The enclosed letter contains the earnest request we have had for many days, and which we tried in many ways to get off to you at Yokohama, in a fishing boat by night, but the cruisers were too thick, and none others were allowed to come alongside, so that we were in great uncertainty what to do. Learning that the ships were coming here, we have come to wait, intending to seize a punt and come off, but have not succeeded. Trusting that your honors will consent, after people are quiet to morrow night, we will be at Kakizaki in a punt, at a place where there are no houses, near the beach. There we greatly desire you to come and meet us, and thereby carry out our hopes to their fruition. April 25th. The Japanese smaller ordnance is quite defective, some of their pieces loading at the breech, by unscrewing. Many of their gentlemen, among their other accomplishments, study the military art. To this number, and their artillery officers, our handsome small pieces,—Lieutenant Dalgren’s twelve-pounder brass howitzers—without a superfluous ounce of metal, and probably as admirable guns as are to be found in use among any nation—were always objects of great interest. The Japanese were presented with one of these howitzers before we left the bay of Yedo, but none of the lock-wafers, or boxes of canister, or other fixed ammunition for them, were given, nor any instruction as to the manner in which they were made. The following is a translation of a letter from a military man from Yedo, who, for the single object of collecting information, had been following the squadron, in the hope of meeting one of our officers. He was a gentleman of some rank, and had influence with several men in authority at Simoda, who visited him and never prevented his coming aboard. The letter was written in Dutch, and as a specimen of progress of military science in Japan, and search for other information, is not uninteresting. A GREAT SECRET. The law in Japan will not allow us to speak or to write with people of another country. Yesterday, on my return from the ship, I found that out, and it was not pleasant—Now you’ll be on shore to day, with friendship; I can not control (check) my desire to speak in writing, and shall follow up the prompting of my soul. At an early age I commenced studying the European and Chinese art of war with the aid of my teachers at Yedo; the European is certainly superior to the Chinese mode of warfare, I think and know more of it. On the arrival of the American ships off Uraga, Kanagawa, Yokahama, and Simoda, I went to and fro to those places, and on board of the ships at every opportunity, I saw there several instruments and machines, but don’t know enough about it. I could not speak with the Americans for the persons who visit the ships in business, would not allow it. Where is the island Borin,[2] and who lives there? Tell me, if you please, the names of some great countries.