Sir H.S. Parkes to Earl Granville.―(Received June 19)

(No. 69)
Tôkiô, April 28, 1883

My Lord,

I HAVE the honour to report that General Foote, Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary from the United States to Corea, arrived at Yokohama on the 19th instant, and that he proceeds on the 2nd proximo to Nagasaki, where a ship of war of the United States is waiting to convey him to Corea.
General Foote is being actively assisted with Interpreters and similar services by the Government of Japan, who welcome his appointment as a recognition on the part of the United States of the independent position of Corea in regard to China which is declared in the Treaty of 1876 between Japan and Corea.
I inclose a translation of an article on the subject of this appointment which has appeared to-day in the semi-official Japanese journal, the “Nichi Nichi Shim bun. “It asserts that China has been completely baffled in her pretensions to treat Corea as a subject State by the action of the United States’ Government in entering into Treaty relations with that country, and that this action having been followed by Great Britain and Germany, the independence of Corea can no longer be questioned. It also alleges that the letter which the King of Corea was induced by China to address to the President of the United States, stating that Corea is a dependency of China, has been treated by the President as a private communication having no effect, and to which no answer will be returned.

I have, &c.
(Signed) HARRY S. PARKES