The Sun.
London, England, 1856-01-15 00:00:00

TISK SHIPS INTO THE PORTS OF JAPAN.

It is agreed between Sir James Stirling, Knight,
Rear-Admiral and Commander-in-Chief of the ships and
vessels of her Britannic Majesty in the East Indies and
seas adjacent, and Mezi-no Chekfu-no Karni, Obunyo of
Nagasaki, and Nagai Evan Ocho, Omedski of Nagasaki,
ordered by his Imperial Highness the Emperor of Japan
to act herein ; That,-
1. The ports of Nagasaki (Fisen) and Hakodadi
(Matsmai) shall be open to British ships for the 'pur-
poses of effecting repairs, and obtaining fresh water,
provisions, and other supplies of any sort they may ab-
solutely want for the use of the ships.
2. Nagasaki shall be open for the purposes afore-
said from and after the present date ; and Hakodadi
from and after the end of fifty days from the Admiral's
departure from this pert. The rules and regulations of
each of these ports are to be complied with.
3. Only ships in distress from weather, or unmanage-
able, will be permitted to enter other ports than those
specified in the foregoing Articles, without permission
from the Imperial Government.
4. British ships in Japanese ports shall conform to the
laws of Japan. If high officers or commanders of ships
shall break any such laws, it will lead to the ports being
Cosed. Should inferior persons break them, they are to
be delivered over to the commanders of their ships for
punishment.
5. In the ports of Japan, either now open, or which
may hereafter be opened, to the ships or subjects of any
foreign nation, British ships and subjects shall be en-
titled to admission and to the enjoyment of an equality
of advantages with those of the most favoured nation,
always excepting the advantages accruing to the Dutch
and Chinese from their existing relations with Japan.
6. This Convention shall be tatified, and the ratifi-
cations shall be exchanged at Nagasaki on behalf of her
Majesty the Queen of Great Britain, and on behalf of
his Highness the Emperor of Japan, within twelve
months from the present date.
7. When this Convention shall be ratified, no high
officer coming to Japan shall alter it.
In witness whereof, we have signed the same, and
have affixed our seals thereunto at Nagasaki, this four-
teenth day of October, 1854.
(L. S.) JAMES STIRLING.
N.B.—The Japanese text was signed by the Japanese
Plenipotentiaries.

Exposition of the Articles of the Convention of Nagasaki
of the 14th of October, 1854, agreed to on the 18th of
October, 1855, by their Excellencies the Rear-Admiral
Cooamandin4-in•Chiefand the Japanese Commissioners.
"1. The ports of Nagasaki (Fisen) and Hakodadi
(Matsiemi) shall be open to British ships for the purposes
of effecting repairs, and obtaining fresh water, provi-
sions, and other supplies of any sort they may absolutely
want for the use of the ships."
Exposition—The first Article of the Convention opens
the ports of Nagasaki and Hakodadi to British ships for
repairs and supplies. It opens the whole and every
part of those ports ; but ships must be guided in an-
choring by the directions of the local Government. Safe
and convenient places will be assigned where ships may
be repaired. Workmen, materials, and supplies, will be
provided by the local Government according to a tariff
to be agreed upon, by which also the modes of payment
will be regulated. All official communications will
hereafter, when Japanese shall have time to learn Eng-
lish, be made in that language. A British burial-ground
shall be set apart on Medsume Sima, fenced in by a
stone wall. and properly protected.
2. " Nagasaki shall be open for the purposes afore-
said from and after the present date ; and Hakodadi
from and after the end of fifty days from the Admiral's
departure from this port. The rules and regulations of
each of these ports are to be complied with."
The second Article provides that at each of the ports
of Nagasaki and Hakodadi the Port Regulation shall be
obeyed ; but the Japanese Government will take care
that they shall not be of a nature to create embarrass-
ment, nor to contradict in any other way the general
tenor and intent of the Treaty, the main object of which
is to promote a friendly intercourse between Great Bri-
tain and Japan.
3. " Only ships in distress from weather, or unma-
nageable, will he permitted to enter other ports than
those specified in the foregoing articles, without permis-
sion from the Imperial Government."
Exposition.—The third article declares that only ships
in distress from weather, or unmanageable, shall ertiter
other ports than Nagasaki and Hakodadi without per-
mission from the Imperial Government ; but ships of war
have a general right to enter the ports of friendly Powers
in the unavoidable performance of public duties, which
right can be neither waived nor r,stricted ; but her Ma-
jesty's ships will not enter any other than open ports
without necessity, nor without offering proper explana-
tions to the Imperial authorities.
4. " British ships in Japanese ports shall conform to
the laws of Japan. If high officers or commanders of
ships shall break any such laws, it will lead to the ports
being closed. Should inferior persons break them, they
are to be delivered over to the commanders of their
ships for punishment."
The fourth Article provides that British ships and
subjects in Japanese ports shall conform to the laws of
Japan ; and that if any subordinate British subjects
commit offences against the laws, they shall be handed
over to their own officers for punishment ; and that if
high officers or commanders of ships shall break the
laws, it will lead to the closing of the ports specified.
AII this is as it should be ; but it is not intended by this
Article that any acts of individuals, whether high or
low, previously unauthorised or subsequently disap-
proved of by her Majesty the Queen of Great Britain,
can set aside the Convention entered into with her
Majesty alone by his Imperial Highness the Emperor
of Japan.
"5. In the ports of Japan, either now open, or
which may hereafter be opened to the ships or subjects
of any foreign nation, British ships and subjects shall be
entitled to admission, and to the enjoyment of an
equality of advantages with those of the most favoured
nation, alweys excepting the advantages accruing to the
Dutch and Chinese from their existing relations with
Japan."
The fifth Article secures in the fullest sense to British
ships and subjects in every port of Japan, either now
open or hereafter to be opened, an equality in point of
advantage or accommodation with the ships and sub-
jects or citizens of any foreign nation, excepting any
peculiar privilege hitherto conceded to the Dutch and
Chinese in the port of Nagasaki. If, therefore, any
other nation or people be now or hereafter permitted to
enter other ports than Nagasaki and Hakodadi, or
to appoint Consuls, or to open trade, or to enjoy
any advantage or privilege whatever, British ships and
subjects shall, as of right, enter upon the enjoyment of
the same.
6. " This Convention shall he ratified, and the rati-
fications shall be exchanged at Nagasaki on behalf of her
Majesty the Queen of Great Britain, and on behalf of
his Highness the Emperor of Japan, within 12 months
from the present date."
7. When this Convention shall be ratified, no high
officer coming to Japan shall alter it."
ARRANGEMENT REGARDING SHIPS.
An arrangement made subsequently to the Conven
tion requires that British ships intending to visit Japan
shall be provided with a document in proof of their
nationality, and as a check upon the conduct of
vessels in Japanese ports ; and her Majesty's Go-
vernment has directed a form of certificate of registra-
tion to be adopted*, which has been accepted as satisfac-
tory by the Japanese authorities ; and merchant ships
arriving in Japanese ports are to submit their certificate
of registration to the officers to be appointed by the Ja-
panese authorities, and to permit them to make such ex-
tracts from it as may seem good to them, before such
ships can be admitted to obtain repairs and supplies. Her
Majesty's ships of war will not be provided with such
documents ; but the officers in command, upon proper
application will afford all reasonable information re-
garding their ships.

Regulations for the Port of Nagasaki, communicated to
Rear-Admiral Sir James Stirling by the Governor of
Nagasaki, Oct., 1554.
STANDINQ PORT REGULATIONS.
Article L Ships shall anchor within Two-sima, and
there await the directions of the Governor.
Article IL No firearms to be discharged.
Article 111. No person to land on any of the islands.
Article IV. No soundings to be taken, nor boats io
be pulling about.
Article V. Should any communication be desired, a
boat of the upper officers shall be called ; but no corn-

* The form of Register issuea to Eritieh vessels at_ the
Cutom-houss.