Papers Relating to the Foreign Relations of the United States, Transmitted to Congress, With the Annual Message of the President, December 6, 1875, Volume I
No. 148.
Mr. Avery
to Mr. Fish.
Peking, March, 19, 1875. (Received May 7.)
Sir: I have the honor to send herewith copies of dispatches and inclosures sent to this legation by M. M. De Lano, esq., our consul at Foo-chow, giving a complete history, with documentary evidence, of the Foo-chow-Amoy telegraph project. His first dispatch, No. 42, with eight inclosures, bearing date January 25, 1875, is a curious exhibition of duplicity and tergiversation on the part of the local officials. In spite of all their double-dealing and bad faith, however, one gratifying fact is evident: they really want the telegraph, but not in foreign hands. Probably the line would have been allowed to go on to completion by the Danish company, but for a letter from the Tsung li Yamen, (marked H in the inclosure,) directing the provincial authorities to buy it for the government. This letter was sent to Foo-chow late last tall, and the local officials have ever since been playing a game of obstruction, instead of at once making a frank tender of purchase possibly with a view to getting a cheaper bargain.
The Yamen would seem to have been prompted to effect a purchase of the line by a desire to evade the fulfillment of an old promise to the Russian minister, that when China permitted another country to put up a telegraph she would also allow Russia to do so. Hearing of the Foo-chow-Amoy project, and believing a perfect concession had been obtained for it, which was not the fact, Mr. de Bützow, the present Russian minister; reminded the Yamen of their promise, and hence, doubtless, the sudden withdrawal of favor from the Danish line. Owing to the peculiar territorial relations of the two countries, China regards with apprehension any attempt on the part of Russia to facilitate communication along her borders, and the Yamen has doubtless been encouraged by certain foreign interests here to frown upon the Russian project for a telegraph from Peking to Kiachta as something dangerous.
However this may be, the Foo-chow-Amoy line is to be bought for the government. Since the decision to this effect was formally communicated to the Danish minister, who has now gone to Shanghai to arrange for the sale, Mr. De Lano writes me of another attack upon the line, by the local officials, who caused twenty miles of it to be destroyed. This rash proceeding will have no other effect than to increase the indemnity to be paid the Danish company, and necessitate an extra outlay for the completion of the line should the government desire to maintain and use it, as supposed. In reference to this subject, I wrote to Mr. De Lano, under date of March 6, as follows:
[Page 279]“It is evident that continued unity of action in favor of foreign telegraph enterprise cannot be expected from the diplomatic and consular bodies, and, lacking that, the Peking government will do nothing to promote such enterprise on a large scale. Rid of foreign rivalries and importunities, however, and managing telegraphs for itself, this government may sooner learn their value and extend their use. To such a result, if it comes about, I think we may justly claim that American influence has largely contributed by the disinterested support it has given to initial telegraph effort, no matter by what nationality made, in the interest, solely, of commerce, civilization, and progress. I congratulate you that your own name will be honorably connected with so good a cause.”
I have, &c.,
Mr. De Lano to Mr. Avery.
Foo-chow, January 25, 1875.
Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your dispatch of December 30 in which you ask me, in case it is consistent with my inclinations and with my other duties, to take temporary charge of the Danish vice-consulate at this port.
I have to say, in reply, that it does not seem to be consistent for me to do so, and for the following reasons: First, Mr. Young, when he left here, left the consulate in charge of Mr. Harton, one of his employés, who would not of course give over the charge, except on the order of Mr. Young or of the Danish legation at Peking. Second, I could not, consistently with my position, accept the post of ‘acting vice-consul.’ If the Danish government have a consulate here, the incumbent should be either consul or acting consul, and I would be willing, in case I was named with the knowledge and assent of Mr. Young, to accept charge as acting consul, at the request of the Danish minister and with your consent, pending the approval of the State Department, in which case the Tsung li Yamen would have to notify the provincial authorities here of my appointment.
There is no doubt that Danish interests are suffering greatly through their having no consul here, and I know by actual experience that the position at this moment would be an onerous one, for I have conducted most of the correspondence with the authorities for the incumbent since early in September, because Mr. Young, as a merchant, has not had the facilities for doing it. You will understand very readily that when the officials refuse to enter into official correspondence with a merchant-consul, he can have but little influence for the good of the nationals for whom he affects to act. I have done all I could do in the interest of the Danes, and shall continue to do so, though I am forced to use great care lest I damage my influence with the authorities for the good of my own countrymen. My action in connection with the telegraph projects has, as you will understand, been in the general interest of commerce, civilization, and progress; and, having first brought the subject conspicuously to the notice of the Chinese officials, and induced them to take the initiative in the matter, it has seemed to me to be proper that I should continue my efforts in furtherance of the project. This has involved me in controversies with the officials which have not always been pleasant, though in the main I have preserved friendly relations with all those who have behaved honorably in the matter.
You ask me to keep you advised as to the exact status of telegraphic affairs here, which I shall be glad to do. I have hitherto written freely to Mr. Seward on the subject, giving him particulars as to my action and the general tendency of things as far as time and opportunity have permitted; and Mr. Seward has, I presume, communicated all important points to you.
I shall try now to give you a résumé of what has been done here, and in as concise a manner as possible. I may premise by saying that since I arrived first in Foochow I have embraced every favorable opportunity to impress upon the officials with whom I have been brought in contact the importance of the telegraph, and often discussed with them the feasibility of erecting a line between the foreign settlement in the city and Pagoda anchorage. A means of quick communication between the two points has been often a matter of great moment to foreign interests, and the Chinese themselves [Page 280] not unfrequently feel the need of it. Being on the most friendly terms with the late chief of the Chinese committee of foreign trade, the Taotai Luh, and finding him favorably disposed toward the introduction of western sciences and improvements, I brought this subject of a telegraph to the anchorage conspicuously to his notice in March last. He received it with favor, but said, “While I am personally in favor of your project, I am only one man. I fear that my co-officials will not favor it; and, further, that the people will not allow the poles to be erected on their lands.”
Soon after this the Great Northern Telegraph Company, through their agent, Mr. Henningsen, applied to me to procure for them official sanction to the construction of this same line. Thinking it to be important to the success of the scheme that there should be co-operation on the part of the consuls, I requested the British consul, as the senior consul at the port, to move in the matter, and he accordingly united with the French consul and myself in a joint dispatch to the trade committee, basing our request, however, upon a memorial addressed to us by the Foo-chow Chamber of Commerce.
Much to our surprise, the permission was readily given; the line soon became an established fact; and I do not know that the right of the local officials to give this permission has even been questioned.
The Chinese officers often avail themselves of the privilege of using the line at pleasure, and readily admit its great utility.
I now come to the projected Foo-chow-Amoy line. On the 25th of July I addressed a letter to Luh, embracing propositions of the Great Northern Company to erect it, (inclosure 1.)
On the 28th July I received his reply, (inclosure 2.) On the 1st of August I received-a second communication, (inclosure 3,) in which permission to erect the line was un, derstood to be given, and, although it does not appear as clearly as could be desired the subsequent acts and admissions of the Chinese officials in connection with the matter clearly prove that they were at the moment acting in good faith, and desired to have the scheme consummated. As proof of this, I inclose copy of instructions (in Chinese) issued by the trade committee to the Taotai at Amoy, (inclosure 4.) Similar instructions, issued to the Min district magistrate, and his proclamation issued in obedience to said instructions, (inclosure 5.) I may add, that I am in possession of the copies of similar instructions and proclamations published by nearly all the district magistrates between Foo-chow and Amoy. A further proof of their earnestness in the matter is found in their promptness in appointing deputies to proceed with the company’s engineer to Amoy to locate the line, and in the fact they immediately sent several young men (Chinese) to the offices of the company in Foo-chow and at the anchorage to be instructed in the art of telegraphy.
On the 12th of August, I introduced the company’s engineer and the Foochow agent to the trade committee, and we, together, settled all the details of the scheme, as fully set forth in a draught of an agreement drawn up by myself, which document is, I believe, now in the hands of General Raasloff, and may be seen by you. It was agreed that this document should be put in proper form, and be signed at convenience, but as the details were fully understood by both parties, the work of survey should be commenced at once, and the company should take all the steps necessary to insure the early construction of the line, such as ordering the material, &c.
It was my purpose to have the agreement signed simultaneously with the movement of the surveying party, and to that end I put it in form as quickly as possible, sent it to the Chinese for signature August 15, when, much to my surprise, they began to raise objections to it, which immediately gave rise to suspicions in my mind that a spirit of opposition to the project was cropping up in some quarter unknown to me. Certain amendments to the agreement were proposed, which, as they did not change the tenor of the terms agreed upon, were accepted by the company, and the document rewritten.
About this time the surveying party started for Amoy, and I was also informed verbally, by a member of the trade committee, that instructions had been received from the imperial commissioner, Shan, then in Formosa, that telegraph-lines in China were to be built and owned by the Chinese; but the impression was distinctly conveyed to me that the governor-general did not concede to Shan the right to interfere in matters pertaining to the province (Fuhkien) on the main-land, and that the scheme under notice should be carried out. Nevertheless, the signing of the agreement was delayed, and I soon learned the cause, by being put in possession, through an underground channel, of certain instructions issued by the governor-general to the committee. (Inclosure 6.)
Matters remained in statu quo for a time, and finding that the committee would not be moved to sign the agreement, and hearing rumors of a division of sentiment amongst the Chinese officials, which might, perhaps, defeat the project, I wrote a letter to the governor-general, August 29, in which I made an earnest appeal to him to allow no obstacles to intervene to prevent the consummation. (Inclosure 7.) This letter was answered indirectly by the committee, and I was informed by Luh that the opposing [Page 281] power behind the scenes was the Tartar general. I thereupon solicited an interview with him and his two colleagues, the governor-general and governor, which was accorded to me early in September. At this interview the whole matter was discussed, and it was agreed that if the company would fix an approximate price at which they would convey the line to the provincial government when completed, the agreement should be signed, and the work might proceed.
This the company did, and the work was immediately commenced with the knowledge and assent of the trade committee. Soon after, about the middle of September, orders came from the Tsung li Yamen to the officials here to purchase the Foo-ebow-Pagoda line. (Inclosure 8.) Suddenly, Luh, the Taotai, was superseded by the present incumbent, Pan, a man notoriously anti-foreign, and opposed to all foreign innovations; and soon afterward the governor-general was called to Amoy. Then commenced a settled policy of resistance to all the demands of the company, made through the Danish vice-consul and myself upon the officials, to afford protection and carry out the terms of the concession as agreed upon.
The company went steadily on with the work of construction until about thirty miles of the line were completed, when, in obedience to positive orders from the authorities, they suspended operations, hoping thereby to come to some understanding with them by which protection might be secured. After a delay of three weeks, at great expense to the company, they found that no terms could be made; they therefore resumed work day before yesterday, but were attacked by a mob of about fifty men from a village near by, and driven from their ground.
Captain Haskin, being near the spot, went yesterday morning and had a consultation with the people of the village, who frankly told him that they had no objection to the telegraph being built, but had received orders from the mandarins at Foo-chow not so allow it to be done.
This brings me up to the present moment. The company’s agents believe that if the authorities would withdraw their opposition and say “Let the line be completed,” the work would proceed without any opposition which could not easily be overcome by them as they moved forward. I do not hope for any change for the better, unless the Tsung li Yamen can be induced to issue positive instructions to the Tartar general here to withdraw his opposition and give the project his moral and active support. You are perhaps advised as to whether such a step is likely to be taken by the Yamun.
I shall wait with deep anxiety for your reply to this, in which I beg you will tell me what may be hoped for from the Peking government.
I have the honor to be, your obedient servant,
United States Consul.
Hon. Benj. P. Avery,
United States Minister, Peking.
Mr. De Lano to Luh Taotai.
Foo-chow, July 25, 1874.
To Luh Taotai,
President of the Committee of Foreign Trade:
Sir: The Great Northern Telegraph Company of Denmark, having completed a contract with the imperial commissioner Shĕn, for the construction of an electric telegraph line—overland and submarine—from Foo-chow to Tai-wan-foo, via Tamsui, it is now thought that the high provincial authorities at this port will look with favor upon a proposition to erect a line overland between this and Amoy; and in order that the subject maybe placed squarely and plainly before the governor-general for his consideration, I have been requested by the agent of the company to submit to you three separate propositions for the construction of such a line.
The company will be glad to undertake the construction of a telegraph-line between Foo-chow and Amoy on terms named in either of the propositions clearly set forth below:
- First proposition.—If the provincial authorities will give the company permission to erect poles along the government road, or by the most feasible route, and will take the necessary steps to secure their protection, the company will transmit all official dispatches from the Foo-chow authorities to the authorities at Amoy, Shanghai, and Hongkong over the line to Amoy, when the line is erected, free of charge.
- Second proposition.—The company will undertake to erect the line (poles) under government protection as above stated, and will place upon the poles two wires, one of which shall be entirely under the control of the Chinese authorities, to be worked by their own operators and in their sole interest, while the other wire shall belong to the [Page 282] company and shall he protected by the Chinese government authorities. In this case the company would even work the government line free of charge until some of your own people were sufficiently instructed in the art of telegraphy to manage it.
- Third proposition.—The company will undertake to erect the line for the provincial government, entirely at government expense, following the directions of the authorities, under a contract to be concluded with them, supplying them with engineers and operators to work it when completed, the Chinese paying their salaries. In this case the company would furnish them with an office at Amoy free of charge, and in any case the company would undertake to teach Chinese the art of telegraphy and of telegraph engineering, provided the authorities would supply for the purpose men of intelligence and education who could read and write the English and French languages. This they would do free of charge.
The proposed line between Foo-chow and Formosa will only place Foo-chow in communication with Formosa, whereas a line between Foo-chow and Amoy would, when the Formosa line has been finished, place both Foo-chow and Formosa in direct communication with the coast cities of China, with Europe, America, and nearly all parts of the world.
An opportunity is offered in the second proposition of the company for the provincial authorities to become the owners of a land-wire from Foo-chow to Amoy without any outlay of money, merely by giving the company permission to erect it, and by making the necessary arrangements with the country people along the route for its construction and protection.
I beg you will lay the matter before his excellency the viceroy, together with the three propositions herein submitted, at your earliest convenience, and that you will advise me at the earliest possible moment what action, if any, the provincial government will take in the matter.
Be pleased to accept the assurances of my high regards, and believe me,
Yours, respectfully,
United States Consul.
The trade committee to United States consul.
a direct reply.
We have received and read your letter embodying the request of the Great Northern Telegraph Company, which has deliberated and settled on three propositions or proposed conditions for building a telegraph-line from Foo-chow to Amoy. Your honor the consul regards the second of these as very proper (or trustworthy) and you request us to lay the subject before the viceroy for his consideration, and return answer.
It appears that you, on a former occasion, applied to us for permission to construct a line of telegraph from the city and from Nantai to the Pagoda anchorage, and that that matter has already been initiated and settled.
Also, we have received the consent of the imperial commissioner, Shen, to establish a line between Tai-wan-foo and Foo-chow. Now primarily, (of itself considered,) the erection of a line between Foo-chow and Amoy can be effected, but the distance is great, and it is feared it will be difficult to afford full protection, in accordance with the circumstances, (in accordance with your request,) we have petitioned the viceroy, the provincial governor, and the Tartar general to investigate the matter.
On receiving their instructions we will at once inform you. This is our special reply; please examine it.
We add our respectful salutations.
Foreign trade committee to United States consul.
a direct letter to inform.
We received your former letter touching request of the Great Northern Telegraph Company for permission to construct a land-line between Foo-chow and Amoy, and requesting us to communicate the same to the governor-general for his consideration. To that letter we have already replied, and you have doubtless received and examined (the reply).
[Page 283]Yesterday Prefect Chew brought word that he had a personal interview with you, at which the advantages which would accrue to China were fully discussed, and that you charged him to report to me, the Taotai, that you advised that permission should be given to construct the Amoy line, and that the work should be commenced forthwith. From this your friendly and benignant intentions are very manifest. I feel much pleased, and must, as in duty bound, report to the high officials your excellent intentions to aid to consummate this good matter.
But a business of such magnitude takes time; hence, in its inception we must not weary of the minutia, (or the preliminaries;) the distance between Amoy and Foo-chow is considerable, and unless safe plans are at first adopted, it may well be apprehended that full protection cannot be given.
The role, then, is first to send our deputies to your office to consult with the officers of the company as to rules. I, on the one hand, will depute trusty officers to travel with them over the route and examine it. Besides, I send you this special communication, trusting that you will give your attention to the matter, and name a day when the deputies may call to hold a personal consultation. You on the other hand should direct the company’s officers to go with the deputies over the route from Foo-chow to Amoy to examine carefully and locate the line, and care must be taken not to injure (impede, hinder, obstruct) the people’s fields, houses, and graves. Maps should be drawn to accompany the reports (of survey) so the business may be easily (readily) managed.
We add our respectful salutations.
Résumé of orders sent to the intendant of the circuit of Hing-hwa, Tsuenchau, and Yung-chun prefectures by the trade committee at Foo-chow.
Mr. De Lano, the United States consul, has, on behalf of the Great Northern Tele graph Company, applied for leave to put up a line between Amoy and Foo-chow, for the accommodation of officials and merchants. As the British and French consuls previously united with him in asking for liberty to erect one from the city overland to Pagoda anchorage, which is now in operation, and a submarine line is to be laid on as far as Formosa, it is also decided by the provincial authorities to allow this.
In order to carry out this project, a deputy named Yu Tsi-tsing is to accompany a man from the company to examine the route, and see that it does not interfere with the fields, houses, or graves of the people in erecting the posts and stretching the wire.
However, as the matter is of much importance, and lest the ignorant villagers may break the line in their willfulness, you are required to intimate distinctly to the local authorities the need of issuing public notifications upon the matter, so that they may understand it, and the line may not be injured.
This is the particular object of this communication, to which please give attention.
August 7, 1873.
I have received the following directions from the governor-general, in response to the report sent him about the request made by Consul De Lano that a telegraph-line be put up between Amoy and Foo-chow: “The erection of a line between these two cities will be very advantageous in military operations, and should therefore be permitted. Let an officer be soon ordered to go over the whole line and see that the telegraph nowhere interferes with the fields, gardens, houses, or graves of the people. Let rules be drawn up with the company’s agent, and orders be sent also to the local officers to give attention to the protection of the wire, so that it may last long. All these things must be carefully arranged, and afterward made known to the various officers interested.” I have also received a reply from the governor agreeing in substance.
From the above, it is plain that in carrying out such an enterprise every care must be taken to have the line run clear of peoples’ fields and houses, and the posts set so as not to interfere with things; and this was provided for by appointing you as a special agent to see to it. The preceding responses having been received, it will also be best for the end in view to send another official, of a higher rank, with you and the company’s agents to go along the whole route and confer with the local authorities, explaining everything, drawing plans of the course the line goes, and having a general oversight throughout. It is supposed that Pan Wan-fung, an officer of the internal revenue in Kan-Kiang, will be a suitable person to appoint for this mission.
I shall report all these things to the high provincial authorities, and have now also the honor to make known to you the steps which have been taken, so that you may act upon them.
To the Intendant of Hinghwa, Tsüenchau, and Yungchun circuit, at Amoy.
Proclamation of Ching, of the district of Min.
Ching, acting magistrate of the district of Min, in Foo-chow prefecture, hereby issues a plain proclamation for general observance.
On the 9th of August, 1874, I was honored by the following orders through the committee of trade:
We have received a communication from Mr. De Lano, United States consul, in relation to the request from the Great Northern Telegraph Company to erect a line from Amoy to Foo-chow, in order to facilitate the operations of government and trade. As the British, French, and American consuls have already asked for permission to erect a line from the city to the anchorage, which has been begun; and a continuation thence of a submarine cable over to Formosa has been decided upon by the high provincial officers, this request of a line to Amoy has been agreed to. A deputy, Yu Tsi-tsing, has been associated with the telegraph company’s agent to go over the whole road, in order to see where the line can best go without interfering with the grounds, houses, or graves of the people, placing the posts and arranging everything in mutual accord. But as this matter is very important in its connection with the military operations of the government, and there is fear lest the people, in their ignorance, may wantonly break or injure the line, it is proper that special cautions be given to the local authorities respecting its careful protection. You will therefore instruct the deputy set apart for this duty, and immediately take measures to issue public notice in your jurisdiction to this end, ordering the people to be careful and not wantonly hurt the line, which is of the highest importance. You will also confer with Yu as to his survey of the road and the disposal of policemen for carrying out the orders. When all has been arranged, you will make a detailed report of what has been settled upon.
In compliance with the above orders, I hereby make known, in this proclamation, to all soldiers and people, these things for their information and obedience. When-ever the agents of the foreign company come to a place with Yu, for the purpose of erecting posts and running the wire, it is of the highest importance that they be protected; let no one, on any pretense, injure or molest them, lest he subject himself to examination. An important special notification.
The high commissioner Shan writes:
The telegraph-line erected between Amoy and Foo-chow is put up chiefly for the use it will be in carrying on military operations; but I wish you would think over this idea of mine. Everything in this world which is of great use carries within itself some feature or some result which is very disadvantageous. In any proposal coming from foreigners, it is very important that the advantages and profit be not left in their hands; we must not yield the management (of this) to others. In order to secure this, we must defray its cost. If a line be allowed to be erected, the merchants will wish to send messages over it, and the outlay can be recouped by the charges on them.
The foreign employés on the line can be taken at a salary; they then would have no ground for complaints, and all after-trouble would be avoided.
Mr. De Lano to Governor Li.
Foo-chow, August 29, 1874.
Sir: The undersigned, consul for the United States, residing at Foo-chow, has the honor to submit to your excellency the following representation:
On the 25th of July last he presented to the foreign trade committee, for transmission to the high provincial officials, a communication in which he strongly recommended the construction of a telegraph-line from Foo-chow overland to the city of Amoy. He may here state that he had three separate reasons for recommending the construction of the telegraph, as above stated.
First. He believed that in view of the unsettled state of affairs between China and [Page 285] Japan, the line would .he of incalculable benefit to the provincial government by affording it facilities for quick communication with Formosa and all the Chinese coast ports, as well as with foreign countries. Second. It would be of great advantage to foreign commercial interests at the ports. And third, the Great Northern Telegraph Company desired to construct the line as a feeder to their submarine cable, which is now landed at Hong-kong, Amoy, Shanghai, Nagasaki, and Vladivostock, in Russia.
In this first communication to the committee, the undersigned submitted, for the consideration of the Chinese authorities, three separate propositions of the Great Northern Telegraph Company to erect this telegraph-line. One of them was to erect it on the company’s account, and give the Chinese government a separate wire, to be used by them for government purposes only, they agreeing to give the necessary protection to the line during its construction and after its completion, but reserving the light to purchase it at any time at its actual cost, adding such a rate of interest from the date of completion to that of sale as they and the company could agree upon.
The undersigned was advised, on the 28th of July, by the Taotai, that his communication, containing the proposals of the telegraph company, had been submitted to his superiors for their consideration; and again on the 1st August he received another letter, informing him that the provincial authorities had accepted the company’s proposal to erect the line, on the terms above stated, and that a deputy would be immediately appointed to confer with their agents, and make the necessary arrangements for a preliminary survey of the route to Amoy. The telegraph company, believing it to be important to the Chinese government that the line should be erected and put in operation at the earliest possible moment, immediately telegraphed to the directors in Denmark to ship the wire and other material needed for the line without delay, and send a corps of engineers and operators to construct and work it. Consequently, on the 15th instant, the wire and other material and a staff of engineers and operators started from London, in the steamer Hong-kong.
Six days after the undersigned had received the Taotai’s letter, acquainting him that permission had been given by your excellency to the company to erect the line. Mr. Hoffmeyer, their chief engineer in China, arrived here from Shanghai, prepared to commence the survey. On the 12th instant, the undersigned called with him and Mr. Henningsen, the Foo-chow agent, on the trade committee. At this interview all the stipulations to be observed by the company, as well as by the Chinese authorities, in regard to the construction and management of the line, were distinctly and separately stated and agreed upon, after which it was agreed that all the stipulations as orally stated should be clearly written down in the form of an agreement, and should be signed by the company’s agent (Mr. Henningsen) on its behalf, and by the trade committee on behalf of the provincial government.
Immediately after this visit to the committee the company’s agent entered into contracts for the telegraph-poles, to be delivered along the line, for laborers to dig the holes, carry the poles, and erect them, thereby involving an outlay of $30,000. He also arranged for the purchase of ground in Nantai for a telegraph-station and erection of buildings on it at a cost of about $12,000 more, while Mr. Hoffmeyer prepared for the journey to Amoy.
In the mean time the undersigned drew up the written agreement (as stated) in Chinese and English, which was signed by the company’s agent on the 15th of August, and the same day handed in for the seal of the trade-committee. The latter declined to stamp the document, and suggested alterations which were written down. It was then rewritten and embodied all the alterations which had been suggested by the committee agreeably to your excellency’s instructions.
On the 17th instant, the written agreement, as amended, was again submitted to the committee for approval, which again declined to sign it. The next day, Chu, the sub-director of the trade-committee, called at the consulate to introduce another deputy named Pan, who had also been appointed to superintend the first survey of the route to Amoy, and while he was there, Chu said that your excellency had received a letter from Shan-Pao-Chan, the imperial commissioner to Formosa, stating that this telegraph-line to Amoy should b’3 erected by the Chinese government, and advised that the survey should be delayed. Nevertheless, the surveying party was permitted to leave for Amoy on the following day to make the survey.
Inasmuch as the trade-committee still declines to sign the agreement so that all the terms shall be a matter of record, and now desires that the company’s agent shall first name a price at which the Chinese may buy the line when it is completed, the undersigned has been requested to write this letter to your excellency, stating all these particulars. He, at the same time, assures your excellency that this last request of the committee is unreasonable, for, never having erected a land-line in China, excepting the two short ones between Nantai and Mamoi, and between Shanghai and Woosung, it is impossible for the company to state howmuch the Foochow and Amoy line will cost.
The company, by their agent, Mr. Henningsen, assures the undersigned, and he is willing to make this promise a clause in the agreement, that they will, both in their own interest and that of the Chinese government, construct the line as cheaply as a [Page 286] good and serviceable line can possibly be constructed, and in case the latter wishes to purchase it the company will produce a correct statement, showing the exact cost of its construction, and will then hand it over to them accordingly, as is clearly stated in the article of the agreement. The company assert, and the undersigned believes them, that they can erect the line cheaper than any other company or person can possibly erect it, while, too, they will put up none but a substantial and first-class line, using only the best material.
In view, therefore, of the foregoing facts, and of the further fact, too, that the company are now ready to commence the construction of the line on the terms verbally agreed upon, and have already incurred heavy expenses in making the survey and the purchase of the materials, &c., the undersigned begs that your excellency will order the written agreement to be signed by the committee, so that the company can at once begin the work of erecting the line, and he ventures to remind your excellency that inasmuch as the agreement was verbally concluded previous to your excellency’s receipt of the letter from Commissioner Shan, the provincial officials ought, in good faith, to carry out their said agreement with the company.
The undersigned also assures your excellency that the Great Northern Telegraph Company is composed of high-minded and honorable men, who will in all things deal honorably and justly with your excellency in this matter. He, therefore, begs that your excellency will fairly consider it, and favor him with an early reply. The undersigned avails himself of this occasion to renew his respects.
United States Consul,
His Excellency Li,
Governor-General of Fokhien and Chekiang.
Letter from the Tsung li Yamen about the purchase of the line to the Pagoda, anchorage.
We have recently seen in the newspapers this notice: “A telegraph line has been erected overland from Foo-chow more than 20 li long; it is entirely under the direction £ of the Great Northern Telegraph Company, and the Chinese authorities have nothing to do with it.”
We have no certain knowledge of the truth of this statement; but if it be so, and the facts are rightly stated, then let the local officers be directed to buy in the line and manage it themselves. It is probable that the Yamen will have more definite and reliable information. We have already fully discussed this matter of telegraph-lines with the foreign ministers, and our permission only extended to laying a submarine line. We have recently memorialized that the Danes be permitted to lay a line, in order to expedite intercourse; but it is important that we ourselves put up both the land and sea lines. Formerly the Russian minister, Meu-ting Kashgar, erected a line in Peking, and the Yamen then replied that when China permitted another country to put up a telegraph, she would first allow the Russians to do so.* The Russians have now written to us, claiming the permission, but as we cannot say expressly in respect to this Foo-chow line, and the correctness of the newspaper report, we write to inquire about it. It is of the very highest urgency that this line should be bought in, so that we can have somewhat to go upon as proof in making them a reply.
Mr. De Lano to Mr. Avery.
Foo-chow, February 19, 1875.
Sir: I regret to inform you that the opposition of the Tartar general to the Foo-chow-Amoy telegraph scheme has culminated in an order being issued by the viceroy—under pressure, no doubt—to certain of his subordinates, who, at the time the permission to erect the line was first given, were members of the foreign trade committee, “to proceed to the spot and tear down the poles,” and that the order has been so far executed that all of the second and third sections, each ten miles of the line, have been destroyed. The first section of ten miles still stands intact.
[Page 287]The officers who have so far executed these orders are a man named Chew-Seng-e, lately subdirector of the trade committee, and a military mandarin stationed inland. The information which I gather from Chinese sources, believed to be reliable, is to the effect that the first attack made on the company’s workmen, January 23d, was by a squad of soldiers in disguise. Subsequently the greatest liberty seems to have been given the people in respect of plundering the company’s property, and that of their employés, but they have carefully avoided offering personal violence to the European staff who have steadily retreated toward the settlements as the work of destruction and plunder has progressed. The authorities here have been advised from day to day by the acting Danish consul of what was going on, and demands made upon them for protection to life and property, but they have persisteutly declined to move in the matter, declaring that the whole opposition came from the people, who, they say, they have not the power to control, while the people have frankly stated that they were proceeding under official direction; that they did not wish to harm any one, but that being allowed to take the company’s property, the opportunity could not be lost. In one instance about 150 telegraph-poles, which were lying at one of the company’s stations, were taken possession of by the villagers, who said to the superintendent of construction, “If you settle this affair and the Foo-chow mandarins allow you to build the line, we will return the poles, otherwise we will use them to build a joss-house with.” The two officials alluded to above have kept in the background, not having at any time been seen by the company’s men.
The Europeans (Danes) have been most prudent and forbearing, having almost entirely avoided altercations with the people, the result being that the peasantry are still without objections to the line being constructed through their country. It is nevertheless impossible to calculate upon the extent of opposition which might be met with from the local officials, and the literati further inland, were the line hereafter to be built.
I am still of the opinion that the Tartar general is the opposing power, and that neither the viceroy or Taotai are inimical to the telegraph. It is a singular fact, that the officials have not based their opposition to the scheme upon the want of imperial sanction, but solely upon the alleged opposition of the country people.
The Foo-chow-Pagoda line has been repeatedly interrupted of late, it is believed by thieves, who have cut the wire and carried off sections of it, doubtless for gain, but the officials decline to order their arrest, notwithstanding they have promised in an official dispatch to use all means in their power to give that line full and complete protection.
In short, I may say that the officials have acted, and are now acting, in very bad faith towards the company, and without being able, I think, to justify their conduct, while the representatives of the company have pursued a wise and most commendable policy, thereby avoiding the serious difficulties which would have resulted from a collision with the country people. They will try by all honorable means to maintain the Pagoda line and the section of the Amoy line which have been left standing.
I am sending you by this opportunity a Foo-chow newspaper which contains two or three articles on the subject under notice.
I have the honor to be, &c., &c.,
United States Consul.
Hon. Benj. P. Avery,
United States Minister, Peking.
- This and the last sentence are both obscure. General Vlangali had a wire stretched across his legation, to show Prince Kung and others its operation, in 1866.↩