Legation of
the United States,
Peking, July 28, 1880.
(Received September 15.)
No. 739.]
You will notice that the ministers declared their inability to enter upon a
further discussion at present.
[Inclosure 1 in No. 739.]
Mr. von Brandt to
Mr. Seward.
Mr. von Brandt presents his compliments to his excellency Mr. Seward, and
has the honor to inform him that he met the ministers of the Tsung-li
Yamên on the 17th instant, on the subject of transit-passes
outwards.
The ministers present, Shen, Wang, Tung, and Chung-li, declared that they
had not yet received the reports they had asked for from the provincial
authorities, except from those at Wuhu and that they could not therefore
enter upon any discussion of the subject. They added that they would
prefer to arrange all the questions at the same time. Mr. von Brandt
answered to this, that he did not object in principle to such a course
being pursued, but that he could not allow the proposal to be used only
as a means for postponing the settlement of the question now before the
Yamên; that the treaties were explicit on the subject of transit-passes;
that, moreover, regulations issued by the customs authorities and
approved by the legations existed, and that therefore there could be no
reason why the issue of transit-passes should not be proceeded
[Page 291]
with at all the open ports.
Mr. von Brandt added that, in case the Yamên had any objection to arrive
at a speedy settlement of the question, he was quite willing to inform
his colleagues of it and return to them the powers which he held from
them, but that in that case he would take up the question for himself
and proceed accordingly.
His excellency Wang then declared that the Yamên was quite satisfied with
most of the proposals laid before them by Mr. von Brandt; that some
changes, however, were necessary, and that the Yamên had to take the
opinions of the local authorities on the subject before coming to an
understanding with the foreign representatives; that the local
authorities had been written to already some time ago, and that the
Yamên would press again for speedy answers; that in the meanwhile the
Yamên had already instructed the authorities at Canton to issue
transit-passes whenever asked for, and that the hoppo had answered that
he would do so.
Mr. von Brandt asked for a copy of the hoppo’s letter, which was promised
to him, but which, when it reached him, proved entirely unsatisfactory
and of quite another tenor than the assurances given by his excellency
Wang.
Peking, July
22, 1880.
