Mr. Tsui to Mr. Blaine .

Sir: You have been so kind as to inform me in your note of the 31st ultimo that the Southern Pacific Company was about to execute the bonds required by the Treasury Department for the transit of Chinese subjects through the United States. It is very gratifying to learn that one medium of transit is by this means likely to be opened to the Chinese desiring to avail themselves of this treaty privilege, from which for some time past they have been cut off, and I take pleasure in thanking you for the information so kindly communicated.

It is understood, however, that the Southern Pacific Railroad Company only controls one line of travel across the continent from the port of New Orleans, while, so far as I am informed, no similar arrangement is likely to be made from the port of New York, through which last-named port, as I have heretofore stated, the Chinese residents in Cuba have been accustomed to pass. Your note to which I now have the honor to reply does not attempt an answer to the position maintained by me in my notes of November 5 and December 16, 1889, that under the existing treaty stipulations Chinese subjects are entitled to the same privileges of free transit through the territory of the United States as the subjects of the most favored nation; and, if this position is correct, it can hardly be a compliance with these stipulations to be informed that arrangements are likely to be made whereby Chinese subjects are restricted to admission into the United States at a single port and to transit through the territory over a single line of railroad.

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In the hope that a more satisfactory solution of this question may be reached, I again venture to direct your attention to the facts and reasons set forth in my notes above cited and which remain uncontroverted.

I improve, etc.

Tsui Kwo Yin.