No. 175.
Mr. Denby
to Mr. Bayard.
Peking, February 20, 1888. (Received April 21.)
Sir: It has been the practice here since China entered into diplomatic relations with the foreign powers for the prince and ministers of the Yamên to send their cards to the foreign ministers on our New Year’s Day, but they do not send cards to the secretaries, attachés, or interpreters. Soon after our New Year’s Day the prince, ministers, and heads of the boards, and other high officials call on a designated day. The Tsungpans or chief secretaries of the Yamên, seven in all, in like manner on our New Year’s Day send their cards to the secretaries and other members of the legations.
On the Chinese New Year, which occurred this year on Sunday, February 12, of our calendar, the foreign ministers sent their cards to the prince and ministers of the Yamên, and the other members of the legations sent their cards to the Tsungpans.
Mr. von Brandt, the dean of the diplomatic corps, has always insisted that etiquette demanded that the prince and ministers should, on this occasion, send their cards to the secretaries and other members of the legation. He states that this is the practice at European courts.
The question being brought before the ministers, they authorized the dean to propose to the prince and ministers that the Tsungpans should call on the foreign ministers, or leave their cards with that of the prince, the foreign ministers would then, on the Chinese New Year, send their cards to the Tsungpans, and the prince and ministers of the Yamên should on our New Year, in 1889, send their cards to the various members of the legation.
A correspondence ensued between the dean and his interpreter on the one side and the ministers and the Tsungpans on the other, which by degrees became somewhat strained and offensive. The result was that the prince and ministers declined to agree to send their cards to the secretaries, attachés, and interpreters.
The foreign ministers then determined to send their cards, as usual, on the Chinese New Year to the prince and ministers and afterwards to send cards to the other officials who had called on them, but not to call in person as had always been customary.
Of course this decision was much regretted as it tended to offend the Chinese officials, but it was argued that the minister could not separate himself from his associates in the legation, and that he ought not to compel the members of the legation to call on the prince and ministers if their visits were not to be recognized in any manner.
After the Yamên received the communication of the dean the Marquis Tseng was sent to confer with him orally. The result of the interview was that the marquis proposed that the prince and ministers should agree to send their cards on their next New Year (1889) to the secretaries of legation in addition to sending them to the ministers, and that all correspondence on the subject be withdrawn. The dean reported this proposal to the foreign ministers, who, in order to avoid an unpleasant breach with the Tsungli Yamên and the other officials, consented that they would make their annual visit accompanied by the secretaries. But the ministers determined that they would not ask their interpreters to accompany them, and that the Yamên should be notified of this determination, and that they would be expected to furnish interpreters.
[Page 261]It was thought by some of the ministers that the prince and ministers, on this announcement being made, would agree to send cards to the interpreters and the whole question would be settled, but the Yamên replied simply that they had made arrangements for their own interpreters to serve on the occasion of our visit.
The action of the foreign ministers above set out met with my full approval.
Every step in diplomatic intercourse with China which tends to break down reserve is commendable. There should be no retrogression in the etiquette of official relations until the foreign representatives are granted audience with the Emperor, and exact reciprocal treatment with that accorded to Chinese representatives in western countries. The difference is now material and it has its effect on the people in keeping alive hostility to foreigners. This widely diffused hostility would disappear or sensibly diminish if the officials of the Government would adopt a line of conduct displaying friendly and honorable recognition of the diplomatic and consular agents.
It is not proposed by the ministers to demand social intercourse, but it is determined to compel, if possible, the Yamên to accord to them and their subordinates officially the observance of the etiquette which prevails in Western countries.
Although, therefore, the question of proper treatment of the interpreters and attachés is for the present waived, its discussion has been postponed only, and it will be renewed from time to time until it is settled correctly.
It was unpleasant to the ministers to seem to waive a point of etiquette touching the interpreters. These gentlemen are as respectable members of the legation and certainly as useful as any other members. They are habitually engaged in important intercourse with the members of the Yamên, and the most difficult work of the legation is done by them.
They are, in Peking, scholarly and cultivated men and are, on all accounts, entitled to the highest consideration. In the Russian system, particularly, there are no divisions of the foreign service. The dragomans or “gens de langue” have equal rank as a class with the other branches of the service. They are, in fact, usually designated as “Chinese secretaries,” and should be so designated in our service. In the French service there are the three distinct divisions of diplomatic, consular, and interpretorial. The same rule prevails in the services of other nations and of our own.
But it is distinctly held by the ministers that the differences in the various services create no distinction here, and that the interpreters are all on an equality among themselves and are all entitled to the same treatment from the Chinese officials which is accorded to the secretaries of legation.
Taking the actual condition of his service into account it was difficult for the Russian minister to consent to seem to accord, by agreeing to call on the Yamên with his secretaries alone, precedence to his secretaries over his interpreters. His chief interpreter, in fact, ranks his secretary. For the sake, however, of presenting a united front to the Chinese Government, he waived the inconsistency and agreed to call with the other ministers, reserving the question for future settlement.
In my own case I exceedingly regretted that the interpreter of this legation, as it was decided, would not accompany me on the occasion of my visit to the Yamên and the other high officials; but I was not prepared to take, on that account alone, the responsibility of declining to [Page 262] comply with the usage of calling, in view of our existing relations with China and the importance of preserving the best possible feeling between the two countries at this juncture of affairs at home and here.
I would be pleased to receive from you some account of your own practice touching the reception by the President of secretaries, attaches, and interpreters, the interchange of official calls between yourself and members of the various legations, and such other matters connected with the subject as may throw light upon official intercourse here,
I am, etc.,