Mr. Bayard to Mr. Cheng Tsao Ju.
Washington, April 24, 1885.
Sir: I have the honor to inform you that by an act of Congress approved March 3, 1885, the President was directed to cause the sum of $583,400.90 to be paid to the Chinese Government out of the residue of [Page 182] the indemnity received by the United States from China in pursuance of the claims convention of 1858; provided that before the payment to China the Secretary of State should pay to the executors of Charles E. Hill the sum of $130,000, upon receipt of a release in full for all claims upon China for the use and loss of the steamer Keorgeor, in or about the year 1863.
This latter prescription of the law having been complied with, the President desires me to now pay over to China the sum of $453,400.90, this being the remainder of the sum of $583,400.90, after deducting the payment of $130,000 to the executors of Charles E. Hill.
Having been advised by the chargé d’affaires of the United States at Peking that it is the wish of His Imperial Majesty’s Government that your excellency shall be the recipient of this payment, it gives me great pleasure now to proceed with you to the fulfillment of the provisions of law and the wishes of the President and His Imperial Majesty’s Government. For this purpose I send to you by one of the officers of this Department a draft drawn by Messrs. Riggs & Co., of this city, upon the Bank of America, of New York, in my favor, and by me duly indorsed to your order, for the sum of $453,400.90. The officer who brings yon this will also bring you two receipts and releases, of identical tenor, which were executed by the executors of Charles E. Hill, and three identical forms of receipts for the sum of $453,400.90 for official execution by yourself.
I have authorized the bearer to witness on my behalf your execution of the triplicate receipt, and have instructed him to leave with you the duplicate and triplicate executions, so that, with the duplicate and triplicate executions by the executors of Charles E. Hill, you will be enabled to furnish your Government and fortify yourself with an accurate recount of the transaction.
In thus terminating a most pleasant incident of the happy relations which have always existed between our two Governments, I avail myself, &c.