Sherman to the American admiral on the Asiatic station, with a suggestion that he inquire into the facts and report the same to the government at Washington for instructions. The case was likewise reported by the British minister to the British naval commander. In view of these events Mr. Burlingame anticipated that a large fleet of French, American, and British vessels would be in Korean waters the next year, and he wrote the Secretary of State: "If my advice can have any weight, it will be that our presence there should rather restrain than promote aggression, and serve to limit action to such satisfaction only as great and civilized nations should, under the circumstances, have from the ignorant and weak." Unfortunately Mr. Burlingame did not remain in the legation, and other counsels prevailed at Washington.
The investigations made by the American vessels sent by the admiral to Korea did not seem to justify any action and none was taken. The same course was adopted by the British government. But a year later the United States consul-general at Shanghai, Mr. George F. Seward, reported to the Secretary of State that he had learned of the arrival at Shanghai of a Catholic priest and a party of Koreans, who had been sent by the Korean government to ascertain if an embassy would be kindly received if sent to America and France to explain and make reparation for the destruction of the General Sherman and the murder of the French missionaries. His informant, also, told Mr. Seward that Korea was ready to make commercial treaties and open up the country to foreign trade.
