Mr. Burlingame to Mr. Seward
No. 86.]
Legation of the United States,
Peking,
June 24, 1864.
Sir: I have the honor to forward correspondence
(marked A and B) with the French minister, Mr. Berthamy, in relation to
putting down piracy on the interior waters of China, and particularly on
the Yangtse. The plan of Mr. Berthamy proposes to submit to reciprocal
search all vessels of a Chinese construction carrying the flag of the
treaty powers having ministers at Peking. In my reply to Mr. Berthamy I
simply content myself with stating that I have no power to agree to any
such plan, and with pointing out one or two difficulties.
I may say to you, that I hold the plan to be altogether impracticable;
and this view I hold with my colleagues representing England and Russia.
In the first place, by it we submit our vessels to visitation and search
without compensating advantages. Second, we undertake to police Chinese
waters, which is an offensive assumption of power, while at the same
time it relieves the Chinese government from the performance of its own
proper duties. Third, it takes no account of the treaty powers not
having ministers at Peking. Fourth, it is not necessary, for anybody may
take pirates now. It would lead in practice to the greatest confusion,
and would become the fruitful source of quarrels.
With this brief statement of my views, I submit the correspondence to
your better judgment.
I have the honor to be, sir, your obedient servant,
Hon. William H. Seward,
Secretary of State, &c., &c.,
&c.
A.
Mr. Berthamy to Mr. Burlingame
Legation of France in
China,
Peking,
June 16, 1864.
Mr. Minister: For a long time numerous acts
of piracy have been committed upon the coasts and in the interior
waters of China, especially upon the Yangtse-Kiang, under the
protection of flags usurped by adventurers, either native or
foreign, and not being able to visit the ships upon which float the
colors of another nation, the ships-of-war charged in these
latitudes with protecting the maritime commerce find themselves very
often powerless.
Struck with the inconveniences of this situation, I submit to your
excellency a proposition which, if it is agreed to, will result in a
prompt remedy. You are not ignorant, Mr. Minister, that the acts of
piracy to which I have had the honor to call your attention are
generally committed with the aid of junks, lorchers—in a word, by
the aid of boats of Chinese construction; but in my opinion it will
suffice to put an end to a state of things which brings such serious
damage to common interests to give to the ships-of-war of the powers
whose representatives in China shall have acceded to these
arrangements the authority to visit boats of Chinese construction,
carrying the flag of any of these powers. The exercise of this right
it is understood will be reciprocal, and will have no other object
than to prove if the junk or lorcher is furnished with regular river
passes. Boats of a foreign construction would not be submitted to
it.
I shall esteem myself happy to learn that your excellency will give
his assent to this measure, and that in consequence he will convey
to the commandant of
[Page 434]
the
naval forces, as well as to the consular agents of the United States
in China, the necessary instructions to insure its being put in
execution. I address to the minister of England and Russia an
identical communication.
Wishing to present, Mr. Minister, the assurance of sentiments of high
consideration, I have the honor to be your excellency’s very humble
and very obedient servant,
Hon. Anson Burlingame,
United States Minister, Peking.
B.
Mr. Burlingame to Mr. Berthamy
Legation of the United
States,
Peking,
June 18, 1864.
Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge the
receipt of the letter of your excellency, in which you propose that
the ministers at Peking shall agree to put down piracy on the
interior waters of China, and particularly on the Yangtse, by
authorizing their vessels-of-war to stop all vessels, of whatever
flag, of a Chinese construction, and that the reciprocal right of
visit shall be prosecuted with a view solely of ascertaining if the
papers of such vessels are regular.
Hailing this proposition as but another of the many manifestations of
your excellency in behalf of that common action which has been found
to work so well in China, my first desire was to respond in the
affirmative. But I find, upon reflection, that I have not the power
to do so; that my government alone, and that after solemn forms, can
subject the vessels of the United States to visitation or search by
another power.
It occurs to me, also, that the success of the plan may involve the
consent and support of the Chinese government as well as the treaty
powers not having ministers at Peking.
I will not, however, suggest difficulties, but recognizing only the
worthy objects of your excellency, submit the question to the
consideration of my government.
I avail myself of this opportunity to renew to your excellency the
assurance of my very high consideration.
His Excellency J. Berthamy,
Minister of France, Peking.
