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.

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.

By means of steam one can go from California to Japan in eighteen days.

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

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

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

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