No. 89.
Mr. Holcombe to Mr. Evarts.
Legation of
the United States,
Peking, June 25, 1878.
(Received August 6.)
No. 14.]
Sir: Inviting your attention to Mr. Seward’s
several dispatches upon the conservation of the harbor and the approaches to
the port of Shanghai, and notably to his numbers 364, 371, 402, 411, and
412, I have the honor to hand to you herewith a copy of a letter of thanks
for his course in the business, addressed to him by the Shanghai Chamber of
Commerce through the vice-consul-general.
I have, &c.,
[Inclosure in No. 14.]
Mr. Forbes to Mr.
Stahel.
Shanghai, March 30,
1878.
Sir: This chamber had the honor to receive a
letter from you dated 16th March, covering a copy of a dispatch from his
excellency Mr. Seward, inclosing a set of rules which have been agreed
upon between the ministers of treaty powers at Peking and the Chinese
Government for the regulation and control of the harbor of Shanghai.
Allow me to express the thanks of the chamber for this communication, and
to ask you to convey to his excellency the United States minister an
acknowledgment of his courtesy in requesting you to inform the
mercantile body of the progress of negotiations on the subject of the
conservation of the harbor and river on which this port is situated.
This chamber has noted with pleasure his excellency’s announcement that
the question of further measures is likely to be considered at Peking,
and I am especially charged to beg that you will acquaint Mr. Seward
with the feelings of the chamber with regard to the interest which his
excellency has evinced in advancing the interests of the trade of this
port, by promoting the safe navigation of its approaches.
The chamber is glad to recognize in Mr. Seward’s dispatch evidence of a
continued endeavor to obtain improvements and to insure the maintenance
of the important water-way which gives access to this settlement.
I have, &c.,
F. B. FORBES,
Vice-Chairman,
