2-321-591 - The Print Collector/Heritage Images

'The envoys of the Japanese Prince of Nagato paying the indemnity for the affair of Simonosaki', 1865. The narrow Shimonoseki Strait in Japan was controlled by the Prince of Nagato and the Choshu clan. The Choshu were opposed to the growing foreign presence in Japan following the signing of the Treaty of Kanagawa in 1854, and proceeded to fire on ships belonging to several nations trying to sail through the strait. After a series of further incidents, a combined American, British, French and Dutch naval squadron bombarded the Choshu shore positions and destroyed their ships in a two day bombardment on 5th-6th September 1864. The Choshu clan surrendered two days later. The accord drawn up after the surrender compelled the Tokugawa Shogun to pay an indemnity of $3 million. A print from The Illustrated London News, 2nd December 1865.