Notification., September 11, 1866

Notification.

In furtherance of the notification issued on the 4th of August last by this legation, through the consulates at the open ports, requesting American shipmasters not to approach the coasts of Suwo and Nagato pending the then contemplated hostilities between the Tycoon of Japan and the Daimio of said provinces, and in view of the authenticated report now received that sach hostilities have actually commenced, and with the desire of preventing acts which might affect the relations now existing between the government of the United States and Japan, the undersigned, minister resident of the United States in Japan, by virtue of the power vested in him by the act of Congress approved June 22, 1860, decrees and promulgates, for the guidance of his countrymen, the following

Regulation.

American merchant vessels or steamers will not stop or anchor at any port or roadstead in this country, except the three opened ports, viz., Kanagawa, (Yokohama,) Nagasaki, and Hakodate, unless in distress or forced by stress of weather, as provided by treaty. Masters of vessels committing a breach of this regulation render themselves liable to prosecution and punishment, and also to forfeiture of the protection of the United States, if the visit, to such non-opened port or roadstead involves either a breach of treaty, or may be construed as an act in aid of insurrection or rebellion.

The undersigned further calls the attention of the citizens of the United States in Japan to the following extracts from the law approved June 22, 1860, above referred to :

Sec. 15. And be it further enacted, That murder and insurrection or rebellion against the government of either of the said countries [China or Japan] with intent to subvert the same, shall be capital offences, punishable with death.

Sec. 24. And be it further enacted, That capital cases for murder or insurrection against the government of either of the countries [China or Japan] hereinbefore mentioned by citizens of the United States, or for offences against the public peace amounting to felony under the laws of the United States, may be tried before the minister of the United States in the country where the offence is committed, if allowed jurisdiction, and it shall be competent for each of the said ministers to issue all manner of writs to prevent the citizens of the United States from enlisting in the military or naval services of either of the said countries, to make war upon any foreign power with whom the United States is at peace, or in the service of one portion of the people against any other portion of the same people, and he may carry out this power by a resort to such force as may at the time be within his reach belonging to the United States..