Meanwhile, a combined fleet led by Harry PARKES, a British diplomat, arrived offshore of Hyogo (current Kobe Port), which was designated as a port by the Ansei treaty, but was not opened because the imperial court refused to give permission.
一方、安政条約に明記されながらいまだに朝廷の許可が無いため開港されていなかった兵庫（神戸港）問題を巡って、英国公使ハリー・パークスが主導する英仏蘭米連合艦隊が兵庫沖に迫った。