It appears that the English think the Japanese... are fond of opium, and they want to bring it here also.

If Japan had been near to either England or France, war would have broken out long ago.

It appears that the English think the Japanese... are fond of opium, and they want to bring it here also.

The President wishes the Japanese to be very prudent about the introduction of opium, and if a treaty is made, he wishes that opium may be strictly prohibited.

In case of war, a treaty would have to be made at the end of the war.

If I write in my name to the agents of England and France residing in Asia and inform them that Japan is ready to make a commercial treaty with their countries, the number of steamers will be reduced from fifty to two or three.

If war should break out between England and Japan, the latter would suffer much more than the former.