No. 50.
Mr. Denby
to Mr. Bayard.
Peking , March 10, 1886. (Received April 26.)
Sir: I have the honor to forward to you herewith copy of a telegram which I have received from the acting consul-general at Shanghai, stating that he was in receipt of a telegram from our consul at Canton, saying that much excitement prevailed at that place on account of the President of the United States having refused to entertain the claim for indemnity presented by the Chinese minister for losses sustained by Chinese during the recent anti-Chinese riots.
On receipt of the above I addressed a dispatch to the Tsung-li Yamên, requesting them to take the necessary measures for preventing any trouble at Canton. I expressed the horror which I felt at the recent outrages in America, but a repetition of the same thing on the part of the Chinese would neither be a justification nor lead to a solution of the difficulty. I concluded by expressing my confidence that a satisfactory solution of the question would be speedily reached by following the ordinary diplomatic methods. I have not yet received the answer of the Yamên, but I will forward it as soon as it comes to hand.
[Page 78]Further information received from a private source leads me to believe that the danger of an attack at Canton may have passed. It is difficult, however, to be sure of a peaceful solution of the difficulty, as the population of Canton is the most excitable and troublesome of all of the treaty ports; and in the present case the excitement is kept up by telegrams from the Chinese in America, which are posted throughout the city.
The U. S. S. Monocacy, which has been stationed at Tientsin during the winter, and on board of which I expected to visit the treaty ports, has received orders to proceed at once to Canton, where there is at present only one foreign gunboat stationed.
I have, &c.,