No. 130.
Mr. Denby
to Mr. Bayard.
Legation of
the United States,
Peking, November 17, 1886.
(Received January 3, 1887.)
No. 243.]
Sir: I have the honor to report the gratifying
intelligence that the local authorities at Chungking have offered to pay Mr.
Bourne, the English consular agent, 23,000 taels, in satisfaction of the
losses suffered by the Methodist mission and the missionaries by the riots
in July. This information came to me from Sir John Walsham, the British
minister, who has very kindly permitted Mr. Bourne to act for us in this
matter.
Mr. F. D. Gamewell, the superintendent of the mission, has accepted this
offer. It is understood that its acceptance does not waive the right of the
missionaries to return to Chungking, and does not surrender title to their
real estate. But they consent to accept other lands in exchange for the land
in the suburbs, should suitable and eligible locations be offered them.
I append hereto copies of Mr. Gamewell’s communication to me and of my letter
to Sir John Walsham, as also of a note from Sir John Walsham giving a copy
of his telegram to Mr. Bourne notifying Mr. Gamewell’s acceptance.
It is proper to state that the claim was 28,000 taels [No. 229]. I did not
exercise any authority to secure the reduction asked. I left Mr. Gamewell
entirely free to accept or refuse the offer.
* * * * * * *
I do not hesitate to say that, in my opinion, this compromise is proper and
advantageous.
I have, etc.,
[Inclosure 1 in No. 243.]
Mr. Gamewell to Mr.
Denby.
Sir: Having received from you a notification
that an offer has been made to Mr. Bourne of 23,000 taels in settlement
of the damages done by the mob in Chungking to the property of citizens
of the United States, I hereby authorize Mr. Bourne to accept said offer
by way of compromise, with the distinct, understanding that the
missionary association that I represent and the United States
missionaries do not thereby surrender
[Page 167]
title to the real estate of said association, nor
give up the right to return to Chungking and renew work there. It is,
nevertheless, further understood that the missionary association will
not insist on re-occupying the property in the suburbs of Chungking-for
mission purposes, but will, if the local authorities so desire, consent
to exchange said property for other eligible and suitable property
located in a different locality.
F. D. Gamewell,
Superintendent West China Mission of the Methodist
Episcopal Church.
[Inclosure 2 in No. 243.]
Mr. Denby to Sir
John Walsham.
My Dear Colleague: I have the honor to
acknowledge the receipt of your note of yesterday.
I beg leave again to return to you the thanks of my fellow-citizens and
myself for your kindness and assistance in the matter in hand.
I have submitted to Mr. Gamewell the proposition to authorize Mr. Bourne
to accept 23,000 taels in satisfaction of the wrongs and injuries done
to the property of the Methodist mission and of the missionaries at
Chungking.
Mr. Gamewell now authorizes Mr. Bourne to accept said sum in full
satisfaction of the pecuniary loss.
I desire it to be distinctly understood, and so communicated to the local
authorities by Mr. Bourne, that this acceptance of said sum does not
involve any waiver of the right of the missionaries to return to
Chungking and resume their legitimate work nor the surrender of their
title to the real estate purchased and occupied by them.
And the missionary association and the missionaries will not insist on
re-occupying for mission work the property in the suburbs of Chungking,
if the local authorities object to such occupation, and will consent to
exchange said property for other suitable and eligible property in the
vicinity of Chungking. I attach hereto a copy of the communication of
Mr. Gamewell to me expressing these ideas.
I beg leave to state that the association would take pleasure in
refunding to your excellency the cost of telegrams, as well as any other
expenses you have incurred on its account. A statement thereof can be
sent to me.
Yours, faithfully,
[Inclosure 3 in No. 243.]
Sir John Walsham to
Mr. Denby.
My Dear Colleague: On the receipt of your
letter of to-day, and of its inclosure from Dr. Gamewell, I telegraphed
the following message to Mr. Bourne, through Her Majesty’s consul at
Ichang:
“The United States minister, with the concurrence of the Missionary
Association, accepts for pecuniary losses the proposed compromise of
23,000 taels, on the following specific conditions:
“The missionaries shall not be held as having thereby waived their right
to return to Chungking, nor as having surrendered their title to the
real estate purchased and occupied by them, but if the local authorities
should object to the reoccupation for mission purposes of the property
in the suburbs, the missionaries will agree to exchange it for other
suitable property.”
Yours, faithfully,
