Mr. Williams to Mr. Seward
No. 20.]
Legation of the United States,
Peking,
August 3, 1868.
Sir: I have the honor to send you a
correspondence with Prince Kung (inclosures A, B) relating to the
existence of a gold mine near Chifu, in the province of Shautung; and
his desire to prevent it being worked, and thereby becoming a source of
disturbance to that region.
My reply opposes the views taken respecting the treatment of such a
discovery, and, so far as I am aware, all the foreign ministers have, in
one way or another, urged upon the Foreign Office the necessity of doing
something to regulate an enterprise they cannot prevent, and exerting
[Page 558] themselves to establish
some kind of efficient control over the mines. The prospect is that
before six months have passed there will be thousands of natives and
foreigners gathered at these diggings, and their conflicting interests
and rivalries will require to be controlled by a stronger hand than can
now be found. The necessities of the case will soon compel the
authorities to allow the mines to be worked, and then they must
establish a joint supervision adequate to the preservation of life and
property, if not to the collecting of some revenue.
The examination yet made of the mines is not very thorough, especially of
the quartz veins; but the washings in a few
localities have yielded enough to excite and reward the efforts of the
natives who have flocked in there from the neighboring hamlets. Some of
the washings are only 12 miles from Chifu. The Cantonese miners who have
returned from California and Australia are likely to gather here in
numbers as soon as they learn of the discoveries, and their skill and
industry will soon show what is the value of the deposits.
The course of events in Shantung cannot fail to exert a great influence
upon the court at Peking in its ideas relating to foreign relations
growing out of these discoveries, and you shall be informed of any
important change.
I have the honor to be, sir, your obedient servant,
Hon. William H. Seward, Secretary of State, Washington, D. C.
A.
Prince Kung to Mr. Williams
[Translation.]
July 15, 1868,
(Tungchi, 7th
year, 5th moon, 26th day.)
Prince Kung, chief secretary of state for foreign affairs, herewith
makes a communication:
It has been reported here that, in the maritime ports of Shautung,
near Chifu, where foreigners and natives have usually traded, they
have become very closely connected with each other. Very recently,
unscrupulous natives and lawless foreigners out of employment have
been planning to go into the country to privately dig for gold ore
and melt it for their own use.
It is well known that the prohibitions of this government on digging
gold are very severe; therefore such persons as may attempt to work
these mines illegally will not only do much injury to the prosperity
(fung-shui) of the people, but will also, it is to be feared, easily
cause great disorders and strifes, whose consequences will be
serious.
Orders have accordingly been sent from the Foreign Office to Tsung,
the superintendent of the three northern ports, and to Ting, the
governor of Shautung province, to give orders to the local
authorities in that region to inquire in what places gold dust has
been found usually, and to strictly interdict natives and foreigners
from working them.
I have also now to request your excellency to direct the United
States consul at Chifu not to allow any Americans to go to these
places of their own accord, and to issue orders to this end, as well
as to concert measures with the Chinese authorities to disperse
these men and stop their proceedings. This will prevent disorder,
and show a desire to preserve friendly relations. Furthermore, it
will be still more to the purpose if such idle foreigners as are at
Shanghai, intending to go ashore, [to the mines,] that the consul
stationed there also issue his injunctions to stop their going
thither; and that you will take measures in this matter is the
object of the present communication.
His Excellency S. Wells Williams, United States Chargé d’affaires ad
interim.
[Page 559]
B.
Mr. Williams to Prince Kung
Legation of the United
States, Peking,
July 30, 1868.
Sir: I have had the honor to receive your
dispatch of the 15th instant, relating to the proceedings of certain
lawless natives who have leagued with others from abroad to
stealthily go into the country about the port of Chifu, in Shantung,
to dig for gold, in the expectation of enriching themselves; and
expressing your fears as to the results on the prosperity of the
region, and that disturbances will arise in consequence of these
acts, which you wish me to repress and prevent, as far as possible,
by enjoining on the consul there to act in concert with the
authorities in all measures to keep the peace, &c.
I have also heard it reported that gold mines have been opened in
certain districts in Shautung, near Chifu; and there are serious
grounds for apprehending that multitudes of needy, reckless people
from all countries will swarm towards these regions, in their desire
for gain, and disturbances ensue which will not be easy to repress.
In view, therefore, of the exigencies of the case, it appears to me
that the wisest course for your imperial highness to adopt will be
to establish good regulations for immediately working these mines,
and thereby the imperial government will itself derive the highest
profits from them.
The riches which the Creator of all things has deposited in all
countries in the world in their soil, are designed by Him for the
benefit of mankind; and it is perfectly just, therefore, that man
should obtain these gifts of Heaven. It occurred in the United
States about 20 years ago, when some gold and silver mines were
discovered, that many thousands of people flocked there to dig them,
and regulations were adopted for their governance without delay. The
result has been that no commotions have arisen, and no one can say
that the prosperity of the country has been injured in anyway. In
truth, the prosperity of all lands, so far as it depends upon their
natural resources, is owing to the operation of similar causes.
If there are mines of gold and silver in the empire, it will be the
most advisable course to appoint an intelligent officer to oversee
them, and he can examine those now discovered in Shantung, and learn
their condition, and whether they are worth working or no. This plan
will be alike advantageous to the people and their officers, and
thus benefit the whole country. If this is generally known abroad,
too, those who may come from other countries will be bound to
observe the rules laid down, and their unauthorized diggings in the
mines restrained. If, on the contrary, no rules or measures are
adopted, people will go to these regions to dig for their private
benefit, and ere long a state of tilings will arise which his
Majesty’s authorities will not be able to repress, and foreign
consuls and others be entirely inadequate to remedy.
I therefore earnestly recommend to your imperial highness to take
measures to work these mines under proper regulations, in order to
prevent future evils, which may develop into troubles and
dissensions that cannot easily be removed.
In compliance with the request in the dispatch now received, I have
sent orders to the United States consul at Chifu to forbid Americans
illegally going to these mines, and to do all he can to prevent
trouble arising from this quarter.
I have the honor to be, sir, your imperial highnesses obedient
servant,
His Imperial Highness Prince Kung, Chief Secretary of State for Foreign
Affairs.
