Mr. Sanford to Mr. Seward.
Sir: A treaty of friendship, commerce, and navigation with China was concluded at Peking on the 2d of November last by M. T’Kint, envoy of this government on behalf of Belgium, and has been lately presented to the chambers for their approval.
I send it herewith, with the exposé des motifs, to the house, of the minister of foreign affairs.
It appears to grant all the concessions made to other nations; the right of accrediting a minister, the most favored treatment of consuls, and so as to the rights and privileges of Belgians in China, inviolability of their property, jurisdiction of their own laws, entry of Belgian ships to the ports opened to foreign commerce; and finally, the treatment accorded to the most favored nation hereafter is also guaranteed to Belgium in the future.
The King has paid special attention to the subject of opening commercial relations with China, (which he visited last year,) and this treaty is, doubtless, due to his personal initiation when Duke de Brabant.
I have the honor to be, with great respect, your most obedient servant,
Hon. William H. Seward, Secretary of State, Washington, D. C.