CHINA.                               
317

short. It is not known what passed. The mandarins were not of sufficiently
high
rank for the Japanese to be willing to discuss anything of importance with
them; and
probably not much took place b5ey'nd an interchange of comipliments.
  We are having a sample of Formosa weather. In the morning, though the sea
was
quiet, still there was a surf which rendered care necessary in landing. This
after-
noon, in an incredibly short space of time, such a sea has got up that the
two small
gunboats are rolling almost gunwales under, and communication between the
shore
and the ships is a matter of real difficulty. Cloudy weather, with a mixture
of driz-
zling rain and heavy down-pour, render fever and ague a too probable contingeuc.y.
  The Japanese commanders do not want to have any more fighting for two or
three
days, fearing to frighten the enemy away. They wish to wait till they can
attack from
several quarters at once, and so have a chance of preventing the escape of
the savages.
  The Nepaul sails to-night for Nagasaki.





                                   No. 157.

                        Mr. Henderson to Mr. Davis.

No. 32.]                              UNITED STATES CONSULATE,
                             AMoy, June 6, 1874.    (Received August 5.)
   Sin: I have the honor to inclose copies of correspondence between
Com. A. Kautz, U. S. N., and myself, on the subject of the Japanese ex-
pedition to Formosa and American intervention therein. Also copy of
a notification which I have issued in co-operation with the United States
naval forces on this station, hoping it will, in view of the peculiarity
of
attending circumstances, meet the approval of the Government, and
maybe, for the time being, discourage Americans from having anything
more to do with that enterprise.
       I have, &c.,
                                                    J. J. HENDERSON.




                               [Inclosure 1 in No. 32.]

                        Mr. Henderson to Commander Kautz.

No. 20.]                                      UNITED STATES CONSULATE,
                                      Amoy and Dependencies thereof, June
4, 1874.
  SiR: I have the honor to state that I have received an official dispatch
from the
Chinese authorities of this province, informing me that the island of Formosa
is a part
of the Chinese Empire, and that the Japanese armed forces now at Liang Klan
have
entered that island in violation of law and their treaties.
  They request me to prevent citizens of the United States from having anything
to
do with the affair, and say that they have demanded that the Japanese evacuate
the
island at once. I suppose there is no doubt but there are sone Americans
engaged in
this business, and if so it is probably in opposition to the laws of the
United States
and our treaty obligations with China; and as United States consul charged
with the
execution of those laws and obligations over there, I respectfully request
your co-opera
tion and assistance in Compelling them to desist.
  If this suggestion accords with your sense of duty, we can hereafter determine
wha
mode of procedure we will adopt.
      I am, &c.,
                                   *                      J. J. HENDERSON.