Japan and the Japanese

BIDDLE- IN THE BAT OF JEDO. 497
if needed. These boats followed the ships' boats when sent at some
distance for sounding, but did not offer to molest them, nor did the
crews of the ship's boats make any attempt to land.
The Japanese, who had undertaken to water the ships, sent off the
first day less than two hundred gallons, and the nest day not so much.
As this was less than the daily consumption, the commodore stated
that if they went on so, he should send his own boats. This was
by no means acceptable, and in the two next days they furnished
twenty-one thousand gallons.
On the 28th, an officer with a suite of eight persons came on
board with the emperor's letter, which, as translated by the Dutch
interpreter,
read thus :
" According to the Japanese laws, the Japanese may not trade except with
the Dutch and Chinese. It will not be allowed that America make a treaty
with Japan or trade with her, as the same is not allowed with any other
nation. Concerning strange lands all things are fixed at Nagasaki, but
not here in the bay ; therefore, you must depart as quick as possible, and
not come any more to Japan."
The Japanese original, as translated at Canton, first into Chinese
and from Chinese into English, runs as follows :
" The object of this communication is to explain the reasons why we re-
fuse to trade with foreigners who come to this country across the ocean for
that purpose.
" This has been the habit of our nation from time immemorial. In all
cases of a similar kind that have occurred we have positively refused to
trade. Foreigners have come to us from various quarters, but have always
been received in the same way. In taking this course with regard to you,
we only pursue our accustomed policy. We can make no distinction between
different foreign nations we treat them all alike, and you as Americana
must receive the same answer with the rest. It will be of no use to renew
the attempt, as all applications of the kind, however numerous they may be,
will be steadily rejected.
" We are aware that our customs are in this respect different from those
of some other countries, but every nation has a right to manage its aflairs in
Its own way.
" The trade carried on with the Dutch at Nagasaki is not to be regarded
as furnishing a precedent for trade with other foreign nations. The place is
one of few inhabitants and very little business, and the whole affair is of no
importance.
42*