Parkes to Van Valkenburgh, October 8, 1866

Sir H. Parkes to Mr. Van Valkenburgh.

Sir: I have the honor to inform you of my having been instructed by my government that in receiving, on account of Great Britain, $250,000 as one-fourth share of the second and third instalments of the Simonoseki indemnity, in accordance with the understanding arrived at with Mr. Portman, as United States chargé d’affaires, in conjunction with our colleagues the representatives of France and the Netherlands, we omitted to consider the prior claims of France, the United States, and the Netherlands to compensation for special injuries to the amount of $70,000 on each instalment, which had already been recognized by her Majesty’s government.

Deducting, therefore, the last-mentioned sum from each of the aforesaid instalments, the amount remaining to be divided equally between the four powers was $860,000, instead of one million dollars, and the share to be received by each power (after payment of the special compensations) was $215,000, instead of $250,000.

Great Britain having accordingly received $35,000 in excess of her proper share, the senior commissariat officer in Japan has been instructed by her Majesty’s treasury to adjust this matter by paying the sum of $11,666⅔ to each of the representatives of France, the United States, and the Netherlands, in completion of the amount to which they were respectively entitled.

I have the honor to be, sir, your most obedient, humble servant,