towards me, and when within twenty yards, the officer who was leading them spoke in a violent manner to me, which I understood meant to get out of their way. This I accordingly did, and stood at one side of the street till the whole force had passed, during which time the greater part of them scowled at me in such a manner that I had a feeling of uncertainty as to whether they would molest me or not. As far as I was able to judge, I should say they consisted of from seven to eight hundred men. I have the honor to be, sir, your obedient servant, FRANK ROUGEMENT, Senior Lieutenant her Majesty's steamer Ocean. His Excellency Sir HARRY PARKES, R. C. B., &c., §¤., §'c. The undersigned officers were in company with me, and confirm this statement. THOMHAGH GURDEN, Lieutenant. H. WALTON GRINNELL, Lieutenant United States Navy. THOMAS S. TULLUCK, Passed Assistant Paymaster United States Navy. No. 7. Affidavit of Joseph J. Colins. In her Britannic Majesty's court at Hiogo, the 10th day of February, 1868. At about half-past 1 o'clock in the afternoon of Tuesday last, the 4th day of February, I was in my house, which is situated in the main street of Kobé, near to the temple called Gokurakugi, when I was informed by the plasterers who were at work on my house that some Japanese troops were coming along the street. I left my house and crossed over to the other side of the street in order to see them pass. As they approached the spot where I was standing, I heard the man who preceded the troops in the front rank call upon the people in the street to go down on their knees. The Japanese at once prostrated themselves, but I remained standing some three feet from the houses on the street. Upon coming up to where I was standing, the man who had before called upon every one to kneel down shouted to me personally to prostrate myself. I did not reply to him, but remained where I was, whereupon he brought down his rifle and charged at me therewith, catching me in the pit of the stomach, and knocking me up against the houses. He then returned to his place in front of the ranks, and passed. I at once made up my mind to report this occurrence, and for that purpose ran along the main street, past the line of troops, and arrived at the corner of the settlement near to Marks & Co.'s store, where I saw her Majesty's minister and other gentlemen standing. I at once reported what had occurred to Sir Harry Parkes, and he, with others who were with him, and myself, all crossed the street into the settlement. We had not been there long when the troops came up, preceded, however, by a rush of common people. We turned round and were walking away in the direction of the custom-house, when I happened to look round and perceived that the troops had halted, and were kneeling down, apparently by direction of an officer, who had been hitherto on horseback, but had now dismounted, when they rose to their feet again, presented their rifles in the direction in which we were going and fired a volley at us, and then kept up an irregular fire at us until we reached the custom-house. This deposed on oath before me. JOSEPH J. COLINS. J. FRED. LOWDEN, Her Majesty's Acting Consul for Hiogo and Osaka. No. 8. Statements of Prussian subjects and protégés made before A. Evers, esq., his Prussian Majesty's consular agent at Hiogo, on the 7th February, 1868. FREDERICK VON FISHER. On the 4th February, between 2 and 3 o'clock, I was standing with three French noncommissioned officers before my house (Mr. Legeune's) in the main street at Kobé, quite near the foreign concession. One of the non-commissioned officers of the name of Callier crossed over to the other side of the street to buy some tobacco. During this a troop of Japanese soldiers approached and passed along the street. One part of the soldiers passed; then followed a richly ornamented kago, surrounded by six men with lances. Behind the kago came a large number of baggage carriers, and then an open space. Behind this space came other soldiers. Through this open space Callier tried to pass. I saw a soldier carrying a lance take his arm and turn him off. Near the entrance of my house he received a thrust in his side, at which all the spearmen took off the covers from their lances and pikes. I did not hear an order given for the attack. I retreated into my house, as did also the non-commissioned officers. Callier was the last one in the door. Another lance thrust was, however, warded off by one of the other gentlemen, with his hand. I ran into the upper story and saw from the window the Japanese halted before the house. While I descended again to the lower floor, to save myself through a back gate, I saw six or eight Japanese, with lances, standing in the entrance hall. At the same moment I heard the report of rifle shots. I then broke through a bamboo hedge, and saved myself by running across the rice fields to the Dutch consulate. Of the French non-commissioned officers, only Callier was armed with a sword. FREDERICK VON FISHER. MICHAEL ELMAN. On the 4th February, in the afternoon, I saw arrive near my house, situated in the continuation of the main street, a troop of Japanese soldiers. One part of them, escorting a kago, passed, when, at a noise from behind, an officer on horseback turned round, called something, drew his sword, and jumped from his horse. Immediately afterwards the Japanese commenced to fire in the direction of the open place of the foreign concession. I ran to join Messrs. Richter and Nachtigal, and while we were standing at the door of the house, a Japanese made a lance thrust at us. Mr. Nachtigal called out something in Japanese, at which the Japanese turned round and went off. RICHARD RICHTER. M. ELMAN. On the 4th February, at about 2 p. m., I was passing over the open place in the foreign concession to go to the entrance of the main street, when I saw arrive a troop of Japanese soldiers. They cried out "Staniero," and ordered all the Japanese coolies to kneel down. Suddenly all the Japanese looked behind them, in which direction a loud noise was heard, and I profited by this moment to pass the street, immediately before the Japanese troops. After I had passed them the Japanese troops advanced again, and an officer on horseback, apparently the commanding officer, dismounted and turned round. In the same moment all the Japanese called out "Teppo, teppo," and commenced to fire. All the guns were directed towards the open place, none towards me. I did not hear a distinct order given. Some of the Japanese turned round towards me and Mr. Nachtigal, before whose house I was standing, and one pointed his spear against us, but when I had put aside a gun Mr. Nachtigal had in his hand, the Japanese retired. I then passed through the house into the open fields to go to my own house, in the corner house of the street. I found three French officers sitting on the roof and not able to get down. Having helped them down, I crossed the street and saw that the Japanese had disappeared. AUGUST FERDINAND HERMANN FRIEBE. R. RICHTER. On the afternoon of the 4th I passed through the street behind the foreign concession, when a troop of Japanese arrived. At their head was a Kago with escort, and then an officer on horseback surrounded by several Yokumins. In consequence of a calling out from behind, the officer turned round and said something to his men, and jumped from the horse and drew his sword. At the same moment the Japanese commenced to fire I ran into my house to get my gun, and ran then in the direction of the open place. The bullets passed over my head and some of them dropped in my immediate neighborhood. I saw an American sailor lying immediately behind me, and turned round to raise him, the Japanese advanced and I fired my gun at them. I do not know if I wounded any one. I then helped to carry the sailor to the custom-house. HERM. FRIEBE. GEORGE NACHTIGAL. On the afternoon of the 4th I was standing before my house in the main street, when a troop of Japanese arrived. There were about twenty men with swords before a Kago, and a similar number followed it. Then came on horseback a man about thirty-five years old, simply dressed, but looking very proud, surrounded on both sides by about twelve men with lances. When this officer was about eight or ten paces distant from me, the men called out something, at which the officer turned round, jumped off his horse, drew his sword, and said something to those behind him. I supposed this to have been an order, because at the same moment the Japanese commenced to fire. I believe that they fired at a Frenchman who tried apparently to run towards the French consulate. Some turned round towards my house, at which I turned round and put my hand out to take my revolver; one of the troop then made a thrust with his lance at me and at Mr. Richter, standing on my side. I called out to him, my revolver in my hand, at which he retired and did not further molest us. I tried then to run over the open place, when an American sailor fell about twenty yards behind me, struck by a bullet. I turned round to raise him, but at the same moment the Japanese came running towards me; seeing this I ordered Mr. Friebe, who carried my gun, to fire at them, which he did. The Japanese thereupon stopped. I do not know that any one was wounded, as the gun was only loaded with shot. Other American sailors then came, and we carried the sailor off. I accompanied them for some distance, and afterwards went with the soldiers during the pursuit of the Japanese. No. 9. GEORGE NACHTIGAL. Statement of E. Martin and Fortant and Collier, three Frenchmen, made to his excellency Mr. Leon Rocher on the 6th of February, 1868. We have the honor to inform your excellency of the events which happened on the 4th of February. At about two p. m. we took a walk (Martin and Fortant) on the road alongside the concession, and in the direction of Hiogo. Having arrived within about fifty yards of the house occupied by Mr. Lejeune, we saw a troop of Japanese, which had stopped in the street. At the moment we came near them they recommenced their march. At the head of the column we saw a man put his hand on his sword and look at us with a defiant air. We continued our walk, remaining on the right side of the road, and arriving before the house of Mr. Lejeune we stopped to see the train pass. At this moment Collier came out of the house of Mr. Weingard, where he had gone to buy some tobacco; he remained at the right of the soldiers, marching in the same direction as they did. One of the soldiers pushed him, pronouncing some words in an imperative tone of voice. Collier, not having understood, asked him what he wanted; the soldier only replied by a menacing gesture. Collier marched more rapidly, always in the same direction as the troops. We then heard a noise arise at the further end of the column. Fortant, seeing a soldier take off the cover from his lance, told Collier that a thrust was directed against him. Collier made immediately a jump forward, but could not prevent being touched under the left arm. Feeling himself wounded, he passed through the column to join us. At the moment he arrived near us some lances were directed against him, but Martin warded off a thrust which certainly would have touched Collier in the back. Being only three against such a numerous troop, it would not have been prudent to resist. Jumping into the first story was therefore for us the work of a moment. Martin and Fortant, their revolvers in their hands, kept watch at the two entrances of the room, while Collier tried to break through the wall to make an opening for us. We then heard an order given we did not understand, and could see through a little opening on the street that the troops had halted and loaded their rifles. A moment afterwards the report of some shot was heard in the direction of the foreign concession. Collier having broken two small boards that were in the wall, we could mount to the roof by this small opening and see what was going on. The troops had marched on, and were firing in skirmishing order on the foreign concession. We then hastened to descend, and went towards the consulate to inform your excellency of the events which had happened. We have the honor to be your obedient servants, E. MARTIN. ON BOARD THE LAPLACE, 6th February, 1868. No. 10.] Mr. Van Valkenburgh to Mr. Seward. LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES, SIR: On the Sth instant, Hagashi Kuza Saki Noshosho, envoy of hist Majesty the Mikado, arrived from the town of Hiogo, some two miles distant from the foreign concession by water, accompanied by six officers and a retinue of about twenty retainers. He was received at the landing near to the custom-house by a guard of French and English marines, the American marines, at that hour, being on duty at the barricades and picketing the posts and streets. The foreign representatives had assembled in a large room in the custom-house, which we had caused to be prepared for the conference. The envoy was dressed in the peculiar costume of the court of the Mikado, and caused to be carried in advance of them the flag of the Mikado. His robe was of rich white flowered silk, his trowsers of the same material but of a silver color, and he wore upon his head the peculiar triangular-shaped black hat tied on with purple cords. We found him a very intelligent and quick man, evidently desir ous of cultivating friendly relations with foreign powers, and continuing on the part of the Mikado the same terms heretofore existing between those powers and the Tycoon. There were present at this interview the representatives of France, Great Britain, Holland, Italy, Prussia, and myself. The envoy first presented a letter addressed to the representatives, which he caused to be at once translated, and a copy of which I inclose, marked No. 1. This letter announces to the sovereigns of all nations that permission has been granted to the Shogoon (Tycoon) to return the governing power according to his own request; that the Emperor of Japan would henceforward exercise supreme authority, both in regard to the internal and external affairs of the country, and that the title of Emperor should be snbstituted for that of Tycoon, which has heretofore been used in the treaties. Under the circumstances I received this announcement as addressed to the President, inasmuch as the Mikado says in it "that it is desirable that the representatives of all the treaty powers should recognize this announcement," and I attribute that reading of the text to the ignorance of the Mikado court as to the form of our government, a point upon which I shall take an early opportunity to give them information. I further understood that no slight was intended, as all the representatives were furnished with an original letter in the same terms. Our interview then lasted some two hours. We first called the attention of the envoy to the unprovoked and outrageous attack upon the foreign residents on the 4th instant by the retainers of Matsdaira Bezen No Kami, and assured him that our present position was one of self-defense. That Hiogo and Osaka had been opened to foreigners under the treaties heretofore concluded with Japan, and that we were entitled to protection from the Japanese government; that the first thing for the Mikado to do was to give to our government ample reparation for the outrage committed. He then assured us that the Mikado would disapprove of the acts of Bezen, and asked us to reduce those demands to writing, forward them to him on the ensuing day, and he would transmit them at once to Kioto for consideration. He offered at once, if we would withdraw our forces, to assume on the part of the Mikado the entire protection of foreigners here, guaranteeing that there should be no recurrence of similar outrages. He desired us for the pres ent to continue our occupation of the custom-house as our legations, and promised to appoint superintendents for Hiogo and Kobé in order that business here might at once be resumed. That in a few days a governor, having ample authority, would be appointed for Hiogo, and soon we should be re-established at Osaka. Our conference was pleasant; the bearing of the envoy was all we could desire; his replies to inquiries prompt and to the point, and we were all very favorably impressed with him. After the conclusion of this interview the foreign representatives held a consultation and unanimously resolved to ask the naval commanders to withdraw their forces and to resign the protection of the place to the Mikado, and also to give up the steamers which had been seized at our request. I inclose No. 2, a copy of such resolution as signed by all the representatives, and inclosure No. 3, copy of my letter addressed to Commander Creighton, United States seuior naval officer in the port. On the same afternoon all the foreign sailors and marines were withdrawn, and the envoy substituted in their place the retainers of Satsuma and Choshin Meder, the Mikado flag. In the course of two days thereafter all the guns were removed, the barricades and batteries demolished, foreigners had reinstated themselves in their places of business, and we are now under protection of the Mikado as the head of this government here. I inclose No. 4, Commander Creighton's answer to my inclosure No. 3. The steamers have all been delivered up to the proper authorities and have left this port. On the next day, the 9th instant, the foreign representatives again held a conference, at which we unanimously agreed upon the reparation which we should demand from the Mikado in consequence of the attack of the 4th instant, embodied it in a written form, signed by all the representatives, and sent it to the envoy for transmission to Kioto. I inclose No. 5, a copy of this document. On the 14th instant we received through the envoy a communication from Date Iyo No Kami and Saiyo Saki No Chinnagow, announcing that "his Majesty" considers the demands just and reasonable, and that the punishment will be inflicted. I inclose a copy of that communication marked No. 6. On the 10th instant we had a second interview with the envoy at the custom-house, which passed off as pleasantly as the former one. He assured us that foreigners should be protected in all of the dominions occupied by the Mikado, and that the treaties with foreign powers should be faithfully executed on the part of his government. That the Tycoon was in rebellion against the supreme government, and unless he submitted, force would be used to subjugate him. That he had received and forwarded to Kioto our demand made the day previous, that it was reasonable, and should be replied to immediately. That superintendents should be immediately appointed to conduct the necessary business at Hiogo, until a governor should arrive to relieve them. That in a few days quiet would be restored at Osaka, legations would be provided for us there, and we would be invited to return to that city. He desired, however, that foreigners should be cautious against going to Nishinomia, a little village about nine miles east of here and on the road to Osaka, for the reason that there was encamped a body of Bezen's retainers, and some assault might be made upon them. He also assured us that Nagasaki would pass into the hands of the Mikado without trouble, as the Tycoon's officers had left it. At the envoy's suggestion, we then appointed a committee of two of |