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.

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

Any nation that refuses to hold intercourse with other nations must expect to be excluded from this family.

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

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.

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.