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

If you make a treaty first with the United States and settle the matter of the opium trade, England cannot change this, though she should desire to do so.

The President regards the Japanese as a brave people; but courage, though useful in time of war, is subordinate to knowledge of arts; hence, courage without such knowledge is not to be highly esteemed.

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

Since the invention of steamships distant countries have become like those that are near at hand.

When the ambassadors of other foreign countries come to Japan to make treaties, they can be told that such and such a treaty has been made with the ambassador of the United States, and they will rest satisfied with this.

The President of the United States thinks that for the Japanese opium is more dangerous than war.