No. 258.
Mr. Chang Yen
Hoon to Mr. Bayard.
Washington, D. C., March 12, 1888. (Received March 12.)
Sir: I have the honor to inform you that in my memorial to the Throne, dated the tenth day of the third month in the thirteenth year [Page 395] of Kwong Sü (3d April, 1887), relative to the payment of the indemnity paid by your Government in the Rock Springs case, for which I obtained an imperial edict commanding me to receive the same, I clearly stated that I was then negotiating with your excellency a convention for the protection of the Chinese subjects residing in the United States and also the restriction of their immigration thereinto.
On the twentieth day of the intercalary fourth month, in the thirteenth year of Kwong Sü (11th June, 1887), I had the honor to be apprised of a rescript in vermilion from my august sovereign on the subject delivered to the foreign office to the effect, “let the foreign office take note of the same,” which is the customary imperial method of conferring powers in such cases.
I therefore take pleasure in communicating to you the above, hoping that you will take cognizance of the same.
Accept, etc.,