No. 201.
Mr. Bayard
to Mr. Denby.
Washington, April 23, 1888.
Sir: I have received your No. 574, of February 20, 1888, concerning the discussion with the Yamên in reference to New Year’s calls thereon by the diplomatic body at Peking.
In reply to the last paragraph of your dispatch, touching the President’s reception and the interchange of official calls between the Secretary of State and the members of the various legations here, I inclose three copies of the current diplomatic list. The precedence of the Chinese secretaries over “translators and attaches” therein indicated follows the official list communicated to this Department by the Chinese minister. In practice no distinction is here made, the translators being accorded equal treatment with the secretaries. At the President’s reception on New Year’s Day the Chinese minister attends, with such suite as he deems proper, and all are presented by him to the President. In the social intercourse of the Chinese minister with the Cabinet officers, as for example at their receptions at their dwellings, the minister is generally accompanied by one or sometimes both of the translators, and their cards, when left on the Secretary of State, are returned the same as the secretaries’ cards.
[Page 297]It is much to be regretted that these minute questions, almost incomprehensible to us, should obstruct the free and friendly official intercourse this Government always desires to see maintained between its representatives abroad and the officers of the Government to which they are accredited, and with whom they have to transact the public business.
I am, sir, etc.,