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No. 87.]

Mr. Griscom to Mr. Hay.

AMERICAN LEGATION, Tokyo, Japan, June 14, 1904. SIR: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of the Department's instruction No. 53 of April 14, 1904, inclosing for my information and for the attention of the Japanese Government a copy of a dispatch from Mr. Lambert, vice-consul, in charge of the American consulate at Tamsui, offering several suggestions to further restrain the inhabitants of the island of Botel Tobago who were implicated in the ill treatment of the survivors of the shipwrecked American vessel the Benjamin Sewall.

I immediately called the attention of the Japanese Government to Mr. Lambert's three suggestions in a note to the minister for foreign affairs (a copy of which is herewith inclosed) and am now in receipt of his reply (a copy transmitted herewith), in which he says that the purport of my note had at once been communicated to the proper authorities.

I have, etc.,

LLOYD C. GRISCOM.

[Inclosure 1.]

Mr. Griscom to Buron Komura.

AMERICAN LEGATION,
Tokyo, May 25, 1904.

MR. MINISTER: With reference to my note which I had the honor to address to your excellency regarding the appreciation felt by my Government for the punitive measures visited by the Imperial Japanese Government upon the inhabitants of Botel Tobago Island for their inhuman behavior toward the survivors of the shipwrecked American vessel Benjamin Sewall, I have the honor to state that I am directed by my Government to convey to you some suggestions, which Mr. Lambert, vice-consul, in charge of the American consulate at Tamsui, has ventured to offer with a view to assisting the Imperial Japanese Government in further restraining the natives from the commission of like crimes.

It appears from information given Mr. Lambert by Doctor Goto, chief of the civil administration bureau, Formosan government, that a difficulty encountered by the Imperial Japanese Government in their earnest endeavors to fix the responsibility for the outrage was that no one, apparently, was able to speak the dialect of the Botel Tobagoans. Therefore the suggestion is made that three or four of the principal chiefs of the villages known to have been implicated in the outrage be held as hostages for the good behavior of their tribesmen for a period of not less than three years, and that the place of their detention be the jail at Taihoku, where an opportunity would present itself for some responsible official to acquaint himself with their dialect. It is also suggested that it might be well to increase the police force on the island of Botel Tobago, especially during the typhoon season when wrecks are more likely to occur, and, furthermore, in the event of the recurrence of such outrages the hostages be promptly made to pay the penalty.

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MR. MINISTER: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your excellency's note of the 25th ultimo regarding the inhuman behavior of the inhabit

ants of Botel Tobago Island toward the survivors of the shipwrecked American vessel the Benjamin Sewall, and I beg to inform you in reply that the purport of the same has at once been communicated to the proper authorities.

I avail, etc.,

BARON KOMURA JUTARO.

VISIT OF PRINCE SADANARU FUSHIMI TO THE UNITED STATES.

No. 78.]

Mr. Takahira to Mr. Hay.

LEGATION OF JAPAN, Washington, October 12, 1904. SIR: Referring to my previous conversations with you, I now have the honor to inform you that the Emperor, my august sovereign, desiring to strengthen by every means possible the relations of amity and good correspondence that bind together the United States and Japan has been pleased to order His Imperial Highness Prince Sadanaru, of the House of Fushimi, to proceed to the United States for the double purpose of conveying to the President His Imperial Majesty's message of the cordial good will and friendship, and of visiting the Louisiana Purchase Exposition now being held at St. Louis.

His Imperial Highness will leave Yokohama for San Francisco on the 22d instant in the steamship Manchuria, accompanied by Mr. Sato, minister resident and acting grandmaster of the Fushimi-noMiya, Count S. Terashima, Maj. S. Mihara of the imperial infantry, Mr. N. Watanabe, master of ceremonies of the imperial household, and others. As to other particulars concerning the intended visit of the Prince, I will bring them to your notice as I shall be definitely informed thereof. K. TAKAHIRA.

Be pleased, etc.,

No. 172.]

Mr. Hay to Mr. Takahira.

DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Washington, October 15, 1904.

SIR: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your note, No. 78, of the 12th instant, informing the Department that His Imperial Highness, Prince Sadanaru, of the house of Fushimi, is coming to the United States for the purpose of conveying to the President His Imperial Majesty's message of cordia! good will and friendship and of visiting the Louisiana Purchase Exposition, and that later on you will inform the Department as to other particulars of the Prince's visit.

In reply, I have the honor to say that a copy of your note has been sent to the president of the exposition for his information.

Accept, etc.,

JOHN HAY.

No. 124.]

Mr. Griscom to Mr. Hay.

AMERICAN LEGATION, Tokyo, Japan, October 19, 1904.

SIR: Referring to legation unnumbered dispatch of September 19, in relation to the visit of His Imperial Highness, Prince Fushimi,

to America, I have the honor to report that on the 10th instant His Highness entertained me and the staff of this legation at dinner at his palace, and that on the 14th I gave a farewell dinner in honor of the Prince, at which were present, in addition to His Highness, Marquis Ito; Field Marshal Marquis Yamagata, chief of staff of the army; Major-General Murata, assistant chief of staff; LieutenantGeneral Terauchi, minister for war; Baron Komura, minister for foreign affairs; six gentlemen of the staff of Prince Fushimi; also the members of this legation. During the course of the dinner I proposed the health of His Majesty, the Emperor of Japan, and Prince Fushimi, in reply, courteously proposed the health of the President of the United States. A toast to the health of Prince Fushimi, wishing him an agreeable voyage to America, was then proposed.

* * *

I am informed that the Prince will proceed at once to Washington, and should arrive there about the same time as this dispatch. He is the senior prince in the Empire and comes next to the Emperor in the Imperial councils, according to the Japanese family system. Prince Fushimi is, therefore, of a rank and importance that is deserving of every consideration. He is a soldier, and commanded a division at the battle of Nanshan and during the earlier operations against Port Arthur. He is the highest prince that could have been selected to go to America, in view of the fact that Prince Arisugawa's health would not permit him to make such a journey. Prince Arisugawa is a closer blood connection of the Emperor and comes next to the Crown Prince in the order of succession, but, as stated before, he is junior to Prince Fushimi in the Imperial councils.

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SIR: I have the honor to inform you that his Imperial Highness Prince Sadanaru Fushimi and suite have left San Francisco at 10 o'clock this morning and are due at Washington the 14th instant. I beg to add hereto the following revised list of the members of the suite of his Imperial Highness:

Mr. A. Sato, grand master to the household of his Imperial Highness Prince Sadanaru Fushimi; Count S. Terashima; Maj. S. Mihara, aid de camp to his Imperial Highness Prince Sadanaru Fushimi; Mr. N. Watanbe, master of ceremonies to his Imperial Majesty the Emperor of Japan; Dr. K. Rokaku, physician to his Imperial Highness Prince Sadanaru Fushimi.

Accept, etc.,

FR 1904 M -29

EKI HIOKI.

Mr. Takahira to Mr. Hay.

[Telegram.]

NEW YORK, November 19, 1904.

I am informed that Prince Fushimi left Washington yesterday deeply impressed with the manner in which he was welcomed and received by the President and the officials of the United States Government. In expressing my sincere gratitude for the hospitality and courtesy extended to the Prince I beg to assure you, Mr. Secretary, that such a warm reception as was given to our imperial visitor will be always remembered by the whole Japanese nation.

K. TAKAHIRA.

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SIR: I have the honor to hand you confirmation of my telegram of to-day regarding the attack of last evening upon an electric car belonging to the (American) Seoul Electric Company.

* * *

The attack was made by soldiers without any real provocation. Some allowance must be made, however, for the condition of affairs in this city. The damage, moreover, was slight in this case as compared with previous ones. It would have been serious, however, had it not been for the presence of the American guard.

I send you inclosed the report made to me by Messrs. Collbran and Bostwick on the subject and a copy of my letter to the acting minister for foreign affairs.

I have, etc.,

HORACE N. ALLEN.

[Inclosure 1.]

Telegram of February 18, 1904.

Last night a company of Korean soldiers attacked electric carriage, property of American citizens, damaging it and injuring operator. American seamen quieted the disturbances.

[Inclosure 2.]

Messrs. Collbran and Bostwick to Mr. Allen.

SEOUL, KOREA, February 18, 1904.

DEAR SIR: Herewith we beg to hand you a copy of our assistant manager's report giving particulars of the incident that occurred last night, and which but for the presence of the American guard in Seoul might have had serious results, as the Pyeng Yang soldiers, to say the least, are not well controlled by their officers.

No provocation was given by the crew of the car and not the slightest justification existed for the brutal assault made upon them.

The injured conductor is now in the American hospital, where his wounds have been dressed; but we are in hopes he can resume duty in a few days.

When the alarm reached the main building by means of one of our Korean employees, who could not quite make himself understood, the officer in charge turned out with a squad of men and hurried to the scene of the trouble; but fortunately the trouble was all over and their services were not needed.

Mr. Morris reports that the conductor was cut with an unattached bayonet. The damages to the car can be repaired for $25 or $30, and is too trifling a sum to file a claim for. We beg, however, to call your attention to the conduct of the Korean soldiers.

Yours, respectfuly,

COLLBRAN AND BOSTWICK.

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