Mr. Denby to Mr. Gresham.
Peking, November 4, 1894. (Received December 20.)
Sir: I have the honor to inform you that by request of the Tsung-Ii-Yamên the ministers of England, Germany, France, Russia and I had an interview with the Yamên yesterday.
Prince Kung announced that he requested us to forward to our Governments telegrams invoking their intervention to secure peace with Japan. The prince said that Sun Yu-wen would give an account of the proceedings of Japan up to the time that he became a member of the Yamên, and he would then complete the history to date. Sun Yu-wen proceeded to make a statement which will be found substantially in the following dispatches from this legation, viz, of August 4, August 5, and October 31, and my telegram of yesterday’s date.
Prince Kung omitted to say anything about the effort at mediation made by England in October. Being quite privately interrogated thereupon by the British and French ministers, he admitted that subh an effort had been made about the middle of October; that the basis thereof was the acknowledgment of the independence of Korea and the payment of a war indemnity. Being asked why he thought Japan would now accept terms which she had so lately refused (the date of refusal being October 25), he said that Japan had not positively rejected the proposition, but had only refused to accede to it at that particular time, and that its presentation now by the great powers might secure its acceptance.
The foreign ministers agreed that in this great emergency they would forward to their respective Governments the proposition as made, and on the very urgent request of the Yamên they agreed also to recommend mediation.
Knowing, by common report, that you had refused to join with England in the intervention previously sought, I greatly hesitated to agree to recommend that you should now take part in an effort to mediate.
After this meeting was over I received that portion of my telegram of yesterday which purports to have been furnished by the Yamên. The Yamên had been very urgent in requesting that I would wire entire [Page 75] the message as it reached me. As it, in their view, embodies a strong argument, based on the treaty, in favor of mediation by you, I thought it ought to reach you at the same time as would the telegrams of which the substance has been sent to the Governments above named as well as Italy.
Before the interview closed each of the foreign ministers was handed an identic communication, of which a translation is inclosed. This paper pathetically sets forth the sorrow of the Emperor and Empress Dowager and piteously invokes the aid of the foreign powers in this great crisis.
I have to observe, further, that it was announced by the prince that, in view of the sixtieth anniversary of the birthday of the Empress, as an “act of grace,” the foreign ministers would be received in the palace proper for the purpose of presenting their autograph letters of congratulations. Some cavil was had over the term “act of grace,” but on inquiry made the prince stated that the ministers having letters of credence could also present them at the same place and time. The ministers concluded that this procedure would establish a precedent which would insure that all future receptions would be at the palace, and no further discussion occurred.
I have, etc.,