The nations of the West hope that by means of steam communication all the world will become as one family.

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.

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

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

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

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.