No. 109.
Mr. Young to Mr.
Bayard.
Legation of
the United States,
Peking, March 13, 1885.
(Received April 27.)
No. 673.]
Sir: I have the honor to inclose a copy of a
notification issued by M. Patenôtre, the French minister, to the effect that
the Government of France will, from the 26th of February, regard the
transport of rice as an act contraband of war.
I have, &c.,
[Inclosure in No.
673.—Translation.]
Letter of Mr. Patenôtre to the foreign
representatives at Shanghai.
rice to be considered contraband of
war.
The Government of the Republic informs me that all the powers have been
officially informed that from the 26th of this month rice will be
considered and treated as contraband of war. Cargoes of rice will be
liable to seizure on the same ground as arms and ammunition.
Admiral Courbet has consequently been requested to adopt measures for
exercising the right of search on vessels leaving Shanghai. It remains
understood that with the exception of the above-mentioned article all
merchandise can be freely carried.
Persisting in its desire to spare as far as possible neutral commerce,
the Government of the Republic authorizes me to add that it renews, as
far as Shanghai and Woosung are concerned, the assurances already given
by M. Lemaire in the letter which he addressed the 26th August of last
year to the doyen of the consular body. No attack will therefore be made
against these two ports as long as the statu quo
is not altered on the part of China.
This declaration will have, I hope, the effect of dissipating any alarm
which the possible presence of French vessels in the neighborhood of the
Yantze might occasion to the population of Shanghai. The ships cruising
in those parts will have no other mission than to oppose the carrying of
contraband of war.
Pray accept, &c.,
PATENÔTRE.
Shanghai, February 23,
1885.
