To His Excellency John A. Bingham to Terashima Munenori , H. I. J. M.’s, December 18, 1874

No. 370. Mr. Bingham to Mr. Fish.

Sir: On the 14th ultimo, I was called upon by F. Diaz Covorrubias, esq., president of the astronomical expedition sent hither by the government of Mexico to observe the transit of Venus.

Mr. Covorrubias handed me a letter addressed to me by Mr. Foster, our minister to Mexico, commending him and his associates to my good offices, and requested me, inasmuch as Mexico had no representative in Japan, to acquaint the minister for foreign affairs of their presence and mission, and of their desire to obtain permission of this government to establish stations of observation, &c. I deemed it my duty, under my general instructions, to show this act of courtesy to the representatives of our sister republic, and accordingly addressed to Mr. Terashima an unofficial note, of date November 14, 1874, a copy of which is herewith. (Inclosure 1.) It gives me pleasure to say that Mr. Terashima was pleased to grant the request of the Mexican commissioners, as he informed me by a note dated the 19th of November. (Inclosure 2.)

I am gratified to say that every facility was afforded to the Mexican commissioners to make the observations with which they were charged. They were greatly favored oh the day of the transit, it being clear and cloudless at Yokohama, where they had established their stations, and it is reported that they were very successful in taking observations of the transit.

Trusting that my action in the premises may meet your approval,

I am, &c.,