least partially with the terms of the President's letter; and the only object of these discussions as to the locality for the negotiations was to get the fleet as far away from the capital as possible. The commodore, however, was firm, and it was arranged that the place of meeting should be near the anchorage, at the site of the present city of Yokohama.
The first conference took place March 8, but meanwhile the credentials of the chief Japanese plenipotentiary had been submitted to the commodore and found satisfactory. As on the former visit, a special house had been erected for the conferences. On the part of the Japanese there was no such military display as on the occasion of the delivery of the President's letter, only a small guard being present. But the commodore, true to his purpose of impressing the Japanese with the importance of the mission, came on shore in much the same style as on his first landing, with a full detail of officers and marines and to the sound of martial music and salutes in honor of the emperor, the Japanese plenipotentiary, and himself.
It was found that to the imperial plenipotentiary four other princes and persons of high rank had been added to complete the commission. After the necessary introductions, the reply to the President's letter was submitted, which indicated a certain acquiescence in its terms. The negotiations then began and were continued at various conferences through the month. They were quite formal in their character, but marked by the greatest courtesy and good feeling, the Japanese commissioners proving quite equal to their new and untried duties.
