No. 70.
Mr. Low to Mr. Fish.
Legation of the
United States,
Peking, May 13, 1873.
(Received July 7.)
No. 256.]
Sir: Herewith I beg to transmit copy of a letter
received from Mr. Consul Sheppard, of Tien-tsin, giving
an account of the proceedings of the Japanese embassy while at that place.
It is interesting, and will repay perusal.
After the embassy closed their business there they came on to Peking,
arriving here on the 7th instant. They occupy a temple in this city about
one mile from this legation.
The morning after their arrival General Le Gendre called upon me. He came, he
said, as an American citizen to pay his respects to the American minister.
He took particular pains to impress me with the fact that his visit was
unofficial; also, that he was unprepared to give any information as to the
embassy with which he is connected, or its business; to which I replied that
I had no desire to meddle with the business of the Japanese.
If, however, the embassador should at any time need my good offices, I said
it would afford me pleasure to render him such assistance as I could,
consistently with my other duties. In the course of the conversation I
discovered the real object of the general’s visit, which was to intimate
that the Japanese embassador would insist that his superior rank should be
recognized by all the ministers here, native and foreign; in other words,
that he should expect all the foreign representatives and the Chinese
ministers, including Prince Kung, to call upon him.
In response, I said that it was extremely doubtful whether such a claim could
be made properly; that if made and insisted on, it would most likely isolate
the embassador from the other foreign representatives, and prevent all
personal intercourse between him and the Chinese government.
I further observed that I was not familiar with any rule of etiquette which
would justify an embassador in taking rank over an envoy until after he had
been received and recognized by the head of the government to which he is
accredited. But, aside from the absolute right and wrong of this case, there
are strong reasons why the foreign ministers should not accede to the
request. They are now in joint negotiation with the Chinese government
concerning a question that is of great importance to all the treaty powers.
The business seems now to be in a fair way to an amicable and proper
settlement. Were the Japanese embassador to be recognized as the dean of the
diplomatic body, and take part in the negotiations now pending, it would
have the effect to reopen the discussion, and this would cause delay, which
would probably defeat what now seems nearly gained. I concluded by saying
that, owing to my present physical infirmities, the question of making calls
of ceremony could hardly be considered a practical one with me; that the
decision concerning the question raised lay with my colleagues chiefly, and
suggested that they be consulted.
The general seemed to be very decided in his opinions; he affirmed, with
considerable warmth, that it would be derogatory to the dignity of the
embassador were he to recede from the position indicated. In support of his
view of the case, he referred me to the rules laid down by the Congress of
Vienna of 19th March, 1815; and to the published account of the reception of
Count Fleury, as French embassador at St. Petersburg
[Page 178]
He was also so indiscreet as to indulge in a menace,
to the effect that in case the foreign ministers failed to recognize the
claims set up by the embassador, the interests of their governments in Japan
would probably be made to suffer for it.
Subsequently the general consulted with the Russian minister, and through
him, as dean, with those of England and France, all of whom most
emphatically declined to yield to what they considered an unauthorized
assumption put forward by the embassador, or his counsellor, or both.
From what the Russian minister has told me about his interview with General
Le Gendre, the latter, I infer, made use of the same arguments and threats
that he did in his conversation with me. He also submitted to General
Vlangaly a long written memorandum on the subject,
and asked that he and his colleagues would reply to it. No answer has, hear,
been returned, nor has any notice been taken of the general’s
memorandum.
I may add that General Le Gendre’s action in this matter has made a very
unfavorable impression upon my colleagues; it has evidently increased their
jealousy and distrust of him. If he displays no more discretion when dealing
with the Chinese ministers, his presence here will do the Japanese much
harm, I fear.
I have, &c.,
P. S.—Since writing the foregoing General Vlangaly
has called to say that he had just received a note from General Le
Gendre to the effect that after the embassador notifies his presence in
Peking to the Chinese government he will make an unofficial call on the
foreign ministers. He also desires to recall the memorandum before
referred to.
[Inclosure 1.]
Mr. Sheppard to Mr.
Low.
United
States Consulate,
Tien-tsin, May 7,
1873.
Sir: The recent meeting of the Japanese
embassador with the viceroy of this province at Tien-tsin, for the
purpose of ratifying the treaty lately entered into between Japan and
China, has attracted so much attention that I beg to lay before you a
brief account of the official interchanges which took place between the
ministers of the two countries, together with a few facts and data
connected therewith, which I have thought might not be without value to
yourself.
Taneomi Soyéshima, the embassador extraordinary from Japan, accompanied
by a Japanese admiral, arrived at Taku about the 19th of April. The
flag-ship which brought the embassy being unable to cross the bar
anchored outside, and on the day following the American steamer Millet
was placed at the disposal of the embassador, who, accompanied by the
admiral, secretary, interpreters, and attachés, embarked at once, and
reached Tien-tsin at 7 o’clock p.m.
I should mention that C. W. Le Gendre, esq., late United States consul at
Amoy, who is attached to the embassy in the capacity of adviser, had
reached Tien-tsin the day previous by the steamer Shantung from
Shanghai. The interest and curiosity which is always excited in the
minds of the Chinese by the presence of Japanese in this country was
greatly heightened in this instance by the fact that the Japanese
appeared here for the first time in foreign clothes, i. e., European costume. Among the lower classes this fact
simply provoked good-natured, idle curiosity, as all novelty does among
the simple-minded countrymen, but among the literati and official
classes a very different feeling was plainly manifest.
Two days after their arrival the customs Taotai of Tien-tsin was deputed
to convey
[Page 179]
to the embassador
the viceroy’s compliments and assurances of friendly feeling on the part
of the Chinese government toward Japan, and to arrange for an official
interview. An interview between the embassador and Li Hung Chang was
accordingly arranged to take place at the viceroy’s yamên on the
following day. In due time the viceroy, with the customs and the
territorial Taotais and the prefect of Tien-tsin, accompanied by a large
and imposing retinue, returned the embassador’s visit. These two visits
were ceremonial and preliminary to the final meeting for the exchange
and ratification of the treaty which took place on the 30th of April, at
the shausi hui kuan in the city of Tien-tsin. The particulars of what
transpired at these several interviews have not, of course, been made
public officially. But by reports from Chinese sources I have gathered a
few incidents connected therewith which seem worthy of note. While I am
satisfied from other sources of information that these reports are
substantially correct, I give them to you as matter of report simply,
without vouching for their correctness. General Le Gendre, whom I before
mentioned as connected with the embassy, was present at each of the two
interviews which I have named, as also at the final meeting of
ratification on the 30th of April above mentioned.
It is reported among the Chinese that at the first one of these
interviews the viceroy, after being introduced, inquired of the
embassador, “Who is this foreigner; what is his business here?” or
questions to that effect. The embassador’s answer was that General Le
Gendre accompanied the embassy as adviser, and that he was here at the
request and by the authority of the Japanese government.
The viceroy replied that “We,” meaning the Chinese and Japanese, “have
made other treaties before this one, and we did not find the need of
foreigners to advise us, and what reason is there for it now?” He
insisted that he could not recognize General Le Gendre in any official
capacity relating to the embassy.
At each of the first two interviews named the viceroy’s conduct toward
General Le Gendre was studiously cold and uncourteous. At the final
meeting, on the 30th of April, the viceroy, however, saw fit to entirely
change his demeanor toward him, and on this occasion his extravagant
politeness was only equalled by his former incivility and rudeness.
As far as I have been able to learn, the intercourse between the
embassador and the viceroy was pleasant enough. There is, however, no
disguising the fact that the ruling classes here, including his
excellency the viceroy, hold the Japanese in sovereign contempt. The
adoption of foreign dress and foreign manners by the Japanese has stung
almost to exasperation the proud, stolid Chinese.
It is deeply to be regretted that Li Hung Chang should have taken
advantage of his high official position, as it would seem he has done in
this instance, to promote and strengthen the exclusive and selfish
spirit of distrust of foreigners and foreign influences, so much
indulged in by the pompous, conceited, and too often ignorant
mandarins.
The viceroy’s ungracious demeanor toward General Le Gendre did not arise,
I think, from personal considerations. The fact that the Japanese had
seemingly identified themselves with foreigners by employing a foreigner
adviser was so entirely at variance with the viceroy’s ideas of Oriental
superiority that we could not resist giving his cousins from the “Rising
Sun” a left-handed slap for submitting to or seeking after the guidance
of western barbarians. This little incident, otherwise unworthy of
notice, becomes very significant in view of the recent advances toward
modern civilization made by the Japanese, and of the relations between
that country and China. It gives, also, one more unhappy proof of the
distrust and dislike of western peoples among the ruling classes of
China.
Of the nature and conditions of the new treaty just ratified nothing has
as yet transpired.
I am, &c.,
ELI T. SHEPPARD,
United States Consul.
