The Dutch government would surely have been justified in regarding the reply as an implied insult. After all, one sovereign writing to another might have expected the courtesy of a personal reply, rather than at second-hand through bureaucrats. Moreover, the inferior position of Holland is signaled in the assumption of King William's "sincere loyalty," hardly an expression to be used between sovereign equals. Of course, the Dutch representatives and traders in Japan were used to Japanese assumptions of superiority; they had endured at Nagasaki--in the interests of their exclusive trade--over two hundred years of personal humiliations and crippling restrictions without demur.
We, William the Second by the Grace of God, King of the Netherlands, (etc.) . . .write this our Royal letter with a faithful heart to our Friend, the very noble, most serene, and all powerful sovereign of the great Empire of Japan, who his seat in the Imperial Palace of Yedo, the abode of peace.
May this epistle be duly delivered into the hands of our Imperial Friend and find him in good health and peace. . . .
This unfaltering goodwill exhibited towards our subjects fills us with kindly feelings towards Japan and the desire to do all that is possible for the furtherance of peace within Your Imperial Domain and for the prosperity of Your subjects.
There never has been any correspondence between the sovereigns of the Netherlands and Japan . . . . But now we feel drawn to terminate this silence. There are important matters worthy of communication. They do not concern the trade of our subjects with Japan, but the political interests of the Empire. They relate to matters worthy to be treated of between King and King.
The future of Japan causes us much anxiety. May we succeed in averting imminent disaster by our good counsel.
From the communications that our vessels bring from year to year to Nagasaki, Your Majesty will have learnt that the King of England has lately been waging a violent war against the Chinese Empire. . . . The mighty Emperor of China after a long but fruitless resistance, was finally compelled to succumb to the superior power of European military tactics, and in the consequent treaty of peace, agreed to conditions by which the ancient Chinese policy has undergone great alteration, and whereby five Chinese ports have been opened to European trade. . . . quarrels occurred between the English merchants and the Chinese officials at Canton. From that quarrel war arose. That war was fatal to China, for many thousand Chinese were killed, many cities were taken and devastated, many millions in treasure were yielded as indemnity to the conquerors.
Such disasters now threaten the Japanese Empire. A mere mischance might precipitate a conflict. The number of all sorts of vessels sailing the Japanese seas will be greater than ever before, and how easily might a quarrel occur between the crews of those vessels and the inhabitants of Your Majesty's Dominion!
The thought that such quarrels may end in war fills us with solicitude. The wisdom that characterizes Your Majesty's Government will, we hope, know how to avert these dangers. This wisdom was already evident in the mandate (of 1842) ordering the kindly treatment of all foreign vessels. But is that mandate sufficient ?
Only such vessels are mentioned, as are driven on to the Japanese coast by hurricane or lack of provisions. What will be done with vessels that come for other and friendly reasons to visit the Japanese coast? Are these to be repulsed by force or unfriendly treatment? Will quarrels arise? Quarrels lead to war, and war leads to destruction. Those are the disasters which we wish to avert from Japan. It is our desire as a token of gratefulness for the hospitality enjoyed by our subjects for more than two hundred years. The philosopher says: "In security, we must guard against danger ; in peace, against confusion."
We have watched the course of events with serious attention. The intercourse between the different nations of the earth is increasing with great rapidity. An irresistible power is drawing them together. Through the invention of steamships distances have become shorter. A nation preferring to remain in isolation at this time of increasing relationships could not avoid hostility with many others.
We know that the laws of Your Majesty's serene Ancestors were issued with a view rigorously to restrict intercourse with foreign nations. . . . (But) when in the strict observance of old laws, peace might be disturbed, wisdom will succeed in smoothing difficulties.
This, Allpowerful Emperor, is our friendly advice; ameliorate the laws against the foreigners, lest happy Japan be destroyed by war. We give Your Majesty this advice with honest intentions, free from political self-interest. We hope that wisdom will make the Japanese Government realize that peace can only be maintained through friendly relations, and that these are only created by commercial relations.
Should Your Majesty be desirous of receiving further information in this matter so important for Japan, then we shall be pleased, after receiving a letter from Your Majesty's own hand, to send an Envoy to Japan ; one who possesses our entire confidence, and who might be able to explain to Your Majesty all particulars which we have roughly outlined in this letter.
. . . For the courtesy continually shown to our subjects, we offer You our thanks. We further commend them to the protection of the Japanese Government.
We wish Your Majesty, that the Almighty, who blessed Your serene father with so long a reign, will permit Your Majesty to enjoy the same prosperity. May blessing, rest, and peace be granted to the great Empire of Japan for all time.
Given at our Royal Palace at the Hague the 15th day of February 1844 . . .
(Signed) William
The Reply, via the Bakufu, to the Dutch Government:
In the seventh month of the last year a letter from Your Excellencies' Sovereign dispatched by a Dutch vessel arrived at the port of Nagasaki in our province of Hizen. The chief magistrate of that port . . . on receipt thereof forwarded it to Yedo and it has been attentively read by our Lord.
That Your Excellencies' Sovereign in view of the trade relations which have subsisted for the past two hundred years should from so great a distance take into consideration the interests of our country and offer suggestions was most certainly evidence of hearty good will. Moreover, our Lord gratefully appreciates and returns thanks for the various precious gifts which have been presented.
Although the suggestions offered are worthy of adoption, there are reasons why this can not be. When the founder [Tokugawa Ieyasu] of our dynasty entered upon his career, intercourse and trade with countries beyond the sea were in an unsettled condition. Later when the time came for determining with what countries intercourse should be permitted, intercourse was limited to Korea and Loochoo [i.e., the off-shore Ryukus Is.), and trade to Your Excellencies' country and China. Aside from these countries all intercourse was entirely disallowed. If now it were desired to extend these limits, it would be in contravention of the ancestral law.
Hence we communicate this decision to Your Excellencies and thus inform Your Excellencies' Sovereign. Although this may appear discourteous, such is the strictness of the ancestral law, that no other course is open to us.
. . . . Now since the ancestral law has been once fixed, posterity must obey. Henceforth, pray cease correspondence. If not, although it should be attempted a second or a third time, communications can not be received. Pray do not be surprised at this. Letters from Your Excellencies also will have the same treatment and will receive no response.
Nevertheless, the trade of Your Excellencies' country will remain unchanged. In this also the ancestral law will be carefully observed. Pray communicate this to Your Excellencies' Sovereign.
Notwithstanding what we have stated, our Lord in no wise fails in respect toward Your Excellencies' Sovereign, but on the contrary deeply appreciates his sincere loyalty. . . We may have inadequately expressed Our Lord's real purpose, but we trust Your Excellencies will understand it.
(Signed) Abe Masahiro (et al.)
[Ref.: Transactions of the Asiatic Society of Japan, Vol. XXXIV, 1907]RETURN TO HOMEPAGE