翻刻
相違ある間敷とハ不被申義ニ而御手厚ニ者
限りも無之義ニ候へ共成丈ケ者厚御備被成度
義併其か為会津奥羽藩鎮之御備御手
薄ニ相成候様ニ而者不相済義何レニ茂外国江対
候而之人数配予算可致様無之候へとも何之目
当取握もなく無謀ニ御人数被差置 公辺
御尋者勿論白川家御打合相成候ニも条理
不相立不束成形ニ而者是又不相済義依而者
不得止手前を定規ニ立今度御持場最寄
ニ而三万石御振替ニ可相成由ニ付而者右
高之軍役ニ当り少く御手厚成方ニ御備被置
候ハヽ会津御備御手薄ニ相成候程之義も有之
間敷不慮之節ハ江戸表ハ勿論会津よりも御人
数可被差越其間御備場詰之者とも賊に接
し存分を尽し事不叶節者海底ニ沈没
仕候を以御奉公と致候外者無之義ニ候間三万
石之御軍役高を御目当ニ御備被置候ハヽ多
分之不都合と申程之異論も有之間敷旨
申達候処一時之義と違永久之義後々
保兼御備高被減候様ニ相成候而者不宜候間追
現代語訳
相違あるまじきとは申せない義であって、御手厚くするには限りもない義ではあるが、成るだけは厚く御備えなされたい義である。しかしながら、そのために会津・奥羽藩鎮の御備えが手薄になるようでは相済まない義である。いずれにしても、外国に対しての人数配備の予算を立てる術もないとはいえ、何の目当ても手がかりもなく無謀に御人数を差し置いては、公辺へのお尋ねはもちろん、白川家との御打ち合わせになるにも、条理が立たず不束な形では、これまた相済まない義である。よって、やむを得ず手前を定規に立て、今度の御持場最寄りにて三万石の御振り替えとなる由につき、右の高の軍役に当たり、少しく御手厚な方に御備えを置かれるならば、会津の御備えが手薄になる程の義もあるまじく、不慮の節は江戸表はもちろん、会津よりも御人数を差し越されるべく、その間、御備場詰めの者どもが賊に接し、存分を尽くし、事叶わぬ節は海底に沈没仕ることをもって御奉公と致す外はない義でありますから、三万石の御軍役高を御目当てに御備えを置かれるならば、多分の不都合と申す程の異論もあるまじき旨、申し達したところ、一時の義と違い永久の義として、後々に御備え高を減ぜられるようになっては宜しくないので、追って……
英語訳
…there can be no guarantee that it would be safe and secure [even with the full Aizu force deployed]. While there is no limit to how thoroughly one might wish to reinforce the defenses, one should strengthen them as much as possible. However, it would be unacceptable for the defenses of Aizu and the Ōu (*Mutsu* and *Dewa*) garrison to become thin as a result. In any case, while there is no way to formulate a budget for troop deployment against foreign powers, it would also be unacceptable to station personnel without any basis or aim whatsoever—for that would make it impossible to give a coherent account either when questioned by the Shogunate (*kōhen*) or when coordinating with the Shirakawa domain, and would present a disorganized appearance that cannot be countenanced.
Therefore, having no alternative but to use our own circumstances as a baseline, and given that a transfer of 30,000 *koku* is to be made in the vicinity of our newly assigned area, if defenses are stationed corresponding to the military service obligation (*guneki*) of that assessed yield, erring somewhat on the side of greater strength, it is unlikely that the Aizu defenses would become so thin as to cause serious concern. In the event of an unforeseen emergency, reinforcements could be dispatched not only from Edo but also from Aizu, and in the meantime, those stationed at the defensive positions would engage the enemy, give their utmost, and, should the situation prove untenable, had nothing left but to regard sinking to the bottom of the sea as their act of loyal service (*hōkō*).
Therefore, if defenses are maintained with the military service quota of 30,000 *koku* as the benchmark, we submitted that there would likely be no serious objections worth raising. In response, it was communicated that, unlike a temporary arrangement, this being a permanent matter, it would be undesirable if the scale of the defense allocation were to be reduced in future years, and therefore, [further instructions would follow]…