The proposition to have consular agents residing in Japan evidently gave
great anxiety to the commissioners. The Commodore was firm in saying
there must be such agents, for the sake of the Japanese themselves as
well as for that of his own countrymen, and it was finally conceded that
there should be one, to live at Simoda, and that he should not be
appointed until a year and eighteen months from the date of the treaty.
Two more articles, including the new points that had been discussed,
were now added to the transcript of the proposed treaty; the Japanese
promised to bring on board the Powhatan next day a copy in Dutch of
their understanding of the agreement as far as concurred in, and the
Commodore departed.
In the next two days several notes passed between the Commodore and the
Japanese commissioners, in the course of which various questions that
had been already considered were definitely settled; and the American
interpreters were occupied, in cooperation with the Japanese, in drawing
up the treaty in the Chinese, Dutch, and Japanese languages.
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