No. 141.
Mr. Denby to Mr. Bayard .

No. 282.]

Sir: I have the honor to report that the losses of the missionaries of the Methodist mission at Chungking have been finally adjusted.

I inclose herewith a translation of the agreement made by Mr. Frederick S. A. Bourne, acting for me, with the Chinese officials.

By the terms of this agreement the walls, masonry, pillars, etc., remaining on the property are to be preserved. The missionaries are to return to Chungking and rebuild, under the protection of the authorities, when deemed advisable. The present sites are to be exchanged for others. Twenty-three thousand taels are to be paid at specified times.

Mr. Bourne writes to Her Britannic Majesty’s minister that the local authorities desired to insert in the agreement a period of delay in the missionaries returning to Chungking, but he refused to allow such a clause to be inserted. Mr. Bourne is still a quasi prisoner in the yamên, and the French missionaries are barricaded in their house. As soon as the French commence building our missionaries can return. The local officials were desirous of inserting in the agreement a clause that the head of the ward chosen by the literati and the head of the ward chosen by the people should control the selection of new sites, but Mr. Bourne would not consent, because the treaties do not warrant such an arrangement.

Mr. Bourne has rendered us signal service in this matter. He has displayed great zeal, ability, and kindness. There was no other person in Chungking who could attend to our business, and no American was allowed to go thither.

The agreement has been submitted by me to the superintendent of the mission, and has been approved by him. I have notified Her Britannic Majesty’s minister of my approval of the agreement. The matter may therefore be considered as having reached a favorable termination.

I am just in receipt of your dispatch No. 118, of date November 8, 1886. You therein authorize me to go to Chungking, or to send thither [Page 180] Mr. Franklin or a member of this legation. It is a six weeks’ trip to go thither, and I hope the necessity of sending any one will not arise. * * *

I have, etc.,

Charles Denby.
[Inclosure in No. 282.]

Mr. Bourne to Sir John Walsham.—Proposed arrangement of the American case arising out of Chungking riots of July 1, 1886.

The acting governor-general of Ssú Chuan, Yu, having deputed the expectant prefects Lo and Fang, to arrange this affair at Chungking, together with I, taotai of Eastern Su Chuan, Heng, prefect of Chungking, Fu and Kwo, magistrates of the district of Chungking, and the minister of the United States in China, having requested the British minister, Sir John Walsham, bart., to instruct Mr. Bourne, British resident consular officer at Chungking, to settle this case on behalf of [the American minister], the above parties have now agreed to the following terms:

1.
The local officials, civil and military, are to take measures to preserve all that remains on the American sites within the city in the Tai-Chia Hang and the Chin-lung Hang—walls, masonry, pillars, etc. Damages to this property will not be allowed.
2.
The American missionaries are to wait until the district is quiet and men’s minds quite settled before rebuilding their houses in the city. As soon as it is advisable for foreigners to build in the city, the local officials, civil and military, will extend strenuous protection to the missionaries, and will appoint police to look after them.
3.
The American missionaries paid originally 2,300 taels for the site at Ihang-ching, and 200 taels for the site at Liang-feng-ya, exclusive of the stamp duty. As the people are not willing that the American missionaries should build on these sites, it is now decided that these sites shall be given up in exchange for others, according to Mr. Gamewell’s letter to Hsia, taotai, dated July 12 last. As soon as suitable sites have been found a fair purchase price will be decided. If the price is more, than 2,500 taels the American missionaries will make good the balance, and if the price is less than 2,500 taels the local officials will make good the balance after the purchase has been completed. The sites at Ihang-ching and Liang-feng-ya will be given up, and the foreign grave at Ihang-ching will be moved over. When the district outside (the city) is quite settled and the American missionaries build on the new sites given in exchange, the local officials, civil and military, will again take strenuous measures to protect them.
4.
The list of losses made out at the time by Mr. Gameweil amounted to 28,000 taels, exclusive of the value of the four sites. Now that the affair is being settled by way of compromise, the American minister is willing to reduce the amount to be paid in compensation. It is promised that 23,000 taels, note silver, by the Chungking balance shall be paid; 5,000 taels in the twelfth month of this twelfth year of Kuang-hsii; 6,000 taels in the third month; 6,000 taels in the sixth month, and 6,000 taels in the ninth month of the thirteenth year of Kuang-hsii.
5.
Both parties will report the above terms to their superiors for their approval, settling the case.

Taotai Prefect, Magistrate
,
and
Mr. Bourne.

True translation.

F. S. A. Bourne.