United States Legation
Tokei 21 May 1880
His Excellency
Inouye Kaoru
H.I.J.M. Minister for J.A.

Sir,

Referring to the conversation had on yesterday between Your Excellency, Commodore Shufeldt, and myself in relation to the Commodore’s request of a letter from you covering his letter to the Government of Corea I again beg leave to call Y.E. attention to the fact of which I had the honor to acquaint you in my No. 1179 that I am instructed by my government to ask the good officers of H. I. J. Majesty’s Gov. by personal or official letters to the Gov. of Corea to aid Commodore Shufeldt in transmitting a friendly communication in writing to that governor. Y.E. already knows that Commodore Shufeldt is possessed of a letter addressed to him some years ago by order of the King of Corea in which the Corean Prime Minister among other things expressly says that the written communication which Com. Shufeldt had at that time addressed to the King was improperly delayed by the lead Corean Magistrate for which neglect of duty that official [__________] thereby showing that it was the wish of HM the King of Corea, as it was HM’s duty to receive the friendly communication of Com. Shufeldt which was wrongfully delayed by the lead magistrate until the Corea was constrained by the severity of the weather and the demands of duty elsewhere to quit Corea. Now Commodore Shufeldt upon his return to Corea by order of Gov. simply requests that Y.E. will be pleased to address a letter to the official of Corea, at the Capital of that Kingdom and enclose therein his friendly communication to the Corean Gov. to the end that its transmission may not be delayed. By this kind act neither Y.E. nor H.I.J.M’s Gov incurs any responsibility whatever either present or future and allow me to add will thereby give another assurance of good-will towards the U.S. which will be appreciated. My Gov. confidently expects Y.E. to comply with this request asking only what it would cheerfully and promptly do for Japan if such a request should be made of the U.S. by Y.E. government. I pray Y.E. to acquaint me at the earliest possible day of your decision in relation to this request as the Com. desires to avoid unnecessary delay. Again expressing a hope that this favor of a letter from Y.E. covering that of Com. Shufeldt’s which will arise its immediate transmission to the Government of Corea and not doubting that Y.E. will be pleased to do this act of kindness for my government, I beg leave to renew to Y.E. the assurance of my highest consideration.

John A. Bingham
N.S.E.E.J.M.P.

【日譯文】

第一千二百二十一號
昨日「コモドール、シュフエルド」同道ニテ閣下ヘ御面晤之節右「コモドール」ヨリ朝鮮政府宛之書簡閣下御添書ヘ御封入相成度旨同官ヨリ御依賴之儀ハ兼テ第一千百七十九號拙簡ヲ以テ申進置候貴政府之御紹介ヲ以テ我政府ヨリ朝鮮政府ヘ和親書寄贈之儀ニ付「コモドール、シュフエルド」御援助相成候樣貴政府ヘ御依賴可申旨我政府ヨリ訓示有之候儀ニテ且閣下御承知之通先般朝鮮國皇帝陛下ヨリ「コモドール、シュフエルド」宛之書翰ハ同官所持罷在候其書翰中特ニ朝鮮大臣ハ當時「コモドール、シュフエルド」ヨリ該國皇帝陛下ヘ呈シタル書簡ハ朝鮮地方官ニ於テ進達方不當之遷延ニ及ヒ其失錯ニ依リ該官ハ處罰ヲ蒙リタル旨ノ明文有之候左候得ハ朝鮮國皇帝陛下ヒ於テハ「コモドール、シュフエルド」ヨリ差出シタル和親信書ハ陛下ノ義務トシテ受領セラレ度思召ニ有之候處地方官ノ過失ニ依リ遲延ノ内ニ天氣惡シク旁他ニ公務モ有之候ニ付無餘儀右「コモドール」ハ出帆ニ立至候儀ト相見候扨今般同官儀我政府之命ニ依リ朝鮮ヘ再航ニ付テハ單ニ閣下ヘ御依賴ニ及ヒ朝鮮國首府ニ在ル該國官吏宛之御書翰中ヘ右「コモドール」ヨリ該政府宛之和親信書(昨日閣下ヘ讀上候)御封入相成無遲滯贈呈相成候樣致度儀ニ御坐候尤右御懇切之御取計有之候儀ニ付テハ現時將來共閣下又ハ貴政府ヘ決テ御迷惑相懸間敷且右ハ我政府ヘ對シ一際貴政府御厚意之證憑トモ相成候儀ニ有之候將又右御依賴之儀速ニ御承諾相成候上ハ他日貴政府ヨリ我政府ヘ御依賴之儀有之候節ハ我政府ニ於テモ亦同樣早速貴國之爲メニ盡力可致候「コモドール、シュフエルド」ニ於テハ無益之時日ヲ不費候樣致度儀ニ付可成丈速ニ右御依賴御許否之御決答有之度候吳々モ右「コモドール」之書簡御封入之御書翰御投與相成速ニ朝鮮政府ヘ相達候樣致度此段偏ニ御依賴申進候敬具

一千八白八十年五月廿一日 ジョン·ヱ·ビンハム
日本帝國外務卿 井上馨 閣下