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When European ships appeared in Naha harbor, as they did not infrequently, Bettelheim was always eager to present himself to the visitors, and to represent himself as an interpreter available for their benefit. The Ryukyuan authorities were surely not pleased with this situation, but put up with it, as it was convenient, and as Bettelheim was, essentially, uncontrollable. They did, however, frequently petition the European or American crews to take him away. Bettelheim, serving as interpreter, faithfully relayed these requests, but roundly refused to leave; the foreign crews often refused responsibility for him in any case, Bettelheim being a British subject, and the foreigners not being a British crew. Still, upon departing, they would very often leave Bettelheim with a number of gifts, such as clothing, food, furniture, soap, or the like.

When European ships appeared in Naha harbor, as they did not infrequently, Bettelheim was always eager to present himself to the visitors, and to represent himself as an interpreter available for their benefit. The Ryukyuan authorities were surely not pleased with this situation, but put up with it, as it was convenient, and as Bettelheim was, essentially, uncontrollable. They did, however, frequently petition the European or American crews to take him away. Bettelheim, serving as interpreter, faithfully relayed these requests, but roundly refused to leave; the foreign crews often refused responsibility for him in any case, Bettelheim being a British subject, and the foreigners not being a British crew. Still, upon departing, they would very often leave Bettelheim with a number of gifts, such as clothing, food, furniture, soap, or the like.

When pressured by the Ryukyuan authorities, Bettelheim threatened on numerous occasions to contact the British authorities, but the Brits as well, for the most part, wanted to have nothing to do with him. On one occasion, a British admiral accused him of posing as a British official (e.g. in his interactions with the Ryukyuan authorities, and perhaps with visiting Western crews) and threatened to file that his citizenship be revoked. The Loochoo Mission in Hong Kong & China did a fair job of hiding his troublemaking from the Mission's home office in London; however, officials in Satsuma and Beijing were well aware of such matters. Beijing claimed that his activities in the Ryukyus were in violation of the [[Treaty of Nanking]], which specified only five Chinese ports that would be open to missionary activity. Apparently, they interpreted Naha to be a Chinese port, or at least interpreted Ryûkyû to be Chinese territory beyond the boundaries of where foreign missionaries were permitted to travel.

When pressured by the Ryukyuan authorities, Bettelheim threatened on numerous occasions to contact the British authorities, but the Brits as well, for the most part, wanted to have nothing to do with him. On one occasion, a British admiral accused him of posing as a British official (e.g. in his interactions with the Ryukyuan authorities, and perhaps with visiting Western crews) and threatened to file that his citizenship be revoked. The Loochoo Mission in Hong Kong & China did a fair job of hiding his troublemaking from the Mission's home office in London; however, officials in Satsuma and Beijing were well aware of such matters. Beijing claimed that his activities in the Ryukyus were in violation of the [[Treaty of Nanking]], which specified only five Chinese ports that would be open to missionary activity. Apparently, they interpreted Naha to be a Chinese port, or at least interpreted Ryûkyû to be Chinese territory beyond the boundaries of where foreign missionaries were permitted to travel. Of the various Western ships arriving in Okinawa around this time, many, to the contrary, believed Okinawa to be part of Japan, and traveled there as part of efforts to see Japanese ports opened to commerce for their nation.

As a result, Bettelheim's activities began to become more of a concern for the Mission and for British authorities, eventually reaching the level of being discussed by the Cabinet in London; if the difficulties with Bettelheim somehow sparked a larger international incident, it could potentially have had a serious impact upon British diplomatic relations and political intentions in the region. Thus, on [[1849]]/2/14 (March 8), the [[HMS ''Mariner'']], under the command of a Captain Matheson, pulled into port in Naha. The visitors were invited to a formal banquet by the chief magistrate of Naha, in preparation for an official meeting with the royal regent; yet, somehow Bettelheim convinced the Captain and his men to leave the banquet hall in order to have dinner at Bettelheim's house (i.e. at Gokoku-ji). The Naha officials were unable to stop them, and so had the entire banquet moved to Gokoku-ji. The regent stepped aboard the ''Mariner'' the following day to meet with Captain Matheson, and petitioned him to remove Bettelheim; the missionary translated the petition and interpreted for the meeting despite being the subject of discussion in this manner. The Captain agreed to take him, but Bettelheim refused to leave; in the end, Bettelheim remained ashore, while the ''Mariner'' returned to England with petitions from the Ryukyuans for Bettelheim's removal, and from Bettelheim petitioning that Royal Navy ships be sent to punish the Ryukyuan authorities for their treatment of him.

As a result, Bettelheim's activities began to become more of a concern for the Mission and for British authorities, eventually reaching the level of being discussed by the Cabinet in London; if the difficulties with Bettelheim somehow sparked a larger international incident, it could potentially have had a serious impact upon British diplomatic relations and political intentions in the region. An example of the many interactions Bettelheim had with Western ships took place on [[1849]]/2/14 (March 8), when the [[HMS ''Mariner'']], under the command of a Captain Matheson, pulled into port in Naha. The visitors were invited to a formal banquet by the chief magistrate of Naha, in preparation for an official meeting with the royal regent; yet, somehow Bettelheim convinced the Captain and his men to leave the banquet hall in order to have dinner at Bettelheim's house (i.e. at Gokoku-ji). The Naha officials were unable to stop them, and so had the entire banquet moved to Gokoku-ji. The regent stepped aboard the ''Mariner'' the following day to meet with Captain Matheson, and petitioned him to remove Bettelheim; the missionary translated the petition and interpreted for the meeting despite being the subject of discussion in this manner. The Captain agreed to take him, but Bettelheim refused to leave; in the end, Bettelheim remained ashore, while the ''Mariner'' returned to England with petitions from the Ryukyuans for Bettelheim's removal, and from Bettelheim petitioning that Royal Navy ships be sent to punish the Ryukyuan authorities for their treatment of him.

 

 

After these incidents, the Ryukyuan government, knowing that the British were watching out for Bettelheim's safety, took action to cut him off from interactions with Okinawan people. He continued to live in Gokoku-ji, was not harmed by the Ryukyuan police, and was in fact supplied with food and other necessities. But the temple was surrounded, and his movements became severely restricted. Hearing that Bettelheim's situation had not improved despite the letter the previous year from Her Royal Majesty, Queen Victoria, the British government (by way of a [[Lord Palmerston]]) sent another letter, this time threatening that future visits by British warships would be less friendly if Bettelheim's circumstances did not improve immediately. Of course, all of this bother from London served to inflate Bettelheim's massive ego further; a new interpreter/translator, [[T.T. Meadows]], was sent to Okinawa to ensure that Bettelheim did not meddle in the content of communications. Meadows warned his superiors that Bettelheim was particularly apt to grab for power, and that their support could result in the distasteful result of Bettelheim gaining considerable power within the small kingdom. Shortly afterward, there was a changeover in the British government; the new officials now handling the Bettelheim situation looked far less favorably on Bettelheim's use of the Royal Navy to articulate his own personal threats.

When Commodore Perry arrived in Naha in 1853, Bettelheim appointed himself interpreter for the Americans, and pressed upon Perry that he take action against the Ryukyuan government, which had so mistreated him over the years. The Commodore, for the most part, refused, but used Bettelheim as his interpreter in his various meetings with the Ryukyuan regent. He agreed to send a number of things back to Shanghai for Bettelheim, including letters and $800 to be deposited into his bank accounts; Perry also claimed a portion of the Gokoku-ji grounds to use as pasture for sheep he brought with him to Okinawa, while Bettelheim preached to the American crewmen.

When Commodore Perry arrived in Naha in 1853, Bettelheim appointed himself interpreter for the Americans, and pressed upon Perry that he take action against the Ryukyuan government, which had so mistreated him over the years. The Commodore, for the most part, refused, but used Bettelheim as his interpreter in his various meetings with the Ryukyuan regent. He agreed to send a number of things back to Shanghai for Bettelheim, including letters and $800 to be deposited into his bank accounts; Perry also claimed a portion of the Gokoku-ji grounds to use as pasture for sheep he brought with him to Okinawa, while Bettelheim preached to the American crewmen.