. If you have any means of communicating this to him, you can no doubt fully inform him of this fact. It is a fixed rule of this country, moreover, that when unfortunate men are cast ashore they must be rescued and treated kindly, so that if there were at this time any such pitiable cases here of persons who had drifted down upon us, how could we detain them against their will? This rumor of two foreigners and two Chinese being kept here has no foundation; and it is a point, too, which can easily be ascertained. I shall be obliged if the officers of the board of rites will make these explanations on my behalf to those who may wish them.”

It appears to us from the above that the statement by the Corean authorities that none of your countrymen are detained in their borders has much to confirm it; and in sending this reply we avail ourselves of the occasion to renew to you the expression of our best wishes for your happiness.

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