5

I am interested to know at least the beginning few lines of Hiragana in the attached print. It depicts Admiral Matthew Perry. The print is titled Gasshukoku suishi teitoku kōjōgaki (Oral statement by the American Navy admiral). It has been speculated that the text refers to the letter sent by US President Fillmore to "the Japanese Emperor" via Perry.

enter image description here (Image from the Library of Congress)

1 Answer 1

7

I found the text on wikimedia:

合衆国水師(すいし)提督(ていとく)口上ノ書

合衆(がうしう)国海軍総督(そうとく)其(その)盟約(めいやく)を結(むす)ばん為に全権(せんけん)行事(じ)の/特命(とくめい)を承(う)け此海に来る〓〓〓〓国々賞官(しやうくわん)中の一員(いん)と/会合して受嘱の〓差(きんざし)書及ひ通信書牘(しよとく)を/捧けんと欲(ほつ)す此二牘(じとく)は即合衆国之伯理璽天(ぶれしてん)/徳より貴国殿下に呈す〓なり右の/差合は近一日を択(えら)いその礼を/約定せんことを願ふ

村[=浦]賀港に於て書す

北亜墨利加合衆国供和清治ハシントンノ大府国王/伯里璽天徳ノ命ヲ受ケヲレカン衆カリホルニヤノ大主外邦事務ノ宰相水師提督

人名 マツテウセベルリ 四十九才

予(よ)が貴国の

In the picture this is the text in the upper-right including the box in the middle.

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .