Sir:

Referring to my despatch to the Department No. 15. dated May 29 last, I have the honor to transmit the copy of a communication from the Hon. John A. Bingham, U.S. Minister to Japan, with the copy of a letter dated June 10th from Mr. Kondo, the Japanese Consul at Fusan, Corea, in relation to the transmission of my communication to the Corean Government.
By these enclosures it will be seen that my communication has been received by the first Corean Authority-the Governor of Torai-Fu who promised to transmit it to Seoul, the Capital—it will be seen also that Mr. Kondo confidently expects a reply will be received within the specified time. The letter reached Fusan on the 10th of June, and the 40days promised therein expire today, but the steamer by which the reply may be received has not yet arrived at Nagasaki.
In view of these circumstances and governed by the Department’s cable despatch, the following considerations occur to me for my guidance in the future.
1st, the probability of receiving a favorable answer from the Government of Corea, in which case I should proceed to Fusan to arrange at least the preliminaries for further negotiations.
2nd, the probability of receiving an unfortunate communication, in which event I shall consider it my duty under my present instructions to return to the United States with the object unaccomplished.
3rd, the probability of receiving no answer to the communication addressed to the Government of Corea, from whatever cause; such a contingency involves in it the question how long it would be considered proper to wait beyond the time specified. As we are now in the middle of the “Typhoon Season”, I consider that no great delay would occur by the sailing of the ship for San Francisco about the middle of September or the 1st of October. This would give to the Government of Corea as well as to the Government of Japan every reasonable opportunity for the former to reply to the Communication and for the letter to exhaust its friendly offices in that direction. Any order to the contrary received by cable from the Department will of course, be strictly observed.
It may be as well to state that since the visit of the Ticonderoga to Fusan, Vice Admiral Coote, Commanding the British Naval forces in China, has personally visited that port on His Majesty’s ship “Vigillant” and has also despatched His Majesty’s Corvette “Pegasus” for a cruise in Corean Waters. I have also reason to believe that the French gun boat “Lynx” has visited Fusan, and perhaps other ports in Corea, and at the present time the Italian Corvette “Vittor Pesani{Pisani}” under command of H.R.H. the Duke of Genoa is cruising in the Corean Waters.
I mention these facts to show that the “Ticonderoga in inaugurating this work” has excited much interest among the European Powers whose navies are stationed in the East.
The health of the officers and men of the ship remains good and the ship herself is in good condition for service. I have the honor……