Mr. Denby to Mr. Gresham.
I send by telegraph at the expense of China the following:
The Princes and Ministers of the Tsung-li-Yamên to His Excellency Charles Denby.
Yesterday we handed your excellency a dispatch concerning the Chinese-Japanese question, but as your excellency has but recently returned, the special points of the [Page 74] affair may have escaped your attention, and we therefore write this supplementary note. The Emperor desires to maintain and cement the most friendly relations with the President of the United States, and is equally unwilling to wage a great war against Japan. Besides, the United States treaty of 1858 with China, says: “If any other nation should act unjustly or oppressively, the United States will exert their good offices, on being informed of the case, to bring about an amicable arrangement of the question,” thus showing their friendly feeling, and accordingly in the present case the difficult circumstance in which China is placed should be laid before you. Will your Government do us the great favor to intervene to stop war and reestablish peace? Such an act would be happy for China, happy for every country.
The above is a special appeal to you. To-day Yamên convoked the ministers of England, France, Germany, Russia, and myself to ask us to telegraph oar Governments to intervene to secure peace. She gives as a basis of negotiation, independence of Korea, payment of war indemnity (amount to be decided conjointly by foreign powers friendly to China) payable by installments.
I recommend mediation.