Sir H.S. Parkes to Earl Granville.—(Received July 7)

(No. 87)
My Lord,
Tôkiô, May 30, 1883

IN my despatch No. 58 of the 20th ultimo, I inclosed copies of letters which had passed between Vice-Admiral Willes and myself relative to the censure which he had passed on Commander Eliott, then Senior Naval Officer in Japan, for having called at Nagasaki to coal, and to receive my despatches from Mr. Aston when he proceeded to Corea under orders from the Vice-Admiral at the end of March last.
I have now received from Vice-Admiral Willes the inclosed reply to my letter of the 18th April disclaiming any unwillingness on his part to co-operate with me in the execution of the public service. His Excellency adds that his disapproval of Commander Eliott's conduct related to discipline alone, and that he had abstained from conveying his disapproval to that officer until he could do so personally on his joining the flag.
Under these circumstances, I remain at a loss to understand why the Commander-in-chief should have communicated that disapproval to me, and in terms which showed that in his opinion that I had needlessly caused Commander Eliott to disobey certain “stringent orders” furnished him by his Excellency. I also remain uninformed as to what those orders were, as they certainly were not included in those shown me by Commander Eliott, a copy of which I inclosed in my despatch No. 58. I am left to surmise that they refer to one of the “Station orders,” by which, as I have since casually heard, the Commanders of Her Majesty’s ships are required not to touch at Nagasaki except for urgent reasons, in consequence, it is believed, of the prevalence of illicit prostitution at that port. If this be the cause of such an order, my despatch No. 73 of the 11th instant will show that it might be assigned with an equal degree of reason for depriving all the other ports in Japan of the visits of Her Majesty’s ships. But I also observe that notwithstanding this order, and since the date of Vice-Admiral Willes’ letter to me of the 5th April, Her Majesty’s ships continue to call at Nagasaki in the performance of their own service. Both the “Moorhen” and “Daring” did so on their return from Corea, although as the first was bringing me despatches, and the second Mr. Aston himself, I should have greatly preferred that they should not have been obliged to incur the delay occasioned by such a deviation from a more direct course.
The “Sheldrake,” which left Yokohama on the 23rd ultimo to proceed to Hong Kong, also visited Nagasaki on her way down. I understood that each of these three vessels found it necessary to call there for a supply of coal, and it was this same reason, and not any particular requisition of mine, which obliged Commander Eliott to go there on his way to Corea. It was for contributing to that particular visit (out of the four that I have named) by requesting Commander Eliott to receive, when at Nagasaki, my despatches for Mr. Aston that the Commander-in-chief informed me in very decided terms that I had needlessly caused Commander Eliott to disobey his stringent orders against touching at that port.
Whether the language of the Vice-Admiral’s letter to me of the 5th April justified my reply of the 18th of that month will now be determined by your Lordship and the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, but I have not hesitated to assure the Vice-Admiral, in acknowledging in the inclosed letter his rejoinder of the 11th instant, that I gladly accept his Excellency’s assurance that I have misinterpreted the meaning of his previous communications, and that I earnestly reciprocate his desire for cordial co-operation in all matters relating to the discharge of the Queen’s Service.

I have, &c.
(Signed)　　HARRY S. PARKES

Inclosure 1

Vice-Admiral Willes to Sir H.S. Parkes.

“Audacious,” at Woosung, May 11, 1883
Sir,

I HAVE the honour to acquaint your Excellency that I have forwarded your despatch of the 18th April, 1883, to the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, with such remarks as it calls for.
I cannot too strongly express my regret that you should have been disposed to interpret a question, which was exclusively one of discipline between myself and Commander Eliott, into a want on my part of a willingness to co-operate with your Excellency for the public service.
It was Commander Eliott's duty to have informed you that he had received my express orders not to visit Nagasaki, and then if you still wished him to go to that port it was his duty to communicate with me by telegraph, knowing that I was within reach. For this neglect I have felt bound to remove him from the possibility of making similar mistakes, and in good faith I informed you of the result of his proceedings.
Far from discrediting you in the eyes of a junior officer (as you suggest I have done), I have up to the present moment purposely abstained from conveying to Commander Eliott my disapproval, which I had intended to communicate to him personally on his joining my flag.
The whole question is a simple one of naval discipline, and separate from any possible argument between your Excellency and myself. I need not assure you that I shall not allow the offence of Commander Eliott, whose cause you have so warmly espoused, to interfere with the cordial co-operation which it has always been and always will be my duty to afford your Excellency in the Queen’s Service, whenever it may be my good fortune to have the opportunity given to me.

I have, &c.
(Signed)　　GEORGE O. WILLES

Inclosure 2

Sir H.S. Parkes to Vice-Admiral Willes.

Tôkiô, May 23, 1883
Sir,

I HAVE the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your Excellency’s despatch of the 11th instant, and feel that I should not omit to express the satisfaction I derive from the assurance it conveys, that I have misinterpreted the meaning of your Excellency’s previous letter of the 5th April, by thinking that it indicated an unwillingness on your part to afford me your valuable co-operation.
Whether the wording of Your Excellency’s letter of the 5th April justified the terms of my reply of the 18th of that month, will now be determined by our respective superiors to whom that correspondence has been submitted, but I consider that I should not hesitate to assure your Excellency that your desire to cordially co-operate with me in all matters connected with the fulfilment of Her Majesty’s Service is earnestly reciprocated by myself.

I have, &c.
(Signed)　　HARRY S. PARKES