Mr. Van Valkenburgh to Mr. Seward.
No. 53.]
Legation of the United States in
Japan,
Yedo,
October 26, 1866.
Sir: I have the honor to transmit herewith No.
1, copy of a letter from the British minister, informing me that in view
of the prior claims of the United States, France, and the Netherlands to
compensation for special injuries, Great Britain had received, of the 2d
and 3d instalments of the indemnity money received for the four powers
named from the Japanese government, a sum of thirty-five thousand
dollars ($35,000) in excess of her proper share, and that therefore the
senior British commissariat officer at Yokohama had been instructed to
pay to me, for the United States, one-third of the amount named, viz:
eleven thousand six hundred and sixty-six dollars and sixty-six cents,
($11,666 66.)
I transmit herewith No. 2, copy of the letter of the British commissariat
officer, and Nos. 3 and 4, copies of my replies to the British minister
and the commissariat officer respectively. When the remittance of
one-fourth of the 2d and 3d
[Page 224]
instalments of the indemnity money, namely, two hundred and fifty
thousand dollars, ($250,000,) was made in May last, the mode of division
between the four powers, as adopted in London or Paris, was not known,
nor had any instructions on that subject been received at this legation;
and the first instalment of the indemnity remitted through the British
commissariat was deemed sufficient to meet any balance that might have
to be adjusted between the four powers.
I now understand the above account to stand as follows: A prior claim of
one hundred and forty thousand dollars ($140,000) each for the United
States, France and the Netherland, on the total amount of the indemnity
of three millions dollars, ($3,000,000,) having been admitted, it
appears to have been agreed that one-sixth of the total prior claim,
amount of four hundred and twenty thousand dollars, ($420,000,) namely,
seventy thousand dollars, ($70,000,) shall be first in equal shares
apportioned between the United States, France and the Netherlands; the
balance remaining of each of the six instalments of five hundred
thousand dollars, ($500,000,) namely, four hundred and thirty thousand
dollars, ($430,000,) to be then equally divided between the four powers,
who signed the convention of October 22d, 1864,
In this manner only can I account for the difference of $11,666 66, now
stated to be due to the United States. Instructions in accordance with
those received by the British minister being no doubt on the way, I did
not hesitate to receive the amount of $11,666 66 named, for which I
purchased a bill of exchange on London, at the current rate of four
shillings seven pence, at six months after sight. I now enclose the
third of this bill of exchange, for two thousand six hundred and
seventy-three pounds twelve shillings and two pence sterling, (£2,673 12
2,) drawn by the Oriental Bank Corporation at Yokohama on the Union
Bank, London, in favor of the honorable Mr. Adams, our minister in
London, to whom, in obedience to the instructions contained in your
despatch No. 20, of the 14th July last, I transmit the first of this
bill by this mail, and the second of the same I shall send to London,
similarly addressed, by the next mail, which leaves Yokohama on the 13th
proximo.
I also transmit, No. 5, copy of the receipt given by me to the British
assistant commissary general, and, No. 6, copy of my letter to Mr.
Adams.
I have the honor to be, sir, very respectfully, your obedient
servant,
Hon. William H. Seward,
Secretary of State, Washington, D. C.
Sir H. Parkes to Mr. Van Valkenburgh.
Yokohama,
October 8,
1866.
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,
General Van Valkenburgh,
&c., &c., &c.
[Page 225]
Mr. Murray to Mr. Van Valkenburgh.
Commissariat Office,
Yokohama, No. 103, October 18, 1866.
Sir: Having received instructions from the
lords commissioners of her Majesty’s treasury to pay to the
representative of America the sum of eleven thousand six hundred and
sixty-six dollars and sixty-six cents, ($11,666 66,) being the
amount received into the treasury chest here in excess of the
proportion due to her Britannic Majesty’s government of the second
and third instalments of the Japanese indemnity, I have the honor to
request that your excellency may be pleased to inform me when it
will suit your convenience to receive this amount. Payment will be
made by check on the Oriental Bank Corporation.
I have the honor to be your excellency’s most obedient, humble
servant,
JAMES W. MURRAY, Assistant Commissary
General.
Mr. Van Valkenburgh to Sir Harry Parkes.
Legation of the United States in
Japan,
Yedo,
October 22, 1866.
Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge the
receipt of your despatch of the 18th instant, informing me that the
senior commissariat officer of her Majesty’s government has been
instructed to pay to the representative of the United States the sum
of $11,666 66, being the amount received into the treasury chest at
Yokohama in excess of the proportion due to her Britannic Majesty’s
government of the second and third instalments of the Simonoseki
indemnity. I have received a communication from Major Murray,
requesting to know when it would be convenient for me to receive the
money, and I have notified him that I would receive it soon at
Yokohama.
I have the honor to be, sir, your most obedient, humble servant,
R. B. VAN VALKENBURGH, Minister Resident
of the United States in Japan.
Sir Harry S. Parkes, K. C. B., Her Britannic Majesty’s Enroy
Extraordinary
and Minister Plenipotentiary in
Japan.
Mr. Van Valkenburgh to Major Murray.
Legation of the United States in
Japan,
Yedo,
October 22, 1866.
Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge the
receipt of your communication of the 18th instant, informing me that
you have been instructed to pay to the representative of the United
States the sum of eleven thousand six hundred and sixty-six dollars
and sixty-six cents, ($11,666 66,) being the amount received into
the treasury chest at Yokohama in excess of the proportion due to
her Majesty’s government of the second and third instalments of the
Japanese indemnity. I will call at your office, or send an order,
for the check soon.
I am, sir, respectfully, your obedient servant,
R. B. VAN VALKENBURGH, Minister Resident
of the United States in Japan.
Major J. W. Murray,
Assistant Commissariat General,
Yokohama.
[Untitled]
Yokohama,
Japan,
October 23, 1866.
Received from Assistant Commissariat General Murray the sum of eleven
thousand six hundred and sixty-six dollars and sixty-six cents,
($11.666 66,) equivalent in sterling to £2,479 3s. 4d., being excess of the
proportion of second and third instalments of the Simonoseki
indemnity received by the British government.
£2,479 3s. 4d.
(Signed in duplicate.)
R. B. VAN VALKENBURGH, Minister Resident of the
United States in Japan.
Witness: A. L. C. Portman.
[Page 226]
Mr. Van Valkenburgh to Mr. Adams.
Legation of the United States in
Japan,
Yedo,
October 26, 1866.
Sir: In obedience to instructions, of which
you are no doubt apprised, I have the honor to transmit herewith the
first of a bill of exchange for two thousand six hundred and
seventy-three pounds twelve shillings and two pence sterling,
(£2,673 12s. 2d.,) at
six months after sight, drawn in your favor by the Oriental Bank
Corporation at Yokohama on the Union Bank, London, representing, at
the rate of four shillings seven pence, the amount of eleven
thousand six hundred and sixty-six dollars and sixty-six cents,
($11,666 66,) Mexican currency, being one-third of thirty-five
thousand (35,000) dollars received by her Majesty’s government in
excess of their proper share of the second and third instalments of
the Simonoseki indemnity. The third of this bill will be sent by
this mail to the honorable the Secretary of State, to whom I also
send a copy of this letter, and the second of the same I shall send
to you by the French mail which leaves Yokohama on the 13th
proximo.
I have the honor to be, sir, very respectfully, your obedient
servant,
R. B. VAN VALKENBURGH, Minister Resident in
Japan.
Hon. Charles Francis Adams,
Envoy Extraordinary and Minister
Plenipotentiary, London.
