Mr. Van Limburg to Mr. Seward
Sir: As my government takes much interest in making known generally what is being done in the Netherlands to disseminate the knowledge of the Chinese and Japanese languages, and as it is pleased to believe that it is not a matter without interest to scientific men to learn that the opportunity exists in the Netherlands to have works printed in the Chinese and Japanese characters from the matrices in use in that country, it is by its order that I have the honor to cause to be transmitted to you herewith a collection of Chinese characters, with a Dutch and English text, printed at the expense of the government of the King, under the supervision of Mr. Hoffmann, a professor at Leyden; and likewise a catalogue, accompanied by an explanatory report to the Royal Academy of Sciences, both written by the same learned man (savant) and comprising a part of the Chinese publication aforementioned.
Be pleased, sir, to accept the reiterated assurances of my high consideration.
Hon. William H. Seward, Secretary of State of the U. S. of A., Washington.