No. 106
Yedo, May 15, 1879

My Lord,

I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your lordship’s Despatch No. 85 of December 28th communicating to me a copy of Sir Edward Thornton’s Despatch, commercial No. 51 on the subject of the mission of Commodore Shufeldt, which has for its principal object the extension of the commercial relations of the United States with various remote countries – including Corea.
I observed that Mr. Hanabusa was anxious to get information Respecting Commodore Shufeldt’s mission before he proceeded to Corea last month as reported in the dispatch No. 105 of this date. He remarked to me that he hoped the Commodore would go to Corea, and that the Japanese Government would do what they could to help him. Mr. Hanabusa convinced the same desire to see Foreign Powers taking an interest in Corea as had been shown by the Vice Prince in the conversation which I reported to your lordship in my despatch confidential No. 147 of the 30th of December last, and doubtless for the same reason—the support which Japan hopes to derive from the presence of other powers in that country. He remarked that nearly all the import trade of the Japanese merchants in Corea consisted of British manufactures, and he thought that circumstances should induce Her Majesty’s Government to regard Corea with the same interest as is shown by the United States.
I replied to Mr. Hanabusa in the same terms as those which I used with the Vice Prime Minister, and which I reported in the above-mentioned despatch, but I could see that Mr. Hanabusa entertained similar views to those of the Vice Prime Minister as to the limited influence of Japan in Corea.

I have the honor to be, with the highest respect,
My Lord,
Your Lordship’s most obedient, Humble Servant,
Harry S Parkes