The United States have no possessions in the east and do not desire to have any, as other countries do.

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.

Japan and China are isolated and without intercourse with other countries; hence the President directed me to attend to or watch the state of affairs in China also.

In time of war steamships and improved arms are the most important things.

The expense of a war could be paid in time; but the expense of opium, when once the habit is formed, will only increase with time.

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

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.